I recently run a 30 day Challenge that wasn't so much a challenge to make 30 posts to match certain titles as with the other challenges, more a top 30 challenge. I listed my top 30 game shows.
Below you will find links to all 30 posts, plus the contenders.
Note: The original Youtube Playlist is no longer available, I hope to restore it at some point, sorry for any inconvenience caused!
0 - The Contenders
There were a number of Game shows that I wanted to include in my top 30 which I had second thoughts about or simply could not find a place for them. I have chose to mention 3 of them here they are:
Ready Steady Cook
This is technically a Game Show although the competitive aspect of the show is somewhat drowned out more so by the fact that it is first and foremost a cookery show. There are two resident Celebrity chefs who head either team, the green peppers or the red tomatoes, they are then joined by one member of the public each. The member of the public brings in a bag of food, I believe 5 items of less and the goal is for the player and the chef to create a meal from what they brought in. As much as I love food I think this one was too overshadowed by the emphasis on food for it to be considered a game show so I left it out.
The Games
As with the previous show this show was also overshadowed by the theme. The Games was a show that ran on Channel 4 in which a series of contestants lived in a reality show type of environment, where they trained together and then competed in a series of athletic events my favourite of which was actually the high dive. Despite the entertaining nature of the show I felt it could not really be considered a game show as the theme of sport and the aspect of the reality show were too prevalent.
Big Brother
Although at its core Big Brother was a game show and the housemates were there to compete against each other this show ultimately became a popularity contest on steroids. The vast proportion of this show was comprised of people essentially sitting in a house interacting, as fascinating as I found the show with my interest in Psychology I felt this nature overpowered the game show aspect so I decided to omit it from the list. Had I included it then it would have made it into the top 10 for me. I know this show isn't everyone's cup of tea but then again I know studying Psychology wouldn't be either so I feel as much of a love hate relationship exists for this show it is firmly in my love category.
Ready Steady Cook
This is technically a Game Show although the competitive aspect of the show is somewhat drowned out more so by the fact that it is first and foremost a cookery show. There are two resident Celebrity chefs who head either team, the green peppers or the red tomatoes, they are then joined by one member of the public each. The member of the public brings in a bag of food, I believe 5 items of less and the goal is for the player and the chef to create a meal from what they brought in. As much as I love food I think this one was too overshadowed by the emphasis on food for it to be considered a game show so I left it out.
The Games
As with the previous show this show was also overshadowed by the theme. The Games was a show that ran on Channel 4 in which a series of contestants lived in a reality show type of environment, where they trained together and then competed in a series of athletic events my favourite of which was actually the high dive. Despite the entertaining nature of the show I felt it could not really be considered a game show as the theme of sport and the aspect of the reality show were too prevalent.
Big Brother
Although at its core Big Brother was a game show and the housemates were there to compete against each other this show ultimately became a popularity contest on steroids. The vast proportion of this show was comprised of people essentially sitting in a house interacting, as fascinating as I found the show with my interest in Psychology I felt this nature overpowered the game show aspect so I decided to omit it from the list. Had I included it then it would have made it into the top 10 for me. I know this show isn't everyone's cup of tea but then again I know studying Psychology wouldn't be either so I feel as much of a love hate relationship exists for this show it is firmly in my love category.
1 - The Crystal Maze
This entry made it to the top of my list into the number 1 position for many of the reasons that the Krypton Factor made it to number 2. The Crystal Maze saw a team of players working together to navigate the 4 areas of the Crystal Maze, they were the Aztec Zone, The Future Zone, The Medieval Zone and the Industrial Zone which was later replaced with The Ocean Zone.
The Show had side stories that involved Richard O'Brien the original host of the show, a regularly referred to character called Mumsy featured who departed with Richard when he handed the reigns over to Edward Tudor-Pole. For me, no-one could ever replace Richard and while I think the show ultimately lost its cult nature when he left I like to think that it was meant to be. I'd love to see the show run again but sadly I think as with the Krypton Factor its time has passed.
After Crystal Maze Richard went on to pursue other career paths during which time he wrote the Rocky Horror Picture Show which is a prime example of his eccentricity and his marvellous ability to tell a story in the most surreal yet engaging manner.
My favourite zones in the Crystal Maze where the Aztec and the Future zones. The format of the show saw the team of players compete one at a time to complete challenges, these challenges were set in rooms found in each of the 4 zones. Successful completion of a challenge won the player a Crystal which bought the team 5 seconds in the Crystal Dome - the ending point of the show. The player had get out of the room in time, they could either complete the challenge then get out or abandon the challenge if they didn't think they could do it in time and get out. Failure to reach the door in time locked the player in the room, where they would stay. Their team could buy them out, if they gave up a Crystal to do so and many teams did as they wanted everyone to make it to the dome.
The Crystal Dome itself was a large enclosure that had a metal grid floor under which there were powerful industrial fans. Scattered through the dome were silver and gold tickets, the fans would activate and scatter the tickets through the air. Players had 5 seconds for every Crystal the had won and managed to take with them to the dome. If they collected enough tickets they could win the prize of the show.
Update:
Not surprisingly, videos relating to this show are often removed from Youtube for copyright reasons, so I have updated this post to include a video that explains the history of The Crystal Maze, including the revival which happened years after this post was first written, it seems I wasn't the only one feeling nostalgic.
2 - The Krypton Factor
In this the penultimate post in this top 30 countdown it will come as no surprise that yet another game show that requires problem solving, ingenuity, and a certain aptitude for dealing with the pressure of a time limit should make it to this place.
