Great short-lived shows

[gameshowfan2001]

Match Game (1990)
Russian Roulette
Hollywood Showdown
The Hustler

[Clay Zambo]

I'd like to offer Million Dollar Mind Game.

[BrandonFG]

I'd like to offer Million Dollar Mind Game.

At first I thought you were talking about “Million Second Quiz”, which I thought was clever but a few years too early. It had several technical issues IIRC that overshadowed everything else. I think it could work today with Zoom and mobile technology being much more advanced.

[Clay Zambo]

I'd like to offer Million Dollar Mind Game.

At first I thought you were talking about “Million Second Quiz”, which I thought was clever but a few years too early. It had several technical issues IIRC that overshadowed everything else. I think it could work today with Zoom and mobile technology being much more advanced.

Well, I’d be thrilled to revive MSQ if I got to work on it again.

[BrandonFG]

A few years ago I got into Bobby Van's Make Me Laugh and watched a few episodes on Youtube. I also enjoyed the Comedy Central version and am surprised it hasn't been revived since, outside of a proposed version about a decade ago. With so many comics finding fame through social media, it's not like there's a shortage of funny people willing to work for scale and get their name out there, just like Bob Saget, Howie Mandel, Patton Oswalt, and so many others did back in the day.

Adjust the scoring to $5 for every second you don't laugh, and of course the game ends when you crack. Three contestants, and the high scorer comes back for the "tag team" bonus round that Comedy Central used. If you last a minute without laughing, you win a trip and let's say $5,000. Otherwise, $10 for every second you didn't laugh.

[That Don Guy]

The Hustler

I liked the BBC's version better: The Enemy Within - five players, a total of 50 questions, each player earns money for a correct answer, but one of the five is given all of the questions and answers in advance; at the end of the game, the players (and the audience, if the players are tied) vote on who the "enemy" is - if they're right, the enemy gets nothing and the other four keep what they've won plus 1/4 of the enemy's money, but if they're wrong, they lose everything to the enemy.

[TLEberle]

A few years ago I got into Bobby Van's Make Me Laugh and watched a few episodes on Youtube. I also enjoyed the Comedy Central version and am surprised it hasn't been revived since, outside of a proposed version about a decade ago. With so many comics finding fame through social media, it's not like there's a shortage of funny people willing to work for scale and get their name out there, just like Bob Saget, Howie Mandel, Patton Oswalt, and so many others did back in the day.

I remember enjoying what I saw of it as a high schooler, but there was a betting element that felt out of place. I'm fine with it as sort of an adjunct to an evening of comedy, and would cap winnings at a couple grand so as to not overshadow the acts.

[tvwxman]

A few years ago I got into Bobby Van's Make Me Laugh and watched a few episodes on Youtube.

Which inevitably leads to the next topic : Which hosts should have had longer careers ? I was, and will always be a huge fan of Bobby Van - died WAY too early in his life. 

3 game shows with less than decent formats , that he made entertaining. Add to him filling in as host of Tattletales, and I'd say he was one of , if not the number one, most underrated hosts in the genre.

[SamJ93]

A few years ago I got into Bobby Van's Make Me Laugh and watched a few episodes on Youtube.

Which inevitably leads to the next topic : Which hosts should have had longer careers ? I was, and will always be a huge fan of Bobby Van - died WAY too early in his life. 

3 game shows with less than decent formats , that he made entertaining. Add to him filling in as host of Tattletales, and I'd say he was one of , if not the number one, most underrated hosts in the genre.

Larry Blyden (whom Van coincidentally replaced on Showoffs) is definitely up there as well. Outside of his stint on WML?, very little of his work has been preserved, which is a shame as he had an infectious energy and personality (no pun intended). I could easily see him being considered to host Body Language or Super Password had he survived into the '80s.

[tyshaun1]

Which inevitably leads to the next topic : Which hosts should have had longer careers ? I was, and will always be a huge fan of Bobby Van - died WAY too early in his life. 

I would've liked to have seen Kevin O'Connell get a few more shots at some games... how did he only get 1 13-week gig? I think his hosting style would've been great on Super Password or Scrabble.

[Dbacksfan12]

A few years ago I got into Bobby Van's Make Me Laugh and watched a few episodes on Youtube.

Which inevitably leads to the next topic : Which hosts should have had longer careers ?

I’ve always thought Kevin O’Connell deserved more than 13 weeks.  Seemed like he had good stage presence from the get-go.

[BrandonFG]

Which inevitably leads to the next topic : Which hosts should have had longer careers ? I was, and will always be a huge fan of Bobby Van - died WAY too early in his life.

The two most obvious are probably Todd Newton and Jim Peck. I know Ricki Lake and Billy Gardell are the more recognizable names, but the fact that Todd got relegated to second banana on a bunch of interstitials on Game Show Marathon and Monopoly Millionaires Club is a joke. As for Jim Peck, I dunno if Joker lasts longer than two years with him, but he deserved a more solid career as well.

I would like to see Dylan Lane get another show that gives him a chance to actually show off his chops. I liked him on the most recent Chain Reaction, but I also think he was handcuffed by a structure that wouldn't let him be looser and joke around more with contestants who gave a bad answer the way JMH or Leah do on America Says or People Puzzler.

[Eric Paddon]

Technically Go! ran 16 weeks but yeah, Kevin deserved another shot.

Jim McKrell is the one that stands out most to me since "Celebrity Sweepstakes" did have a decent run and you would have thought he'd have gotten another shot at a network game show. 

[TimK2003]

Which inevitably leads to the next topic : Which hosts should have had longer careers ? I was, and will always be a huge fan of Bobby Van - died WAY too early in his life.

The two most obvious are probably Todd Newton and Jim Peck. I know Ricki Lake and Billy Gardell are the more recognizable names, but the fact that Todd got relegated to second banana on a bunch of interstitials on Game Show Marathon and Monopoly Millionaires Club is a joke. As for Jim Peck, I dunno if Joker lasts longer than two years with him, but he deserved a more solid career as well.

I would like to see Dylan Lane get another show that gives him a chance to actually show off his chops. I liked him on the most recent Chain Reaction, but I also think he was handcuffed by a structure that wouldn't let him be looser and joke around more with contestants who gave a bad answer the way JMH or Leah do on America Says or People Puzzler.

Was Jim Peck ever considered as a candidate to take over TTD after Wink left, or was he wanting to get out of the business by that time and go back to Milwaukee?  He would've done a way better job than Jim Caldwell did.

[Jimmy Owen]

Divorce Court kept him busy.