Found myself digging through some 80s and 90s issues of The Tennessean on Newspapers.com - and the paper listed full schedules for pretty much everything carried in Nashville in the 80s through mid 90s. Including everything USA ran.
On October 1, 1984 USA added The Gong Show and Make Me Laugh in late night, as well as additional Gong reruns in late afternoon. The pair did well enough, especially in afternoons, that starting in May 1985, USA added Joker's Wild and Bullseye. From that point until the cancellation of original dating game Big Date on 9/22/97, (edit: eaten sentence) USA ran game shows (and various other studio competitions and dating series) on their daily schedule - a mix of licensed reruns and first-run originals.
Included is anything that would be considered a traditional studio game including studio competitions and dating series. With the exception of delightfully fun word game Smush in 2001-02, I stopped with Big Date's cancellation.
October 1, 1984:
4:30pm: Gong Show (new)
11:00pm: Gong Show (new, subject to preemption/alt. scheduling)
11:30pm: Make Me Laugh (new, subject to preemption/alt. scheduling)
December 31, 1984:
5:30pm: Gong Show (new time)
11:00pm: Gong Show (subject to preemptionalt. scheduling)
11:30pm: Make Me Laugh (subject to preemption/alt. scheduling)
April 1, 1985:
4:00pm: Joker's Wild (new)
4:30pm: Bullseye (new)
5:30pm: Gong Show
11:00pm: Gong Show (subject to preemptionalt. scheduling)
11:30pm: Make Me Laugh (subject to preemption/alt. scheduling)
May 6, 1985:
4:00pm: Joker's Wild
4:30pm: Bullseye
5:00pm: Make Me Laugh (new slot)
5:30pm: Gong Show
11:00pm: Gong Show (subject to preemptionalt. scheduling)
11:30pm: Make Me Laugh (subject to preemption/alt. scheduling)
September 30, 1985:
3:00pm: Joker's Wild (new slot)
3:30pm: Bullseye (new slot)
4:00pm: Chain Reaction (1980) (new)
4:30pm: Jackpot! (new, Original Series)
5:00pm: Make Me Laugh
5:30pm: Gong Show
12:30am: Gong Show (new slot)
January 6, 1986:
3:00pm: Joker's Wild
3:30pm: Bullseye
4:00pm: Chain Reaction
4:30pm: Jackpot (Original Series)
5:00pm: Make Me Laugh
5:30pm: Gong Show
March 30, 1986:
10:00am: Make Me Laugh (new time)
10:30am: Gong Show (new time)
3:30pm: Joker's Wild (new time)
4:00pm: Bullseye (new time)
4:30pm: Jackpot! (Original)
5:00pm: Chain Reaction (new time)
5:30pm: All Star Blitz (new)
April 28, 1986:
10:00am: Make Me Laugh (new time)
10:30am: Gong Show (new time)
3:00pm: Liar's Club (new)
3:30pm: Joker's Wild
4:00pm: Bullseye
4:30pm: Jackpot! (original)
5:00pm: Chain Reaction
5:30pm: All Star Blitz
September 29, 1986:
9:00am: Gong Show (new time)
9:30am: Anything for Money (new)
2:00pm: Liar's Club (new time)
2:30pm: Joker's Wild (new time)
3:00pm: Bullseye (new time)
3:30pm: All Star Blitz (new time)
4:00pm: Jackpot (original, new time)
4:30pm: Chain Reaction (original, new)
6:30pm: Love Me, Love Me Not (original, new)
October 27, 1986:
9:00am: Gong Show
9:30am: Anything for Money
1:30pm: Liar's Club (only if preceding movie runs VERY short; happened at least once)
2:00pm: Liar's Club
2:30pm: Joker's Wild
3:00pm: Bullseye
3:30pm: All Star Blitz
4:00pm: Jackpot (original)
4:30pm: Chain Reaction (original)
5:00pm: Love Me, Love Me Not (original, new time)
December 29, 1986:
9:00am: Gong Show
9:30am: Anything for Money
(The movie now always runs til 2)
2:00pm: Love Me, Love Me Not (original, new time)
2:30pm: Liar's Club (new time)
3:00pm: Joker's Wild (new time)
3:30pm: Bullseye (new time)
4:00pm: Jackpot (original)
4:30pm: Chain Reaction (original)
5:00pm: All New Let's Make a Deal (new)
April 27, 1987
9:00am: Gong Show
9:30am: Anything for Money
2:00pm: Love Me, Love Me Not (original)
2:30pm: Liar's Club
3:00pm: Play the Percentages (new)
3:30pm: Bullseye
4:00pm: Jackpot! (original)
4:30pm: Chain Reaction (original)
5:00pm: All New Let's Make a Deal
June 29, 1987:
9:00am: Gong Show
10:00am: Anything for Money (new time)
2:00pm: Love Me, Love Me Not (original)
2:30pm: All New Let's Make a Deal (new time)
3:00pm: Hot Potato (new)
3:30pm: Play the Percentages (new time)
4:00pm: Jackpot! (original)
4:30pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new)
5:00pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
September 14, 1987:
12:30pm: Anything for Money (new time)
1:00pm: Gong Show (new time)
1:30pm: All New Let's Make a Deal (new time)
2:00pm: Hot Potato (new time)
2:30pm: Press Your Luck (new)
3:00pm: Play the Percentages (new time)
3:30pm: Jackpot (original, new time)
4:00pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new time)