The Krypton Factor is one of the great game shows in our TV past in my opinion but unfortunately I think TV has very much made its way to a place where all the things this show valued are somewhat disconnected from the audience today. I don't like to say that TV like to "dumb down" its audience but I certainly feel this show had its glory at the right time and would not work today - no surprise then that a revival a few years ago failed to gain momentum.
The original Krypton Factor consisted of a number of rounds notably a mental agility, logic test, and a physical agility round as well as general knowledge questions among other rounds. The logic test was my favourite and often presented the contestant with a jigsaw of sorts which they had to reassemble within the time limit, and the physical agility round was completed on an obstacle course filmed on location.
The video below is from one of the episodes of the show, it contains the entire show.
The Krypton Factor is one of the great game shows in our TV past in my opinion but unfortunately I think TV has very much made its way to a place where all the things this show valued are somewhat disconnected from the audience today. I don't like to say that TV like to "dumb down" its audience but I certainly feel this show had its glory at the right time and would not work today - no surprise then that a revival a few years ago failed to gain momentum.
The original Krypton Factor consisted of a number of rounds notably a mental agility, logic test, and a physical agility round as well as general knowledge questions among other rounds. The logic test was my favourite and often presented the contestant with a jigsaw of sorts which they had to reassemble within the time limit, and the physical agility round was completed on an obstacle course filmed on location.
The video below is from one of the episodes of the show, it contains the entire show.
3 - Test The Nation
Test The Nation was a sort of Quiz show that was presented by Ann Robinson. I say "sort of" as the show had a number of incarnations, there was an IQ test episode, there was a Relationship Test, a Music test among others. Often the show took the form of multiple choice survey type answers, there wasn't always a "right" answer.
The show was interactive, you could play online and you could play if you had a digital television by pressing the red button and responding to the questions as asked. The thing I loved most about this show was that it engaged the audience, it informed the viewer and it sometime broke down stereotypes while at other times it enforced them - the live studio audience were split into sections often categorised by various cultural or class divided groups.
The video below demonstrates the mechanic of the show and lets you see some of the questions that were asked.
There is also an archived version of the test on the BBC Online site which you can play along to.
The show was interactive, you could play online and you could play if you had a digital television by pressing the red button and responding to the questions as asked. The thing I loved most about this show was that it engaged the audience, it informed the viewer and it sometime broke down stereotypes while at other times it enforced them - the live studio audience were split into sections often categorised by various cultural or class divided groups.
The video below demonstrates the mechanic of the show and lets you see some of the questions that were asked.
There is also an archived version of the test on the BBC Online site which you can play along to.
4 - The Bubble
This next show features David Mitchell yet again, and also yet again this is a game show that features an element of guesswork combined with that balancing act of "Do I think that could happen?" versus "Do I think that did actually happen?"
The show was called the Bubble and it saw 3 contestants locked away in a house with no internet, mobile phones or any communication with the outside world other than through the show's producers. After their isolation they were brought on the show where David asked the questions about recent events, some fictional some fact, the job of the contestants was to decide what was true and what wasn't. As with the price is right you need to put aside whether you think it could happen realistically and ask whether or not you believe it did happen.
The thing I liked most about this show is that it highlighted the at time unbelievable nature of our News and Media outlets, the press in general often run with "stranger than fiction" news stories and this show was a step towards making people realise that. They even had mocked up news reports for some stories which added to the surrealist moments of the show.
The show was called the Bubble and it saw 3 contestants locked away in a house with no internet, mobile phones or any communication with the outside world other than through the show's producers. After their isolation they were brought on the show where David asked the questions about recent events, some fictional some fact, the job of the contestants was to decide what was true and what wasn't. As with the price is right you need to put aside whether you think it could happen realistically and ask whether or not you believe it did happen.
The thing I liked most about this show is that it highlighted the at time unbelievable nature of our News and Media outlets, the press in general often run with "stranger than fiction" news stories and this show was a step towards making people realise that. They even had mocked up news reports for some stories which added to the surrealist moments of the show.
5 - Supermarket Sweep
This next show was always on early in the morning time on weekdays to the point where I only ever got to see it when I was off school sick or if we had a holiday or something. The show is called Supermarket sweep and I think the thing that made me enjoy it most was the idea of running through a Supermarket and getting to fill a trolley without any thought of the price, which for me as a foodie would be heaven - I'd also end up completely fat.
The show was presented by Dale Winton who was the campest TV presenter in a generation and also loved to be [fake?] tanned. The show had a few rounds general knowledge etc and questions inevitably related to food. I liked it when I was younger as it was fairly simple and easy to follow and the prizes were appealing.
The video I link below is a typical episode of Supermarket Sweep!
The show was presented by Dale Winton who was the campest TV presenter in a generation and also loved to be [fake?] tanned. The show had a few rounds general knowledge etc and questions inevitably related to food. I liked it when I was younger as it was fairly simple and easy to follow and the prizes were appealing.
The video I link below is a typical episode of Supermarket Sweep!
6 - My Kind Of Music
This next show unfortunately I can't find any videos for.
The best way to describe My Kind Of Music would be to call it a quiz show and talent show all rolled into one. Contestants competed in pairs and the first round consisted of one contestant singing for the audience. The rounds that came after ranged from a general music knowledge quiz to a guess the singer or group round where the contestants stood on two opposing podiums, behind one was a screen that would display a singer or band and the other had to try and impersonate them well enough for their partner to guess, after each guess the contestants swapped places.
The show is perhaps most memorable for one round which involved the contestants watching videos of members of the public singing for the show, this segment was filmed on location I believe at Westfield Shopping Centre in White City.
