In the UK, TV game shows are still often accompanied by elaborate visual opening sequences along with their theme tunes; it's a decreasingly frequent practice these days, but the theory remains that an attractive opening sequence will attract viewers who stick with the rest of the show. (The US practice is that less time spent on the opening sequence means more time for the show itself - and, yes, for adverts.) Nevertheless, as Brig Bother pointed out not so long ago,
TV Ark has
an excellent repository of British TV game show theme tunes and opening sequences with new additions on a reasonably frequent basis - well worth a look. Don't forget there are three other pages; British game shows go through the alphabet to the Zodiac game, rather than being restricted arbitrarily not to start with G or later. :-)
Obviously you can look to see the sequences from British versions of your US favourite shows if you like; it also helps if you can translate show titles:
All Clued Up is the UK version of $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime, minus the jackpot,
Bob's Full House became US Trump Card (and at least three other UK shows),
Bullseye isn't Bullseye,
Crosswits is "The" Cross-wits,
Criss Cross Quiz is Tic Tac Dough,
Lucky Ladders is Chain Reaction (and has a very short, US-style open),
Play Your Cards Right is Card Sharks and
Treasure Hunt isn't Treasure Hunt. (It's Treasure Hunt, instead.) Easy, really.
However, you could probably do with some recommendations as to which unfamiliar shows to download - or, at least, which to do first. Blockbusters is an excellent start for its 1982 retro-futuristic style and glorious theme; Challenge Anneka isn't really a game show but is worth a punt and conveys what sort of a not-game-show it is very well; likewise, 4 ("Four") Square's intro tells you most of what you want to know about the show.
Bob's Full House has a decent theme and conveys the character of the (now sadly late) consumate eponymous quiz host remarkably well; Gambit is glorious; Interceptor is action-packed and has a fantastic theme, with the older Treasure Hunt acting as an excellent little brother; the placement of Odd One Out (with Paul Daniels doing the Dick Dawson wannabe act) next to Play Your Cards Right is amusing; Telly Addicts will mean almost nothing to you and University Challenge has a lovely tune.
Heck, tell me which ones
you like! British game show theme tunes are generally not much like US ones after about 1985 or so - perhaps you can date the disparity yourself. (The five versions of 3-2-1 are an interesting museum piece and offer a reflection upon the state of British TV computer graphics over time.)
On top of that, you get to see glimpses of sets and hear British announcers! What more could you want? Apart from $25,000 in cash...
