Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Author Topic: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?  (Read 4284 times)

SamJ93

  • Member
  • Posts: 847
Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« on: May 27, 2021, 09:40:46 AM »
Inspired by J! having a FICTIONAL GAME SHOWS category last night...

As we all know, most films and scripted TV episodes in which the characters go on a game show end up being ridiculously over-the-top--the host turns out to be evil, the contestants are forced to wear silly costumes, the losers are subject to some humiliating penalty, etc. While some artistic license will always have to be taken for the sake of the story, are there any media in which the fake game show is portrayed reasonably accurately? To narrow it down a bit further, stick to completely fictional examples--no Slumdog Millionaire or Cliff Clavin on J!.
It's a well-known fact that Lincoln loved mayonnaise!

SuperMatch93

  • Member
  • Posts: 1723
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2021, 10:31:54 AM »
The children's quiz show that Cindy appeared on in that episode of The Brady Bunch seemed like a fairly realistic portrayal of a local show.
-William https://cookcounty.biz
https://www.donorschoose.org/classroom/cpsbermudez
"30 years from now, people won’t care what we’re doing right now." - Bob Barker on The Price is Right, 1983

nowhammies10

  • Member
  • Posts: 451
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2021, 10:42:16 AM »
Two that immediately spring to mind are Grab That Dough! from The Golden Girls and Riddle Quest on Arthur, the latter featuring the voice of Alex Trebek as, um, Alex Lebeck.

vexer6

  • Member
  • Posts: 139
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2021, 12:06:35 PM »
In one episode of Lizzie McGuire, Miranda's cousin gets her, Lizzie and Gordo on some crazy game show in Mexico and while it looks like an exaggerated portrayal at first, once you look at actual footage some game shows south of the border, you'll see how dead on it was.

Kniwt

  • Member
  • Posts: 1242
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2021, 12:27:44 PM »
Even though it wasn't in a sitcom or drama, from 2010 I nominate the fake French game La Zone Xtrême, part of the documentary Le Jeu de la Mort (The Game of Death), "a modern version of the Milgram experiment, with the additional factor of reality television's popularity and influence on the general public. ... Volunteers were given €40 to take part as contestants in a "pilot" for the fictitious show, where they had to administer increasingly stronger electric shocks to trained actors posing as players as punishment for incorrect answers, as encouraged to do so by the host and audience." (Wikipedia)

Entire show (French, no subs):


NPR coverage: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124838091

BrandonFG

  • Member
  • Posts: 18551
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2021, 01:53:18 PM »
I second "Grab That Dough", if for nothing else, the set designer did something other than a curtain as a "set" for an 80s game show. I'm sure it was stock music, but the "theme" that show used was very catchy.

Doogie Howser did an episode called "Greed is Good" where Doogie appears on a show called High IQ. I haven't seen the episode in years, but I remember it being pretty realistic, although Doogie intentionally gives a wrong answer at the end to lose his chance at thousands in prizes. It actually seems rare that sitcoms have the contestant actually win*...I guess futility makes for better punchlines.

*/No I don't need examples
//I know there's exceptions
"They're both Norman Jewison movies, Troy, but we did think of one Jew more famous than Tevye."

Now celebrating his 22nd season on GSF!

nowhammies10

  • Member
  • Posts: 451
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2021, 02:09:29 PM »
I guess futility makes for better punchlines.

To that end, and I'm honestly a little mad at myself for forgetting this, Ralph Kramden on The $99,000 Answer.

Jeremy Nelson

  • Member
  • Posts: 2899
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2021, 02:55:02 PM »
It actually seems rare that sitcoms have the contestant actually win*...I guess futility makes for better punchlines.

*/No I don't need examples
//I know there's exceptions
Well, actually…no, I agree with everything you say  ;)

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and Class Act pretty accurately depicted College-Bowl like shows of the time.
Fact To Make You Feel Old: Just about every contestant who appears in a Price is Right Teen Week episode from here on out has only known a world where Drew Carey has been the host.

TimK2003

  • Member
  • Posts: 4436
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2021, 07:38:28 PM »
Loosely based on the game show scandals of the 50s, "Happy Days" did an episode where Richie went on a $64,000 Question-type show and was fed answers.  As I recall, the set was not too over the top (it was a local Milwaukee TV show). 

trainman

  • Member
  • Posts: 1955
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2021, 11:48:34 PM »
One of the entries mentioned in that J! category: if you accept the concept of a long-running kids-versus-adults game show being broadcast live from Burbank every afternoon, then "What Do Kids Know?" in the movie "Magnolia" looks and feels very authentic.
trainman is a man of trains

bulldog_06

  • Member
  • Posts: 270
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #10 on: May 28, 2021, 01:26:34 AM »
The one on Matlock was a good one. The show was called "It's About Time." 

Jimmy Owen

  • Member
  • Posts: 7644
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2021, 11:42:45 AM »
Loosely based on the game show scandals of the 50s, "Happy Days" did an episode where Richie went on a $64,000 Question-type show and was fed answers.  As I recall, the set was not too over the top (it was a local Milwaukee TV show).
That episode was never aired in ABC daytime repeats.
Maude had a good spoof. Conrad Janis was the host.
Ted Baxter travelled to NYC to host "The $50,000 Steeplechase" on MTM, and MTM herself went on a hilarious game show on the "Coast-to,-Coast Big Mouth" episode of  DVD
Let's Make a Deal was the first show to air on Buzzr. 6/1/15 8PM.

mystery7

  • Member
  • Posts: 762
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2021, 06:30:17 PM »
There was an episode of Sanford & Son where Fred, Grady and Bubba go on Wheel And Deal, an almost note-for-note copy of Let's Make A Deal hosted by John Barbour. Johnny Jacobs was the announcer. Fun fact (for me, anyway): this episode originally aired the day I was born.

Notable appearances in the ones Jimmy mentioned, too: Maude's game show (I think it was called Beat The Devil) had Johnny Olson as the announcer. The model on The $50,000 Steeplechase was Dian Parkinson, circa just about the time she started on Price Is Right.

Eric Paddon

  • Member
  • Posts: 928
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2021, 11:41:43 PM »
Yes, Maude was "Beat The Devil".    Johnny Olson announced (Erin Gray was the model I think).    Johnny at one point announced, "Jewelry by Morey of Amsterdam."

ET206

  • Member
  • Posts: 62
Re: Most realistic portrayal of a fake game show?
« Reply #14 on: May 29, 2021, 12:47:08 AM »
Another plus for TGG's "Grab That Dough" was that a real game show host was used.