The show was interesting to me and with my love of Music I found it entertaining, it ran for 5 series with a total of 50 episodes before it was axed. I have included the show in my top 10, as it brought together many components that I loved with the emphasis on Music being my favourite part.
The best way to describe My Kind Of Music would be to call it a quiz show and talent show all rolled into one. Contestants competed in pairs and the first round consisted of one contestant singing for the audience. The rounds that came after ranged from a general music knowledge quiz to a guess the singer or group round where the contestants stood on two opposing podiums, behind one was a screen that would display a singer or band and the other had to try and impersonate them well enough for their partner to guess, after each guess the contestants swapped places.
The show is perhaps most memorable for one round which involved the contestants watching videos of members of the public singing for the show, this segment was filmed on location I believe at Westfield Shopping Centre in White City.
The show was interesting to me and with my love of Music I found it entertaining, it ran for 5 series with a total of 50 episodes before it was axed. I have included the show in my top 10, as it brought together many components that I loved with the emphasis on Music being my favourite part.
7 - Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank was by definition fabulous. The show was based on the Australian Game Show Blankety Blanks and the version I remember most was presented by the hilarious Ms Lily Savage - the alter ego of the comedian Paul O'Grady. Lily Savage is one of my favourite characters in Comedy and her television roles have been most entertaining.
The concept of Blankety Blank is quite simple, there are two players they take turns in playing a single round, Lily presents them with a short phrase with a word missing, the contestant's job is to guess the missing word. Playing with them are six celebrities who Lily asks to complete the same short phrase. This is done simultaneously, then the six celebrities reveal their word and for each that matches the contestant's guess the contestant wins a point, they need 6 in all to make it through.
I remember the show mostly for its obvious inevitable innuendos with the game structure but also for Lily as host who had moments of pure comedy. The video below I link is a series of out-takes from the show that never made it to air.
The concept of Blankety Blank is quite simple, there are two players they take turns in playing a single round, Lily presents them with a short phrase with a word missing, the contestant's job is to guess the missing word. Playing with them are six celebrities who Lily asks to complete the same short phrase. This is done simultaneously, then the six celebrities reveal their word and for each that matches the contestant's guess the contestant wins a point, they need 6 in all to make it through.
I remember the show mostly for its obvious inevitable innuendos with the game structure but also for Lily as host who had moments of pure comedy. The video below I link is a series of out-takes from the show that never made it to air.
8 - Strike It Rich
This show was originally known as Strike it Lucky then it changed its name to Strike it Rich and was based on the American show of the same name. The UK version I remember most was Strike it Rich presented by the Eccentric Michael Barrymore.
I have to mention briefly that Michael Barrymore's private life is somewhat colourful and has a few moments of controversy that have had him in pretty deep water, I would rather not discuss these here but I acknowledge that they existed and I would rather not confront the issue as I personally do not know enough about the incidents to pass comment.
As far as Barrymore's TV career goes he has always been quite a funny man and brought out the funny side in other people for that reason this show features on my list inside the top 10. I often found myself in stitches watching this show and I still find clips of the show hilarious. I link two videos below that highlight some of the many hysterical TV moments.
The show had a two part format, the first was a question and answer section, each correct answer earned them another step forward, if you reached the end of the row you went through to the next round. On the second round the contestants guessed "top, middle, or bottom" picking one of the screens in each column to reveal, they had to reach the other side by passing through each column without revealing a hot spot. Of the actual game rounds the second was always my favourite.
Update:
With the original videos now taken down for copyright, please enjoy one of the unexpected moments of gold from the series:
9 - Catchphrase
The UK version of the originally American Game Show, Catchphrase, was presented from 1989 to 1999 by Roy Walker. I remember Roy Walker presenting the show and for me he is the face the voice and the personality of the show. When the show passed the reigns from Roy in 1999 to Nick Weir in 2000 I was not impressed.
For those of you who like to be superstitious or ominous you may find it interesting to know that on the first filming of the new series of Catchphrase with Nick Weir as the presenter, he fell down the stairs and broke his foot and had to be taken to the Hospital. Subsequently as he presented the show in a cast and on crutches since many episodes were filmed over a short period of time he was seen to be the man who had been in crutches for the longest ever time.
The two videos I link below are firstly one of the many funny moments from the show while a contestant tries to guess the catch phrase the partially revealed image looks rather rude!
And this second video is of Nick, falling down the stairs.
For those of you who like to be superstitious or ominous you may find it interesting to know that on the first filming of the new series of Catchphrase with Nick Weir as the presenter, he fell down the stairs and broke his foot and had to be taken to the Hospital. Subsequently as he presented the show in a cast and on crutches since many episodes were filmed over a short period of time he was seen to be the man who had been in crutches for the longest ever time.
The two videos I link below are firstly one of the many funny moments from the show while a contestant tries to guess the catch phrase the partially revealed image looks rather rude!
And this second video is of Nick, falling down the stairs.
10 - Countdown
To anyone who has read my blog and particularly to anyone who has read through the posts in my 30 Days Of Tragedy Challenge you will no doubt be aware of the high esteem in which I held Richard Whiteley before his untimely passing. Beloved host of Countdown the show for me was never the same again without him.
Richard had a sense of humour and never let that be questioned for in his time on the show there were many jokes but perhaps the funniest to others and indeed to him was when Noel Edmonds then presenter of Noel's House Party resolved to play a practical joke on him which was featured on his show. At the end of the practical jokes the truth was revealed to the subject and they were given a trophy called a Gotcha. The video below introduced by Richard Whiteley is that of the show where he was given his Gotcha.
