Author Topic: The Game Show FANS 50 Greatest List (Read 37519 times)

PYLdude · « **Reply #75 on:** August 19, 2006, 04:55:49 PM »

[quote name=\'Brandon Brooks\' post=\'128093\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 04:36 PM\']

You know, I had this exact problem; my preferences are skewed similarly. I have a fondness for Double Dare, Fun House and Finders Keepers, and all probably weren't the best game shows, but all are on my list.

[/quote]

Same here, and all three of those shows found their way onto my list.

I have three other kids' shows on my list as well. I do feel that on a list like this, whether you include them near the top (don't recommend it, because there are better shows) or in the middle or towards the end, you should probably try to include at least one show on the list.

chad1m · « **Reply #76 on:** August 19, 2006, 05:43:24 PM »

I've always had a fondness for kid's shows, but the only two I put in my list were Double Dare and Where in Time/the World is Carmen Sandiego?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #77 on:** August 19, 2006, 05:46:40 PM »

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'128098\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 04:55 PM\']I have three other kids' shows on my list as well. I do feel that on a list like this, whether you include them near the top (don't recommend it, because there are better shows) or in the middle or towards the end, you should probably try to include at least one show on the list.[/quote]
In the current Top 100, there are six that would be considered kids shows. Most are in the bottom half of the list.

With some late-afternoon entries received, we are now tracking 212 different shows. Forty-nine of the presumed GSN Top 50 have received at least one vote from us, though some haven't gotten much more than one! Five GSN shows won't even make our Top 100.

Top shows are bunched tightly. Our current #2 has 2483 total points, #3 has 2481 and #4 has 2475.

Just trying to tease you with some fun facts without giving away too much specific information!

clemon79 · « **Reply #78 on:** August 19, 2006, 05:57:34 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'128105\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 02:46 PM\']
With some late-afternoon entries received, we are now tracking 212 different shows. Forty-nine of the presumed GSN Top 50 have received at least one vote from us, though some haven't gotten much more than one! Five GSN shows won't even make our Top 100.
[/quote]
Alright, what idiot gave a nod to freakin' Studs?

(I'm gonna assume the singleton is $1.98.)

PYLdude · « **Reply #79 on:** August 19, 2006, 06:02:13 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'128107\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 05:57 PM\']
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'128105\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 02:46 PM\']
With some late-afternoon entries received, we are now tracking 212 different shows. Forty-nine of the presumed GSN Top 50 have received at least one vote from us, though some haven't gotten much more than one! Five GSN shows won't even make our Top 100.
[/quote]
Alright, what idiot gave a nod to freakin' Studs?

(I'm gonna assume the singleton is $1.98.)
[/quote]

Don't forget Hoosier Millionaire...

cweaver · « **Reply #80 on:** August 19, 2006, 06:13:03 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'127425\' date=\'Aug 14 2006, 08:17 PM\']
In general, if you like a game, lumping it together with its revivals and remakes and, yes, celebrity versions is only going to help your cause. If you feel that a show was diminished by such moves, you should adjust your personal list accodingly.
[/quote]

Here's how I handled that issue: I took whichever version was the best, or "classic" version, and based the ranking on that. I felt it would be unfair to penalize it if a later version was poorly executed or if the 2nd version was an innovative improvement over the first.

Using a fictional example, let's say Whistle or Lose It ran on ABC 1958-61 with Peter Leyden as host, but only a couple of episodes remain. One is available at Shokus and I bought it but it was okay. Then it was revived in syndication 1973-79 as The All New Whistle or Lose It with Tom Kennedy as host, and that's the version everyone loves and remembers. It was rerun on GSN for years and years and built a new generation of fans. A third version, with the trendier-sounding title Whiss, lasted 30 episodes on VH-1 despite dramatic lighting and a lot of attitude. It was an unmitigated bomb that even host Dylan Lane won't put on his resume. But if I put the 1970s version on my list as #4, I'm judging it by its classic, 1970s format, not penalizing it because the Leyden version wasn't inventive enough and the 2003 version was executed poorly.

But that's just me.

MikeK · « **Reply #81 on:** August 19, 2006, 06:39:23 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'128107\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 05:57 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'128105\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 02:46 PM\']With some late-afternoon entries received, we are now tracking 212 different shows. Forty-nine of the presumed GSN Top 50 have received at least one vote from us, though some haven't gotten much more than one! Five GSN shows won't even make our Top 100.
[/quote]
Alright, what idiot gave a nod to freakin' Studs?

(I'm gonna assume the singleton is $1.98.)[/quote]
Oops? :-) I considered giving $1.98 a vote between 45 and 50, but some deserving shows came to my mind.

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'128108\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 06:02 PM\']Don't forget Hoosier Millionaire...[/quote]
...which didn't make GSN's top 50. Thanks for playing.