4:30pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
October 12, 1987:
12:30pm: Anything for Money
1:00pm: All New Let's Make a Deal (new time)
1:30pm: Play the Percentages (new time)
2:00pm: Hot Potato
2:30pm: Press Your Luck
3:00pm: Tic Tac Dough (new)
3:30pm: Jackpot (original)
4:00pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
4:30pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new time)
June 27, 1988:
1:00pm: All New Let's Make a Deal
1:30pm: Play the Percentages
2:00pm: Hot Potato
2:30pm: Press Your Luck
3:00pm: Tic Tac Dough
3:30pm: Jackpot (original)
4:00pm: Chain Reaction (original)
4:30pm: Bumper Stumpers (original)
September 19, 1988:
12:00pm: All New Let's Make a Deal (new time)
12:30pm: Play the Percentages (new time)
1:00pm: Hot Potato (new time)
1:30pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
2:00pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new time)
2:30pm: Jackpot! (original, new time)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck (new time)
3:30pm: Tic Tac Dough (new time)
4:00pm: High Rollers (new)
October 10, 1988:
12:00pm: All New Let's Make a Deal
12:30pm: Play the Percentages
1:00pm: Hot Potato
1:30pm: Chain Reaction (original)
2:00pm: Bumper Stumpers (original)
2:30pm: Jackpot! (original)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: Tic Tac Dough
4:00pm: High Rollers
4:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid (new)
January 2, 1989:
12:00pm: Hot Potato (new time)
12:30pm: Play the Percentages
1:00pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
1:30pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new time)
2:00pm: Name that Tune (new)
2:30pm: Face the Music (new)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: Tic Tac Dough
4:00pm: High Rollers
4:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid
June 26, 1989:
12:00pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
12:30pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new time)
1:00pm: Name that Tune (new time)
1:30pm: Face the Music (new time)
2:00pm: Press Your Luck (new time)
2:30pm: Tic Tac Dough (new time)
3:00pm: High Rollers (new time)
3:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid (new time)
July 24, 1989:
1:00pm: Name that Tune
1:30pm: Face the Music
2:00pm: Press Your Luck
2:30pm: Tic Tac Dough
3:00pm: High Rollers
3:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid
4:00pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
4:30pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new time)
September 11, 1989L
12:00pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
12:30pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new time)
1:00pm: Name That Tune
1:30pm: Wipeout (new)
2:00pm: Tic Tac Dough (new time)
2:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid (new time)
3:00pm: High Rollers
3:30pm: Press Your Luck (new time)
4:00pm: Hollywood Squares (Davidson) (new)
4:30pm: Couch Potatoes (new)
November 6, 1989:
12:00pm: Couch Potatoes (new time)
12:30pm: Name That Tune (new time)
1:00pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
1:30pm: Bumper Stumpers (new time)
2:00pm: Wipeout (new time)
2:30pm: Hollywood Squares (80s) (new time)
3:00pm: Tic Tac Dough (new time)
3:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid (new time)
4:00pm: Press Your Luck (new time)
4:30pm: High Rollers (new time)
March 26, 1990:
12:00pm: Face the Music (returning, new time)
12:30pm: Name That Tune
1:00pm: Chain Reaction (original)
1:30pm: Bumper Stumpers (original)
2:00pm: Wipeout
2:30pm: Hollywood Squares (80s)
3:00pm: Tic Tac Dough
3:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid
4:00pm: Press Your Luck
4:30pm: High Rollers
September 10, 1990:
12:00pm: Face the Music
12:30pm: Name That Tune
1:00pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new time)
1:30pm: Hot Potato (returning, new time)
2:00pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
2:30pm: Wipeout (new time)
3:00pm: Hollywood Squares (new time)
3:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid
4:00pm: Press Your Luck
4:30pm: High Rollers
September 17, 1990:
12:30pm: Name That Tune
1:00pm: Bumper Stumpers (original, new time)
1:30pm: Hot Potato (returning, new time)
2:00pm: Chain Reaction (original, new time)
2:30pm: Wipeout (new time)
3:00pm: Hollywood Squares (new time)
3:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid
4:00pm: Press Your Luck
4:30pm: High Rollers
December 31, 1990:
1:00pm: Chain Reaction (Original, new time)