Beyond the laughter and mirth the show was also entertaining for me in that it often brought up people who amazed me. Among these people would be James Martin known for his extraordinary numbers:
And also Kai Laddiman who became the youngest ever octochamp on the show, the following a compilation of his appearances:
Richard had a sense of humour and never let that be questioned for in his time on the show there were many jokes but perhaps the funniest to others and indeed to him was when Noel Edmonds then presenter of Noel's House Party resolved to play a practical joke on him which was featured on his show. At the end of the practical jokes the truth was revealed to the subject and they were given a trophy called a Gotcha. The video below introduced by Richard Whiteley is that of the show where he was given his Gotcha.
Beyond the laughter and mirth the show was also entertaining for me in that it often brought up people who amazed me. Among these people would be James Martin known for his extraordinary numbers:
And also Kai Laddiman who became the youngest ever octochamp on the show, the following a compilation of his appearances:
11 - 8 Out Of 10 Cats
At number 11 in my top 30 we have 8 Out of 10 Cats - a show about opion polls surveys and statistics. The show features recent news stories each week as well as having more generalised rounds. As with other shows in my list you often have to think about the answer as what you would expect to be the answer often turns out to be the exact opposite - highlighting the very nature of statistics in gathering information that often seems counter intuitive.
The show features comedy heavily and is perhaps a comedy show more so than a satire based show such as Have I Got News For You. Again the show takes the format of two teams, each with a resident captain and two guests that change each week. The two resident captains have been Sean Lock who has served the longest and is still part of the show and the opposing captain who has been Dave Spikey, then replaced by Jason Manford then replaced by Jon Richardson.
The videos I link are two comedy moments from the series, more videos can be found in abundance on youtube. You will have to view them on youtube however as embedding has been disabled.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw0BjhbdDUw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn4P68uF3Hs
The show features comedy heavily and is perhaps a comedy show more so than a satire based show such as Have I Got News For You. Again the show takes the format of two teams, each with a resident captain and two guests that change each week. The two resident captains have been Sean Lock who has served the longest and is still part of the show and the opposing captain who has been Dave Spikey, then replaced by Jason Manford then replaced by Jon Richardson.
The videos I link are two comedy moments from the series, more videos can be found in abundance on youtube. You will have to view them on youtube however as embedding has been disabled.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw0BjhbdDUw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn4P68uF3Hs
12 - Would I Lie To You
This next entry is presented by Rob Brydon who I very much enjoy watching and find hilarious. Having said that I much prefer to see him in hosting roles than in comedy roles I feel his humour is much more natural and connects with the audience when it originates from a shared experience, a situation comedian if you will - no surprise there then to know that he has been in acting roles before such as Uncle Bryn in Gavin and Stacey alongside James Corden as Smithy.
The premise of this next show is nothing more than the title itself, namely that contestants must read out what it says on a card whether it be true or false and attempt to confuse the other side into guessing wrongly. Teams score points for each correct guest. The show has two resident captains, David Mitchell and Lee Mack both of which are excellent comedians. They are accompanied each by two guests and compete against one another.
The thing I love about this game show is that you can play along while watching as you weigh up whether or not they are telling the truth, and often find yourself saying "Oh I wish that is true" or "Oh, no, you didn't! No way".
The video is a compilation of funny moments for you to watch.
The premise of this next show is nothing more than the title itself, namely that contestants must read out what it says on a card whether it be true or false and attempt to confuse the other side into guessing wrongly. Teams score points for each correct guest. The show has two resident captains, David Mitchell and Lee Mack both of which are excellent comedians. They are accompanied each by two guests and compete against one another.
The thing I love about this game show is that you can play along while watching as you weigh up whether or not they are telling the truth, and often find yourself saying "Oh I wish that is true" or "Oh, no, you didn't! No way".
The video is a compilation of funny moments for you to watch.
13 - Blockbusters
Blockbusters was a game show based on the American show of the same name. The show was popular in the UK during the 80s, and had revivals twice once in the 90s and once again in the early 00s. There has recently been a third revival which brought the show back to our TV screens on the satellite channel Challenge.
For me and many others this show was defined by the host Bob Holness who sadly passed away earlier this year on the 6th of January. The video I link below is an example of the show which also features Bob Holness in his marvellous role as host. The show has been hosted by Michael Aspel, Liza Tarbuck and in its current incarnation by Simon Mayo but in my opinion no-one could ever replace Bob.
There's is not more I can say about this show apart from the format, that players compete to create a bridge from one end of the board to the other. They must do so by claiming hexagons of the board by answering questions their only clue for which is the first letter of the answer.
For me and many others this show was defined by the host Bob Holness who sadly passed away earlier this year on the 6th of January. The video I link below is an example of the show which also features Bob Holness in his marvellous role as host. The show has been hosted by Michael Aspel, Liza Tarbuck and in its current incarnation by Simon Mayo but in my opinion no-one could ever replace Bob.
There's is not more I can say about this show apart from the format, that players compete to create a bridge from one end of the board to the other. They must do so by claiming hexagons of the board by answering questions their only clue for which is the first letter of the answer.
14 - Pointless
You may have noticed the shows I like are often those that require a little bit more thinking than just sitting and watching mindlessly as is the misconception most people have with game shows - and with games in general, I deplore those that shun video games as I know many of them would not have the mental capacity to actually be able to complete a video game. This next show in my top 30 is one of those more ingenious entries in the list and it's called Pointless.
