GSF 50 Greatest List - RESULTS THREAD

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'130081\' date=\'Sep 1 2006, 12:56 PM\']
The scandals are a reminder that it is a bad idea to let advertisers dictate program content.  The execs who are too young to remember that history "are doomed to repeat it."
[/quote]

Something to think about as the siren song of product placement in all forms of programming continues to wail all over the place.

[DrBear]

Of course, the classic 64K story is that of Joyce Brothers, who went on the show as a boxing expert. The producers/Revson wanted her out and hauled out the toughest questions to dump her; she sailed right on through.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'129901\' date=\'Aug 30 2006, 11:33 PM\']Sometimes, though, I think KO was a little too sincere.  Some more charisma would have served him better.[/quote]My plussed is non. "Too sincere"? "A little more charisma"?

This from the guy who above all else wants to host a game show...

[Brandon Brooks]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'130111\' date=\'Sep 1 2006, 06:00 PM\']
[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'129901\' date=\'Aug 30 2006, 11:33 PM\']Sometimes, though, I think KO was a little too sincere.  Some more charisma would have served him better.[/quote]My plussed is non. "Too sincere"? "A little more charisma"?

This from the guy who above all else wants to host a game show...
[/quote]
Yeah, I don't get that either.  I'm not saying that Kevin was the best there ever was... that spot is reserved for Laurie Faso.  I am just so impressed with his ease at hosting a show that really isn't that much of a cakewalk.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Brandon Brooks\' post=\'130121\' date=\'Sep 1 2006, 10:00 PM\']I'm not saying that Kevin was the best there ever was... that spot is reserved for Laurie Faso.  [/quote]
OK, that's sarcasm.

I don't think we can annoint Kevin a Game Show God on the basis of one show that did, after all, fail.  Still, it would have been nice to see him tackle a few other shows, and you wonder whether he could have been one of the greats with the right opportunities.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'130124\' date=\'Sep 1 2006, 07:29 PM\']I don't think we can annoint Kevin a Game Show God on the basis of one show that did, after all, fail. [/quote]Yeah, the show tanked, but not for lack of a good host. Like Chris said, out of the gate, Kevin was there, in charge, picked up on nuances in the scoring, and he knew how to build up tension. Not "his first few shows were dowright crap, but then he got good toward the end of the run." He was 100% on the ball, wire to wire. Sure, there were things he said that were Duh 101 ("Your strategy is to set a good time." Gee, thanks, Kev...) but the guy looked like he belonged, and had everything going for him. I am completely baffled as to what Jimmy meant in his comments.

[Jimmy Owen]

Potentially belaboring the point, one of the synonyms for sincere is serious.  To me, he was too serious.  That may be a flaw in the show, though.  It was pretty much, let's get down to business and there was no time for fooling around, I didn't get to see more than one side of Kevin's personality.  Should I see more tapes?

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'DrBear\' post=\'130086\' date=\'Sep 1 2006, 01:22 PM\']
Of course, the classic 64K story is that of Joyce Brothers, who went on the show as a boxing expert. The producers/Revson wanted her out and hauled out the toughest questions to dump her; she sailed right on through.
[/quote]

At least one account I heard suggested this is where the rigging at "The $64,000 Question" actually started, due to Revlon's desperation in wanting to get rid of Dr. Brothers.  I don't know how an educated, soft-spoken woman answering even the toughest boxing questions wouldn't be entertaining; maybe she just didn't wear enough makeup to please the sponsor.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'cweaver\' post=\'130151\' date=\'Sep 2 2006, 10:52 AM\']At least one account I heard suggested this is where the rigging at "The $64,000 Question" actually started, due to Revlon's desperation in wanting to get rid of Dr. Brothers.  [/quote]

In Prime Time and Misdemeanors, Joseph Stone repeatedly makes one troubling insinuation in the Brothers case.  The famed boxing writer Nat Fleischer was retained by the producers to write some hard boxing questions.  What the producers claim not to have known is that Fleischer was a friend of Brothers' dad.  Stone suggests that Fleischer could have been helping Joyce on the sly, though he admits being unable to prove it because he couldn't get Fleischer on the witness stand.