1:30pm: Name That Tune (new time)
2:00pm: Wipeout (new time)
2:30pm: Win, Lose, or Draw (Convy) (new)
3:00pm: Hollywood Squares
3:30pm: $25,000 Pyramid
4:00pm: Press Your Luck
4:30pm: High Rollers
September 16, 1991:
2:00pm: Chain Reaction (Original, New time)
2:30pm: Win, Lose, or Draw
3:00pm: Hollywood Squares
3:30pm: Scrabble (new)
4:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid (new time)
4:30pm: Press Your Luck (new time)
December 30, 1991:
2:00pm: The Joker's Wild (1990) (New)
2:30pm: Win, Lose, or Draw
3:00pm: Hollywood Squares
3:30pm: Scrabble (new)
4:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid
4:30pm: Press Your Luck
September 14, 1992:
2:00pm: $ale of the Century (New)
2:30pm: Win, Lose, or Draw
3:00pm: Hollywood Squares
3:30pm: Scrabble
4:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid
4:30pm: Press Your Luck
December 28, 1992:
1:00pm: Hollywood Squares (new time)
1:30pm: $ale of the Century (new time)
2:00pm: Press Your Luck (new time)
2:30pm: Scrabble (new time)
3:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid (new time)
3:30pm: $100,000 Pyramid (new)
January 4, 1993:
1:00pm: Hollywood Squares (Davidson)
1:30pm: $ale of the Century
2:00pm: Press Your Luck
2:30pm: Scrabble
3:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid
3:30pm: $100,000 Pyramid
6:00pm: American Gladiators (new)
March 29, 1993:
1:00pm: Hollywood Squares (Davidson)
1:30pm: $ale of the Century
2:00pm: The Joker's Wild (1990) (returning, new time)
2:30pm: Tic Tac Dough (1990) (New)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck (new time)
3:30pm: Scrabble (new time)
4:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid (new time)
4:30pm: $100,000 Pyramid (new time)
5:00pm: American Gladiators (new time)
June 28, 1993:
10:00am: American Gladiators (new time)
1:00pm: Talk About (New)
1:30pm: $ale of the Century
2:00pm: The Joker's Wild (1990)
2:30pm: Tic Tac Dough (1990)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: Scrabble
4:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid
4:30pm: $100,000 Pyramid
After Friday, 10/8/93, American Gladiators would disappear from the daily schedule, and from that point forward be a summer-exclusive series.
December 27, 1993:
1:30pm: $ale of the Century
2:00pm: The Joker's Wild (1990)
2:30pm: Tic Tac Dough (1990)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: Scrabble
4:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid
4:30pm: $100,000 Pyramid
June 27, 1994:
10:00am: American Gladiators (returning)
11:00am: American Gladiators (new time)
1:30pm: Scrabble (New Time)
2:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid (New Time)
2:30pm: $100,000 Pyramid (New Time)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: $ale of the Century (New Time)
4:00pm: Caesar's Challenge (New)
4:30pm: Scrabble (New Time)
5:00pm: Quicksilver (Original, New)
5:30pm: Free 4 All (Original, New)
At 6.5 hours of game or game adjacent content, this was the fullest the genre ever took over the network's schedule.
July 29, 1994:
10:00am: American Gladiators
11:00am: American Gladiators
1:30pm: Scrabble
2:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid
2:30pm: Free 4 All (Original, New Time)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: Quicksilver (Original, New Time)
4:00pm: $100,000 Pyramid (New Time)
4:30pm: Caesar's Challenge
September 12, 1994:
12:00pm: Scrabble (New Time)
12:30pm: Caesar's Challenge (New Time)
1:00pm: Quicksilver (Original, New Time)
1:30pm: $100,000 Pyramid (New Time)
2:00pm: $25,000 Pyramid
2:30pm: Free 4 All (Original)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: Scrabble
November 7, 1994:
2:00pm: $100,000 Pyramid (New Time)
2:30pm: Quicksilver (Origimal, New Time)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: Scrabble
February 20, 1995:
2:00pm: $100,000 Pyramid
2:30pm: Quicksilver (Original)
March 6, 1995:
2:30pm: Quicksilver (Original)
March 27, 1995:
2:00pm: $100,000 Pyramid (Returns)
2:30pm: Quicksilver (Original)
April 17, 1995:
2:00pm: $100,000 Pyramid
2:30pm: Quicksilver (Original)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck (Returns)
3:30pm: Scrabble (Returns)
June 26, 1995:
9:00am: American Gladiators (Returns, New Time)
10:00am: American Gladiators
2:00pm: $100,000 Pyramid
2:30pm: Quicksilver (Orignal)
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: Scrabble
American Gladiators - and $100K Pyramid were dropped after their 9/8/95 airings. Gladiators would return one more time.