The object of Pointless is to answer questions. You must give a correct answer to the question. Each question has been put to a survey of people and the answers been allotted a number of points based on how many people gave that answer. The goal for contestants is to score as low as possible, many questions will have answers that are correct but no member of the survey said and therefore gained a 0 point score - 'Pointless Answers' - finding these not only guarantees a low score but also increases the jackpot of the show the contestants are playing for.
Update:
Since the original video has since been taken down, here's an updated full episode link:
15 - Wheel Of Fortune
This next show is yet another game show that has its origins in the USA. It seems the UK and the USA both have a love of game shows, and it seems that although we take different approaches many shows that originate in either country are often picked up within the other - even if the show would never have been commissioned in the first place without proven success.
Wheel Of Fortune I believe falls into the latter category. I don't believe it would have been commissioned if it had first been presented in the UK, I believe it was only commissioned due to its success in the USA - I happen to believe the same holds true in reverse for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire for the simple reason that the "audience" of either country in the eyes of programme commissioners are considered to be fundamentally different. I don't think many would argue that Wheel of Fortune is quite typically American by nature.
The show didn't make it into the top 10 as it often wasn't that funny. The video below demonstrates this, but also demonstrates the host Bradley Walsh horrendous wardrobe.
Wheel Of Fortune I believe falls into the latter category. I don't believe it would have been commissioned if it had first been presented in the UK, I believe it was only commissioned due to its success in the USA - I happen to believe the same holds true in reverse for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire for the simple reason that the "audience" of either country in the eyes of programme commissioners are considered to be fundamentally different. I don't think many would argue that Wheel of Fortune is quite typically American by nature.
The show didn't make it into the top 10 as it often wasn't that funny. The video below demonstrates this, but also demonstrates the host Bradley Walsh horrendous wardrobe.
16 - The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link ran for 13 years, from 2000 to 2012 inclusive. The show was presented by Ann Robinson who became known for her steely gaze and cutting sense of humour. The who was even given a nod of respect from the Doctor Who series when an episode set on a Satellite in Orbit around Earth known as the Game Station beaming continuous Game Shows to all of Humankind included a version of the Weakest Link which was presented by the Ann Droid, a robot built to mimic Ann's ruthless personality traits.
The video I link here is a comic relief edition of the show. In the opening Monologue as a nod to the above episode of Doctor Who you can see the Ann Droid behind the real Ann Robinson. This episode was a Doctor Who Comic Relief special and features many of the characters from the series and the Docotr at the time, David Tennant. The Weakest Link was popular and took off to become an international success with variations broadcast around the world.
There is little more to be said about this show as its success and appeal speak for themselves, so enjoy!
The video I link here is a comic relief edition of the show. In the opening Monologue as a nod to the above episode of Doctor Who you can see the Ann Droid behind the real Ann Robinson. This episode was a Doctor Who Comic Relief special and features many of the characters from the series and the Docotr at the time, David Tennant. The Weakest Link was popular and took off to become an international success with variations broadcast around the world.
There is little more to be said about this show as its success and appeal speak for themselves, so enjoy!
17 - University Challenge
This next show is more of a British Institution than a Game Show. University Challenge pits the Universities of the UK against one another in a tournament that ultimately crowns one University the Champions. The show has run since 1962 and was originally based on a similar American show.
To date there have been 41 series and the University with the most wins is Magdalen College, Oxford [sic] which has won the series 4 times. Competition is fierce and Universities who take the show seriously prepare for months in advance and continue to study throughout the series in between shows.
There have been a number of criticisms of the show most notably accusations of bias towards Russell Group Universities, the British Equivalent of the United States Ivy League. Beyond these criticisms one of the major points of contention that remains is the fact that the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge each enter their individual Colleges as entrants as opposed to one team representing the University as a whole. Despite numerous objections to this movement, Oxford and Cambridge remain the only 2 Universities that have been allowed to do so, each entering up to 5 entrants.
The first video below is one of the finals from the actual show and the second is of a Comedy sketch that portrays the satirical interpretation of the series:
To date there have been 41 series and the University with the most wins is Magdalen College, Oxford [sic] which has won the series 4 times. Competition is fierce and Universities who take the show seriously prepare for months in advance and continue to study throughout the series in between shows.
There have been a number of criticisms of the show most notably accusations of bias towards Russell Group Universities, the British Equivalent of the United States Ivy League. Beyond these criticisms one of the major points of contention that remains is the fact that the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge each enter their individual Colleges as entrants as opposed to one team representing the University as a whole. Despite numerous objections to this movement, Oxford and Cambridge remain the only 2 Universities that have been allowed to do so, each entering up to 5 entrants.
The first video below is one of the finals from the actual show and the second is of a Comedy sketch that portrays the satirical interpretation of the series:
18 - The Moment of Truth
If Bruce Forsyth is the veritable father of TV hosts in the UK then without a doubt the Mother would be Cilla Black. This particular show she presented called The Moment Of Truth for many was considered to be quite sadistic by British Game show standards. The name of the game was to set incredibly hard tasks to complete. The contestants were given some time to prepare for the challenge, usually a week or two and when they returned to the show they would complete their challenge live on air.
The prizes of the show varied and were tailored around the family of the contestant. Usually a parent would be selected to complete a task and for completing it they won a showcase of prizes that were selected based on what they wanted, their partner and children. Arguably one of the criticisms of this show was the high hopes pinned on the contestant and the inevitable failures - and yes, there were failures.
Task varied from individual and were again tailored around the contestant to put their strengths or weaknesses to the test. Some notable examples would be the task of naming over 300 children in a primary school with only he aid of their pictures. Reciting lists from memory and other rote learning tasks were common to the show. The video I have linked is one example of a task they contestant had to complete, in this case they had to complete a Knight's Tour which for those of you that don't know is a movement around a chess board where a Knight visits every square once and only once, moving only in the conformed 'L' shape jump a Knight can make on a Chess board.
