Grand Junction’s Favorite Television Game Shows of All-Time
Television game shows have been around since the earliest days of television and while the times change, they never seem to go out of style.
It's amazing how many game shows we grew up with in the 70s and the 80s are still going strong today or have been reincarnated and brought back to a new generation. Match Game, To Tell the Truth, and Pyramid immediately come to mind. They once were gone, but now they're back in limited runs on network television.
I asked our Facebook followers about their favorite game shows, and it really came as no surprise that The Price is Right was at the top of the list. The very first episode(see it below), with Bob Barker as host aired in 1972, The game show has never not been on the air.
We love watching game shows - especially the ones that allow us to "play" along in the comfort and safety of our favorite living room chair. I used to love Card Sharks, Concentration, and Hollywood Squares.
Bases upon my unofficial Facebook poll, here is a look at some of Grand Junction's all-time favorite television game shows.
- 1
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
This is the very first episode of The Price is Right, airing in 1972. It's popularity has been off the charts through the years - possibly because it doesn't really require any particularly high degree of skill or trivia knowledge. A little common sense and a basic idea of how much thing cost, and a little luck from the big wheel, and you can score big.
And watching at home, who among us hasn't swelled up with a little pride when we correctly guessed the price of an item or made the closest big on a big showcase? It's why we watch.
- 2
JEOPARDY
Anybody who remembers watching Jeopardy before Alex Trebec became the host is offically old - well, at least if you are familiar with the name Art Fleming who hosted the show until 1975. Trebek started hosting the quiz show in 1984.
This one is kind of like The Price is Right. Any time you can actually answer one of the questions you suddenly feel momentarily happier about life - and about your own personal intelligence quotient.
- 3
JOKER'S WILD
Here's another one that has just recently returned to television, hosted by Snoop Dog. Joker's Wild combined the luck of the spin with contestants' trivia knowledge.
Jack Barry created the show and hosted in until his death in 1984. I'm really glad someone mentioned this long-lost forgotten television gem.
- 4
LET'S MAKE A DEAL
Here's a show that goes back to the 1960s, and a lot of us grew up watching long -time host Monty Hall, who passed away in 2017. Hall was a fast-talking wheeler dealer who seemed way to nice to possibly leave you with a zonk. But he did.
Today's generation enjoys the show with host Wayne Brady, who carries on the dealing tradition.
- 5
GONG SHOW
The Gong Show was popular in the 70s and 80s and has been revived in recent years.
Of course, this was not a play at home kind of show, but was extremely entertaining, and host Chuck Barris was as whacky as they come. I suppose you could call this the pre-cursor to Ameican's Got Talent.