[Matt Ottinger]

[color=\"#009900\"]30 Jackpot (1974-75, 1985-88)[/color]
(943 51/80)

Leave it to Stewart to keep coming up with innovative ideas, like having fifteen contesants all playing together for an entire week.  The last Bob Stewart Production on our list until you-know-what.

[color=\"#009900\"]29 Win Ben Stein's Money (1997-2003)[/color][/size]
(963 47/80)(GSN: 27)(TVG: 30)

More than just an ingenious twist to the quiz game, this had tons of smart (and silly) humor masking the challenging questions, and hosts with such good rapport that they won an Emmy together.

[color=\"#009900\"]28 Supermarket Sweep (1965-67, 1990-2004)[/color][/size]
(1063 52/80)(TVG: 50)

The show that would not die.  The original was run in actual supermarkets, the long-running cable remake on an eerily realistic set.  (I know, I was there.)

[color=\"#009900\"]27 Split Second (1972-75, 1986-87)[/color]
(1074 46/80)

A quiz show that runs at about twice the speed of Jeopardy, this really ought to be a bigger hit than it was.  A misguided remake didn't help.  Our highest ranked show that was on neither the GSN or TVG lists.

[color=\"#009900\"]26 The Newlywed Game (1966-80, 1984, 1985-89, 1996-98)[/color]
(1337 57/80)(GSN: 9)(TVG: 11)

Once again, a show that the general public immediately recognizes as a classic, but it's only halfway up our list.  Chuck Barris continues to take names...

Fewer people visit the Forum on a holiday weekend, so we'll continue with the second half of our list on Tuesday.  Still to come, two more shows that GSN didn't have on its list, plus our #51-#100 shows and of course where the accepted favorites ranked.

[Chuck Sutton]

Glad Jackpot made it.  Believe it or not, my elementary school did not have a cafateria so we all went home for lunch(on a bus even)  A lot of kids watched Jackpot at lunch and discussed the riddles.

Yes Newlywed Game is in the bottom 25, but what a sudden point jump 263 more points than the show before. And more mentions than any show yet.

I know I never really liked any of the classic Barris shows so all three got stuck in the 40s.   I know I should have put them higher but not bring myself to do it.

[Chuck Sutton]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'130156\' date=\'Sep 2 2006, 11:55 AM\']  Still to come, two more shows that GSN didn't have on its list, [/quote]

I guessing High Rollers and Nickledeon's Double Dare.

[SteveRep]

The results are a compilation of 80 varied opinions so there's no 'right' or 'wrong' -- but you kinda do a Homer 'D'oh!' when you see you've left out shows that place this high.

Of course here, there's a significant West-ern bias toward some shows, another thing I didn't consider. (Sorry, RW)

And the thing is, I saw the original Sweep in the days before handheld cameras.

The 7 that I don't have are below. That leaves me thinking about the 7 I have that won't make it.

The 3 'for-fun' picks I knew had no chance.

There are 3 more that I'm chalking up to simple personal preference:
Russian Roulette, Greed and Hot Potato

But the 7th is the one that makes me go hmmm.....

I'da thunk fer shur that I've Got a Secret would make the list.

[SteveRep]

[quote name=\'Chuck Sutton\' post=\'130161\' date=\'Sep 2 2006, 12:17 PM\']
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'130156\' date=\'Sep 2 2006, 11:55 AM\']  Still to come, two more shows that GSN didn't have on its list, [/quote]

I guessing High Rollers and Nickledoen's Double Dare.
[/quote]
Sounds right to me. Correct me if I'm wrong, that would mean four of the 50 were US cable creations -- DD, WBSM, Lingo and Remote Control. No?

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'SteveRep\' post=\'130163\' date=\'Sep 2 2006, 12:25 PM\']
[quote name=\'Chuck Sutton\' post=\'130161\' date=\'Sep 2 2006, 12:17 PM\']
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'130156\' date=\'Sep 2 2006, 11:55 AM\']  Still to come, two more shows that GSN didn't have on its list, [/quote]

I guessing High Rollers and Nickledoen's Double Dare.
[/quote]
Sounds right to me. Correct me if I'm wrong, that would mean four of the 50 were US cable creations -- DD, WBSM, Lingo and Remote Control. No?
[/quote]
Could Lingo be counted though, since it started in syndication?