The prizes of the show varied and were tailored around the family of the contestant. Usually a parent would be selected to complete a task and for completing it they won a showcase of prizes that were selected based on what they wanted, their partner and children. Arguably one of the criticisms of this show was the high hopes pinned on the contestant and the inevitable failures - and yes, there were failures.
Task varied from individual and were again tailored around the contestant to put their strengths or weaknesses to the test. Some notable examples would be the task of naming over 300 children in a primary school with only he aid of their pictures. Reciting lists from memory and other rote learning tasks were common to the show. The video I have linked is one example of a task they contestant had to complete, in this case they had to complete a Knight's Tour which for those of you that don't know is a movement around a chess board where a Knight visits every square once and only once, moving only in the conformed 'L' shape jump a Knight can make on a Chess board.
19 - Incredible Games
During the 1990s in the UK there were a slew of Game Shows aimed at kids. The main television networks BBC, ITV and Channel 4 each had their own contenders, the BBC's contender was none other than 'Incredible Games'. I have mentioned this show in my blogs posts before so it should come as no surprise that it is mentioned again here and yet again I pay homage to my favourite mini-game of the show, The Dark Knight.
Incredible Games was set in a fictional Tower which had a talking lift. Contestants entered the lift and had to make it to the top of the tower, to do this the lift would ascend through the various floors, on each of which there would be a mini-game the contestants had to complete. The better their score the more points they earned and ultimately the higher in the tower they could progress.
Although one of my favourite game shows this entry features quite low in my list for a number of reasons the most obvious of which would be that it was very much a kids show which in itself is not a bad thing but it did have a limited audience and at the time had little real competition. I still look back on it with fond memories but I do not think it has stood the test of time.
Yet again the video I link is that of the Dark Knight mini-game
Incredible Games was set in a fictional Tower which had a talking lift. Contestants entered the lift and had to make it to the top of the tower, to do this the lift would ascend through the various floors, on each of which there would be a mini-game the contestants had to complete. The better their score the more points they earned and ultimately the higher in the tower they could progress.
Although one of my favourite game shows this entry features quite low in my list for a number of reasons the most obvious of which would be that it was very much a kids show which in itself is not a bad thing but it did have a limited audience and at the time had little real competition. I still look back on it with fond memories but I do not think it has stood the test of time.
Yet again the video I link is that of the Dark Knight mini-game
20 - The Price is Right
Next up we have yet another entry hosted by Bruce Forsyth - I did say he has a long standing career with an abundance of hosting roles so he will feature a fair few times in this list. Bruce's Price Is Right is the version for me that is most memorable although there were other hosts before him. The show is based on the original American series of the same name, and followed a near identical format.
Contestants competed to guess the price of items on the show, the person who guessed closest won the round. There were various rounds including various mini-games but ultimately the contestants made it to the 'Big Wheel' where they spun a large numbered wheel and tried to total 100 in one spin or a combination of two spins. The contestant who made it through got to see the showcase, a large collection of prizes the grand total of which they had to guess.
The thing that I loved most about this game show was that it really highlighted the difference between price and worth - in that you had to guess the price as opposed to the worth, you may see something that you thought was crap or just a bit shit, but you still had to guess what price it would be given, often leaving you thinking "oh that would sell for X, its not worth that though" and my gosh they didn't half have some tat on that show looking back on it now its incredible.
No entry would be complete without a video and for this show there are quite a few full episodes on Youtube so enjoy!
21 - Million Pound Drop
The Million Pound Drop is a relatively new Game Show and has done well to make it this far in the list being so young. One of the reasons it has made it this far is due to the fiendish nature of the show. It seems incredibly simple and incredibly easy yet that in itself is an incredible misconception. All you have to do is answer 8 questions to win a Million, what's more, you start with a million and work your way through.
This is where the drop element comes into play. Each question has either 4 [Q1 to Q4], 3 [Q5 to Q7], or 2 [Q8] possible answers, you can place your money on one answer or split it across multiple answers. There are 8 questions, players begin with 40 bundles of £25,000 totalling £1 million, they then bet that money on each question and the goal is to survive all 8 with £1 million intact. For each question however players must bet their money on one or more answers, with one answer free of any bet, as a result the first 4 questions with 4 possible answers will only allow the players to pick 3, and the next 3 with 3 possible answers will only allow 2, and the final question with only 2 answers will be an all or nothing bet.
Most players do not make it very far with their million intact and if anything the "million" is a fantasy in reality unless you were 100% certain of the answer you would always split and subsequently end up with less than a million in the end. Another particularly enjoyable aspect of the show was that it was live and that you could play along at home by visiting the broadcaster's website and playing a Flash Game that was synchronised with the show, the question being displayed as and when it appeared on TV.
To date no-one has won the million. The clip below is an example of a typical Million Pound Drop Question
This is where the drop element comes into play. Each question has either 4 [Q1 to Q4], 3 [Q5 to Q7], or 2 [Q8] possible answers, you can place your money on one answer or split it across multiple answers. There are 8 questions, players begin with 40 bundles of £25,000 totalling £1 million, they then bet that money on each question and the goal is to survive all 8 with £1 million intact. For each question however players must bet their money on one or more answers, with one answer free of any bet, as a result the first 4 questions with 4 possible answers will only allow the players to pick 3, and the next 3 with 3 possible answers will only allow 2, and the final question with only 2 answers will be an all or nothing bet.
