Game Show Documentaries

[Jeremy Nelson]

Hypothetical question:

GSN decides to commission a documentary series in the vein of ESPN's 30 for 30 to explore a number of game shows and stories. What shows / stories would you want to see a documentary about?

[SuperSweeper]

Betty White.  I'm surprised we haven't seen one in this vein done on her yet.

[TLEberle]

Scandals, and September 4, 1972.

[BrandonFG]

The fall of the genre in the early-90s, and how Millionaire more or less revived it in 1999. I think there's enough to either make one full documentary, a two-parter or two completely separate shows.

The story of that perfect showcase bid actually fascinates me a bit, particularly how the producers (over)reacted to it all.

Thom McKee and Ken Jennings' respective runs.

Piggybacking off of Travis' idea, Jack Barry's comeback in 1972 ('71 if you wanna count The Reel Game, but TJW was when he really struck gold).

[TLEberle]

The story of that perfect showcase bid actually fascinates me a bit, particularly how the producers (over)reacted to it all.

I would be curious to see who all from the production side wants to talk about that.

Thom McKee and Ken Jennings' respective runs.

As much as I love the genre, one of the problems inherent in the question is who is left to interview for the various subjects from the early days of the medium.

I think American Gladiators more or less creating the athletic game show (and spurring on several copycat programs) would be a great story to tell, as would how College Bowl goes from the Varsity Sport of the Mind to something played in university basements.

[JakeT]

Hypothetical question:

GSN decides to commission a documentary series in the vein of ESPN's 30 for 30 to explore a number of game shows and stories. What shows / stories would you want to see a documentary about?

I'd like to see an episode covering the wide variety of shows during 1975...

JakeT

[BrandonFG]

The story of that perfect showcase bid actually fascinates me a bit, particularly how the producers (over)reacted to it all.

I would be curious to see who all from the production side wants to talk about that.

I would have to look up the Esquire article to see if any producers were interviewed, but I wonder if Roger or "Fingers" would be able to speak...or were they already gone by that point? The years tend to run together for me... :-P

Going off of Jake's idea, I'd love to see something on how daytime lineups in general were wall-to-wall game shows, and how it abruptly stopped in 1994. Honestly, include the 2000s-2010s and you could have a nice documentary on how network daytime is slowing evaporating. Two games and only four soaps.

/Can't believe Drew's already been there seven years

[dazztardly]

Michael Larson's infamous appearance on Press Your Luck. Even though the "Big Bucks" special was already produced over 10 years ago, it would be nice to see this saga resurface.

Jeopardy's most memorable champions, interviews/segments with "Ken Jennings", "Eddie Timanus", etc.

Barry & Enright, from their scandal days, their resurface in the mid 70's, and ending in the early 90s.

[SuperSweeper]

The story of that perfect showcase bid actually fascinates me a bit, particularly how the producers (over)reacted to it all.

I would be curious to see who all from the production side wants to talk about that.

I would have to look up the Esquire article to see if any producers were interviewed, but I wonder if Roger or "Fingers" would be able to speak...or were they already gone by that point? The years tend to run together for me... :-P

Fingers was still there, but Roger was gone.  In the Esquire article, it was mentioned that Fingers and Drew initially thought the perfect bid had been the work of an obsessive fan who was trying to get back at them for firing Roger.

[TLEberle]

Jeopardy's most memorable champions, interviews/segments with "Ken Jennings", "Eddie Timanus", etc.

I don't understand why their names are in quotes.

[Chief-O]

Michael Larson's infamous appearance on Press Your Luck. Even though the "Big Bucks" special was already produced over 10 years ago, it would be nice to see this saga resurface.

Quite honestly, I'm not sure what would need to be added to the "Big Bucks" program that's happened between then and now. If anything, that original program could be rerun.

Barry & Enright, from their scandal days, their resurface in the mid 70's, and ending in the early 90s.

Their comeback is definitely a game show success story, but I'm not sure how it'd appeal to the casual viewers. The scandal story, yes....besides, some of the potential audience probably has seen "Quiz Show", and they did take a fair bit of artistic license!

[clemon79]

I don't understand why their names are in quotes.

It's a little-known fact that "Ken"'s real name is actually Ebenezer Lipshitz.

[Jeremy Nelson]

As much as I love the genre, one of the problems inherent in the question is who is left to interview for the various subjects from the early days of the medium.

Part of the allure of the ESPN films is that you have contemporaries helping to tell the story from a few different angles. To alter the point highlighted above, you could probably make that argument not only for subjects from the early days, but probably through the mid to late 70s. A lot of members of that fraternity have passed, which makes telling that story a little more challenging.

Two I would love to see would be Chuck Woolery leaving Wheel and his post-wheel career, and one on the formats that have swept the world.

[jjman920]

Michael Larson's infamous appearance on Press Your Luck. Even though the "Big Bucks" special was already produced over 10 years ago, it would be nice to see this saga resurface.

Quite honestly, I'm not sure what would need to be added to the "Big Bucks" program that's happened between then and now. If anything, that original program could be rerun.

Not only that, without Peter Tomarken they'd probably have to get archival footage of past interviews, including from the "Big Bucks" special. It just makes more sense to show the special again. It was just so well done that it took nine years for GSN to make a program to eclipse the number of people who had watched.

I think Reg Grundy deserves a showcase for his impact on the genre. Barry & Enright would definitely be a great one.

I'd be interested in a showcase of different hosts. Cullen being an obvious one, but also Art James, Art Flemming, Garry Moore, Bob Eubanks, Bill Rafferty, Wink Martindale, Tom Kennedy, Peter Marshall just to name some.

[BrandonFG]

The story of that perfect showcase bid actually fascinates me a bit, particularly how the producers (over)reacted to it all.

I would be curious to see who all from the production side wants to talk about that.

I would have to look up the Esquire article to see if any producers were interviewed, but I wonder if Roger or "Fingers" would be able to speak...or were they already gone by that point? The years tend to run together for me... :-P

Fingers was still there, but Roger was gone.  In the Esquire article, it was mentioned that Fingers and Drew initially thought the perfect bid had been the work of an obsessive fan who was trying to get back at them for firing Roger.

Ah, thank you!