PYLdude · « **Reply #82 on:** August 19, 2006, 06:40:47 PM »

[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'128110\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 06:39 PM\']
[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'128108\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 06:02 PM\']Don't forget Hoosier Millionaire...[/quote]
...which didn't make GSN's top 50. Thanks for playing.
[/quote]

Alright, it was a mistake. Wasn't thinking of the GSN top 50.

sshuffield70 · « **Reply #83 on:** August 19, 2006, 07:48:53 PM »

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'128108\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 05:02 PM\']
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'128107\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 05:57 PM\']
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'128105\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 02:46 PM\']
With some late-afternoon entries received, we are now tracking 212 different shows. Forty-nine of the presumed GSN Top 50 have received at least one vote from us, though some haven't gotten much more than one! Five GSN shows won't even make our Top 100.
[/quote]
Alright, what idiot gave a nod to freakin' Studs?

(I'm gonna assume the singleton is $1.98.)
[/quote]

Don't forget Hoosier Millionaire...
[/quote]

Don't give a certain poster any ideas.

SRIV94 · « **Reply #84 on:** August 19, 2006, 07:53:03 PM »

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'128108\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 05:02 PM\']
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'128107\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 05:57 PM\']
Alright, what idiot gave a nod to freakin' Studs?

(I'm gonna assume the singleton is $1.98.)
[/quote]

Don't forget Hoosier Millionaire...
[/quote]
Dang--I was trying to.

Doug -- and the countdown to 2200 continues

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #85 on:** August 19, 2006, 11:25:52 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'128091\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 04:32 PM\']You must have a pretty good sense of which ones they should be, just assign them a spot.[/quote]
Well, it's the "just" which I have a problem with. I will agonize over something like that. For hours. And not be happy with my final decision, no matter what it is.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #86 on:** August 19, 2006, 11:36:18 PM »

[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' post=\'128135\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 11:25 PM\']
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'128091\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 04:32 PM\']You must have a pretty good sense of which ones they should be, just assign them a spot.[/quote]
Well, it's the "just" which I have a problem with. I will agonize over something like that. For hours. And not be happy with my final decision, no matter what it is.[/quote]
Well, in that case you've just stepped into the "Way Too Seriously Zone." Your name isn't Sophie and this isn't about which child gets to live. We're just ranking game shows. By opting out, you're depriving us of what I'm sure would be an excellent list, and allowing the ones that have Whistle or Lose It in the Top Ten to carry that much more weight. (I never liked the VH-1 remake, because every time they said Whiss! it sounded dirty.)

clemon79 · « **Reply #87 on:** August 19, 2006, 11:44:00 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'128139\' date=\'Aug 19 2006, 08:36 PM\']
By opting out, you're depriving us of what I'm sure would be an excellent list, and allowing the ones that have Whistle or Lose It in the Top Ten to carry that much more weight.
[/quote]
And that's his choice, right?

I happen to share his sentiments. But I certainly don't think we should be mocked as "taking it too seriously" because of it. If I know that it's my nature to put a lot of time and effort into a list like that, and I don't want to put forth that time and effort, that should be our choice.

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #88 on:** August 19, 2006, 11:53:10 PM »

Hmm.
I'm kinda middle of the road on this. FWIW, it took about 10 minutes of time on my part, and I came out with a fairly nice list. Not like we're deciding whether we should put someone in the chair to fry.

They are just game shows, aren't they?

Backpeddling...

Quote

And yet another I don't think will make the overall top 50 mostly on account of many people considering it not to be a game show.

All the more reason people who can make the distinction to submit a list.

WilliamPorygon · « **Reply #89 on:** August 20, 2006, 12:00:06 AM »

Though I'm mostly a lurker here, I found this to be a rather interesting project and submitted a list on the first day or two. I only spent a half-hour on it, but whenever I look at my list I'm still happy with it. And, I didn't really find it too difficult making decisions such as which of two shows should be #38 and which should be #39; I just picked one and left it at that.

For those who haven't submitted one yet, I'd suggest looking at Matt's out-of-date Game Show Compendium to get a list of shows, and write down all the ones you recognize as not being crap. (I'm sure there's a few shows on my list I wouldn't have even remembered to consider if I had not done that.) Then add any recent or other shows you might want to include, and just order them by which ones you personally like the best.

FWIW, I looked over my list last week and counted 6 shows that wouldn't have surprised me if nobody else had mentioned them. The highest of those on my list — at #20 — might be the "underrated classic" Dixon referred to. Another one of those 6 was already mentioned as having been on someone else's list. And yet another I don't think will make the overall top 50 mostly on account of many people considering it not to be a game show.

Author Topic: The Game Show FANS 50 Greatest List (Read 37519 times)

cweaver