Most players do not make it very far with their million intact and if anything the "million" is a fantasy in reality unless you were 100% certain of the answer you would always split and subsequently end up with less than a million in the end. Another particularly enjoyable aspect of the show was that it was live and that you could play along at home by visiting the broadcaster's website and playing a Flash Game that was synchronised with the show, the question being displayed as and when it appeared on TV.
To date no-one has won the million. The clip below is an example of a typical Million Pound Drop Question
22 - Gladiators
This next entry is a far cry from the Ancient Roman traditions that inspired this show but nevertheless the series did not fail to entertain the masses in the same way as its ancestral counterpart. This series is of course Gladiators.
The show was a phenomenal success during the 90s spawning from the original US series several countries around the world had their own versions and the UK was no exception. I loved watching the Gladiators and the child I was back then I always rooted for the Gladiators to win and the contestants to go down in flames. Well the show wasn't 'that' dramatic but it was certainly full of highs and lows for the contestants.
My favourite events were without a doubt:
The Atlaspheres:
The Duel:
And Hang Tough:
Perhaps the most interesting though would be the Skytrak:
The show was a phenomenal success during the 90s spawning from the original US series several countries around the world had their own versions and the UK was no exception. I loved watching the Gladiators and the child I was back then I always rooted for the Gladiators to win and the contestants to go down in flames. Well the show wasn't 'that' dramatic but it was certainly full of highs and lows for the contestants.
My favourite events were without a doubt:
The Atlaspheres:
The Duel:
And Hang Tough:
Perhaps the most interesting though would be the Skytrak:
23 - The Generation Game
The Generation Game originates from the 1970s, obviously I wasn't around to see that as I am only 24 years old, but after an 11 year run it was axed only to be revived in the 1990s when it would run for another 12 years, this time presented by the seemingly immortal Bruce Forsyth who is very much a staple of British Television, his career is timeless and his achievements are endless.
The thing I loved about this Game Show was that at times it got outright ridiculous. I have attached two videos to this post the first is an out-take from the 90s revival a few years after Bruce stood aside to let others have a crack at it. This out-take is perhaps one of the most well known out-takes of the show.
The next video is simply Bruce's first show when the series was revived in the 90s, this is part one and the others can be found on youtube. Enjoy.
24 - Have I Got News For You
This next show is one of my favourites. It is rather low in this list for a number of reasons but I think the main reason would be that it is more of a comedy show than a game show. It also features celebrities and public figures as opposed to the general public.
Have I Got News For You has run for 43 seasons and a total of 372 episodes have aired to date. The show is mainly focused on political satire and covers events in the news over the preceding week. As such it has covered many news stories that span various controversies and historical events. None perhaps had such an effect on the show than stories involving the host of the show Angus Deayton who presented the show for 12 years until he was embroiled in a controversy that ultimately lead to him being axed as presenter. Since then the show has run with a Guest host presentting each week.
Have I Got News For You has run for 43 seasons and a total of 372 episodes have aired to date. The show is mainly focused on political satire and covers events in the news over the preceding week. As such it has covered many news stories that span various controversies and historical events. None perhaps had such an effect on the show than stories involving the host of the show Angus Deayton who presented the show for 12 years until he was embroiled in a controversy that ultimately lead to him being axed as presenter. Since then the show has run with a Guest host presentting each week.
25 - Mock The Week
You may have spotted an almost recurring theme by now of comedy related panel shows. By my definition they are allowed in the list, I think a top 30 exclusively quiz show type game shows would have been harder to compile and probably would have been less entertaining. Comedy panel shows server their purpose, they mix the tradition of a game show with the funnier elements of stand-up comedy, and none does this better than Mock The Week hosted by Dara Ó Briain.
This show like some of the other panel shows I have mentioned takes the format of resident contestants and guests who change each week. For many Frankie Boyle was much loved as a resident but for me I was never really that fond of him. Russell Howard would be my favourite resident comedian from Mock The Week.
The show consists of a number of rounds, these sometimes vary but most often contain what has been in the news that week and one of the regular rounds 'scene we'd like to see' which is essentially just competitive stand-up comedy. The video linked is one of these instances, youtube is full of these.
This show like some of the other panel shows I have mentioned takes the format of resident contestants and guests who change each week. For many Frankie Boyle was much loved as a resident but for me I was never really that fond of him. Russell Howard would be my favourite resident comedian from Mock The Week.
The show consists of a number of rounds, these sometimes vary but most often contain what has been in the news that week and one of the regular rounds 'scene we'd like to see' which is essentially just competitive stand-up comedy. The video linked is one of these instances, youtube is full of these.
26 - QI
As with Never Mind The Buzzcocks, I considered whether or not I would include this entry in my top 30 list or just mention it after. In the end I have decided to include it. QI - Quite Interesting, is a game show hosted by the indubitable Stephen Fry. Although having said that Stephen Fry can't half be annoying some times.
The reason I had reservations with including this series is because the scoring system of the show is quite a mystery. Apart from Fry, thee is one other resident of the show and that is Alan Davies - who is marvellous - who is so often seen a a scapegoat. The other three contestants are celebrities and public figures. Contestants are asked questions which they all have the opportunity to answer and points are given depending on how interesting or relevant their answer is, and points deducted for wrong answers. How exactly the number of points awarded is worked out has never been shared and the scores aren't revealed until the very end. Alan Davies as the scapegoat so often ends with a score which is a negative number although many guests end the show with the same fate.