September 11, 1995:
2:00pm: Scrabble (New Time)
2:30pm: Quicksilver
3:00pm: Press Your Luck
3:30pm: Scrabble
October 13, 1995 was the last day for the USA game show block as it had existed for the past decade - but the network wasn't quite through with the genre. Gladiators would survive another year on the network, and the program change *did* give us Love Connection:
October 16, 1995:
2:30pm: Love Connection (New)
3:00pm: Love Connection (New)
3:30pm: Love Connection (New)
Love Connection (and the other featured show, People's Court) typically had studio segments which led to listings soon changing to note 2 episodes spanning the 90 minutes, then from there quickly into just the now structured "USA Live" as USA got that block more firmly off the ground.
June 17, 1996:
1:00pm: USA Live (features Love Connection and debuting original Big Date - along with People's Court) (3 Hour Block)
12:00am: Big Date (original)
12:30am: Love Connection
July 1, 1996:
9:00am: American Gladiators (Returning)
1:00pm: USA Live (features Love Connection and Big Date - along with People's Court) (3 Hour Block)
12:00am: Big Date (original)
12:30am: Love Connection
4:00am: American Gladiators (New Time)
September 9, 1996 ONLY:
9:00am: American Gladiators
1:00pm: USA Live (features Love Connection and Big Date - along with People's Court) (3 Hour Block)
12:00am: Grill Me (Aired/sponsored pilot)
12:30am: Love Connection
4:00am: American Gladiators
(Grill me was a Q&A based around a kitchen with restaurant themed categories - three celebrities players - and a Honda sponsorship that got the thing on the air. Big Date resumed the timeslot the next night.
American Gladiators' last airing was on 9/13/96 - the same time the series also left first run syndication.
September 16, 1996:
1:00pm: USA Live (features Love Connection and Big Date - along with People's Court) (3 Hour Block)
12:00am: Big Date (original)
Love Connection's last airing was on June 6, 1997 as the very last remotely game-adjacent licensed series.
June 9, 1997:
4:00pm: Big Date (original, new time)
4:30pm: Big Date (original, new time)
Big Date ended it's run on September 19, 1997.
The following Monday, the new fall schedule debuted - featuring nothing that could even be remotely considered a game. Four years later, USA *would* put one final relatively traditional game on the schedule.
Smush debuted on December 3, 2001. It was an extremely fun word game hosted by Remote Control's Ken Ober. But USA didn't really have much faith in the show, the ratings didn't really bare out the little faith they did have, and after getting shuffled around to various times (including overnights) the show finally was pulled in June 2002.
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Other notes:
USA ran a mix of daytime and Barris-hosted nighttime Gong.
Speaking of Gong, the combination of it plus Press Your Luck bridge the entire "classic era" of the network's game programming save for a few weeks in Spring '95. USA added Gong in '84, and dropped it for Tic Tac Doug a month after Press Your Luck was added in Fall '87. Press Your Luck lasted all the way to the 1995 end of licensed series (excl. Love Connection and American Gladiators in summer) except...
By the end of 1994, USA was clearly *over* the genre. November 1994 is a fairly clear line in the sand at the exact moment that the games shifted from an integral part of that daypart to just filler. They'd already let Sale lapse over the summer, dropped half of the Scrabble double, Caesar's Challenge, $25K Pyramid and Free 4 All. They dropped the schedule to just four shows, then to two - then just Quicksilver for three weeks, before re-adding first $100K Pyramid then PYL and Scrabble through Spring/Summer '95. That run from 1985-94 is glorious though
Although American Gladiators' run on USA is generally pretty fondly remembered by elder millennials, outside of 1993 in general USA only really used it as a summer series. Don't know if it was ratings or contractual or affiliate complaints, but in 1994-96 the show is given solid slots each summer only to be yanked again once the kids go back to school (and the new season starts in first run)
