Best Game Show Finales – Your Picks?

[gamed121683]

As I type this, it's New Year's Eve (Happy New Year, by the way!), and the end of the year has me reflecting on some memorable last episodes. So, here's a fun question as we bid farewell to 2024: If you had to rank the three best game show finales of all time, which ones would make your list? I'll go first...

1. What's My Line (1967)

2. Family Feud (1985)

3. Super Password (1989)

There's mine! What's yours?

[Winkfan]

#1.) CBS Card Sharks (3-31-1989); Worth it to see Bob weep.....

#2.) NBC Card Sharks (10-23-1981)

#3.) Child's Play (9-16-1983); Having practically all the kids present was a nice touch.

Cordially,
Tammy

P.S. "Honorable Mention" goes to the If you want to be a contestant on Hit Man..... FORGET IT! finale. (Little did anyone know that come the following September.....)

[TLEberle]

I rather liked the last show of Double Dare starring Ralph Doty with the more provocative clues--"what are they going to do, cancel us again?"

[MikeK]

I rsthe4 liked the last show of a double Dare starring Ralph Doty with the more provocative clues.

Seconded.

Add Dream House in 1984 and Your Number's Up (they just couldn't give away that car).

[jmangin]

In no particular order....
(love the standing ovation and Bert's heartfelt time for Betty and his tribute to Gene)
Split Second (Kennedy--"You wanted the station wagon. It didn't turn out to be the right one, but why don't you take the station wagon, anyway!" And Monty Hall, Jay Stewart, and a great comment about Jack Clark being a wonderful announcer)
Card Sharks (Eubanks--clearly the folks he worked with mean a lot to him)
What's My Line? (best panel game ending)
Blockbusters (Cullen--"Don't hold your breath...we'll be back. So long!")

[steveleb]

I would also nominate the finales for Perry sale and $20k pyramid which both allowed full staffs to take an on-camera bow.  Pyramid gets extra kudos for the heartfelt tribute to Dick from Bill, which clearly meant a lot to him.  Plus the “leftover pyramid” topped by Fanous Italian Directors was inspired

[BrandonFG]

Split Second for the car giveaway and crew appearing on screen.

20K Pyramid for the reason Steve mentioned.

Dawson Feud for his heartfelt message...despite him wanting it removed after the fact.

[Eric Paddon]

Split Second
-Goes out on a classy up tempo note and there is also the fascinating element of seeing Markie Post among the production people at the end, plus the fact that two of the three contestants had famous stories of their own with future ABC reporter Judd Rose and last champ and station wagon winner Steve Robinson being none other than Henry Morgan's son.

What's My Line?
-An excellent finish to the series that in many respects was the show that put Goodson-Todman on the map and was the flagship of their entire output.

$20,000 Pyramid

Password (ABC)
-A chance to hear Allen speak from the heart about how much Password meant to him (and a reminder that the show is how he met Betty).

[BillCullen1]

Here's my three:

1 What's My Line?

2 The $20,000 Pyramid

3 Super Password

Happy New Year everybody

[TimK2003]

Here's my three:

1 What's My Line?

2 The $20,000 Pyramid

3 Super Password

Happy New Year everybody

Honorable mentions:

Cullen Chain Reaction -- The crazy final end game was a keeper, despite that it wasn't supposed to finish that way.

Eubanks ABC Newlywed Game -- Bob's first game show,  and how he chokes up at the end of the Christmas show.  It looked like his last day on TV really meant a lot to him, probably more than his last day on radio.  But it didn't take long for him to get back on TV doing game shows.

[carlisle96]

Here's my three:

1 What's My Line?

2 The $20,000 Pyramid

3 Super Password

Happy New Year everybody

Honorable mentions:

Cullen Chain Reaction -- The crazy final end game was a keeper, despite that it wasn't supposed to finish that way.

Eubanks ABC Newlywed Game -- Bob's first game show,  and how he chokes up at the end of the Christmas show.  It looked like his last day on TV really meant a lot to him, probably more than his last day on radio.  But it didn't take long for him to get back on TV doing game shows.

I heard or read Eubanks saying that he had offers right and left after Newlywed Game, but he was thinking about the staff he had worked with who are losing  their jobs.

[That Don Guy]

"Best" in what way?
Anyway, here are my three:

1. Daly What's My Line? (the one where he is the final mystery guest...and I think I know the story of "the one mystery guest who arrived with a minute to spare"; I remember reading a story about a celebrity who was sitting down to watch TV, heard the announcer say, "Stay tuned for WML?", and suddenly remember that he was the mystery guest that night)

2. NBC Chain Reaction

3. NBC Hollywood Squares - they brought a contestant back and credited her with $1800 so she only needed to win one game to get the 5-match "jackpot," but she then lost her next two games

Honorable Mentions:
The Better Sex - IIRC, rather than start a game they knew wouldn't end in time, they just had Bill Anderson break out his guitar for a song.
The Gong Show

[carlisle96]

"Best" in what way?
Anyway, here are my three:

1. Daly What's My Line? (the one where he is the final mystery guest...and I think I know the story of "the one mystery guest who arrived with a minute to spare"; I remember reading a story about a celebrity who was sitting down to watch TV, heard the announcer say, "Stay tuned for WML?", and suddenly remember that he was the mystery guest that night)

2. NBC Chain Reaction

3. NBC Hollywood Squares - they brought a contestant back and credited her with $1800 so she only needed to win one game to get the 5-match "jackpot," but she then lost her next two games

Honorable Mentions:
The Better Sex - IIRC, rather than start a game they knew wouldn't end in time, they just had Bill Anderson break out his guitar for a song.
The Gong Show

That WML guest was Arthur Godfrey

[Neumms]

1. Mystery Guest John Daly, no better ending possible
2. Blockbusters, because Bill finally answered the question of whether two heads were better than one
3. Maybe Rhyme and Reason—wrecking the set sounds fun but I’ve never seen it
4. The sentimental ones, original Newlywed Game and ABC Password
5. Dream House with the couple winning

[Neumms]

That WML guest was Arthur Godfrey

Thank you. The story was lame without that.