Nevertheless, even though the scoring is a mystery and the competition element is questionable the series itself is fantastic. The show came about at a time when other game shows were progressing down an ever increasing spiral of general ignorance as opposed to knowledge and QI sought to bring things back to a level of interest. The final round of the show is actually called 'General Ignorance' while the rest of the show runs with a theme. The seasons of the show unlike other shows which run with simple numbering season 1, 2, 3, etc are actually lettered A, B, C, etc. The current series in production is Series J - the 10th series which will air later in the year.
The clip below is from Series E.
27 - Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Never Mind The Buzzcocks is a long running game show which is in part a panel show. There are two teams each with a resident captain and every week those captains are joined by two guests each. There have been numerous resident hosts of the show of which Simon Amstell is the most memorable - a comedian I have a love / hate relationship with. There have also been stints where there is no resident host and each week a guest host filled the spot.
I was in two minds as to whether this show should be in my top 30 game shows for one reason, for the most part this show is known to be scripted. That's not to say there is no ad-libbing at all, there are genuine moments of comedy so in all I think it managed to redeem itself through the fact that not everything goes to plan.
The clip below is of one of Amstell's episodes in which one of the guests infamously walked out - and yes, it was not planned and yes they did let the audience member stay for the rest of the show.
I was in two minds as to whether this show should be in my top 30 game shows for one reason, for the most part this show is known to be scripted. That's not to say there is no ad-libbing at all, there are genuine moments of comedy so in all I think it managed to redeem itself through the fact that not everything goes to plan.
The clip below is of one of Amstell's episodes in which one of the guests infamously walked out - and yes, it was not planned and yes they did let the audience member stay for the rest of the show.
28 - The Chase
Next up in my top 30 game shows is The Chase. This is perhaps the newest show in my top 30 as the others are each of an age. The show is rather simple, you answer questions with 3 possible answers. Your place on the board advances with every correct answer and stays put with every wrong answer - the trouble is you play against a chaser, a person working for the show a champion of sorts whose job it is to catch you, for every correct answer they get they move one step closer to you but for every wrong answer they stay put. If the chaser catches you then you are out and lose the game.
This show is perhaps one of the hardest to win, so far of the 229 regular episodes only 56 resulted in the contestants winning, the remainder resulted in the Chaser winning.
One of the endearing aspects of the show is the current host Bradley Walsh who is most entertaining for his banter and the many times that he loses it to fits of giggles over the questions.
This show is perhaps one of the hardest to win, so far of the 229 regular episodes only 56 resulted in the contestants winning, the remainder resulted in the Chaser winning.
One of the endearing aspects of the show is the current host Bradley Walsh who is most entertaining for his banter and the many times that he loses it to fits of giggles over the questions.
29 - Family Fortunes
This next game show I remember from my childhood. I always used to love this show mainly because the premise revolved around those infamous words "we surveyed 100 people and asked..." and the line "our survey said..." - two phrases that were perhaps repeated the most throughout the series. I loved this style of Quiz as the answers weren't necessarily right or wrong, just what people were most likely to have said. Of course the competing families would have to guess correctly or hear that now infamous buzzer.
The show was based on the American show Family Feud. In the Family Fortunes incarnation two families would compete, "control" of the board would be determined by a quickest answer round which pit one member from each family against one another. The families competed for a cash prize although there were bonus prizes along the way which were won for revealing top answers etc during the game. The current UK presenter for Family Fortunes is the marvellous Mr Vernon Kay but I will always associate Les Dennis the host I first saw present the show.
The show was based on the American show Family Feud. In the Family Fortunes incarnation two families would compete, "control" of the board would be determined by a quickest answer round which pit one member from each family against one another. The families competed for a cash prize although there were bonus prizes along the way which were won for revealing top answers etc during the game. The current UK presenter for Family Fortunes is the marvellous Mr Vernon Kay but I will always associate Les Dennis the host I first saw present the show.
30 - Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Often shortened simply to 'Millionaire' this first entry is perhaps one of the most easily recognised and probably one of the most successful Game Shows. The show, as of May 2012 [last Wikipedia entry update] the show has been in production for 14 years here in the UK where it originates. It has run for 29 series with a total of 574 episodes.
This show is not without its controversies. The format is rather simple, a contestant must consecutively answer 15 multiple choice questions. There are four possible answers and the contestant has 3 possible lifelines they can use one and only once, they are 50:50, ask the Audience and Phone-a-friend; with 50:50, the computer will remove 2 wrong answers and leave one remaining wrong answer and the correct answer; with ask the audience the audience votes on their keypads which answer they think is right; with phone-a-friend the contestant gets to call a friend live on TV and ask them for the answer. While this format is deceptively simple the difficulty of the questions increases as the game progresses. There are 2 milestones in the streak of questions one for £1,000 and one for £32,000 which once passed are guaranteed prizes for the contestant whatever happens.
Perhaps most famously the UK version became the subject of controversy when a contestant, Major Charles Ingram, cheated his way to the million pounds. The show in question was pre-recorded and was not aired live. The producers did not air the programme and the contestant along with his accomplices became the subject of a Police Investigation which ultimately saw charges brought.
Despite its controversies I have included it due to the success of this Game Show and the inspirational [entirely fictional] Movie 'Slumdog Millionaire' which centred around its central character Jamal Malik, a kid from the slums who happened to know all the answers due to a remarkable coincidences recounted throughout the Movie, leading to the Movie's tag-line "It is written" owing to the character's success being depicted in the Movie as 'destiny'.
The video I include is of that of the UK's first ever winner of the Million Pound Jackpot, Judith Keppel. I would also ask for confirmation of my opinion that the original UK version when compared with the various International adaptations is significantly harder.
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