Game Show Genres
What are the elements of a 'question and answer' game show?
Game shows come in many shapes and forms. Some of the classic forms include the question and answer show, which hit its first peak in popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with the shows that ultimately, some of which were scandal-driven: $64,000 Question, and Twenty one, and so forth. They captivated the nation and really made people think about what they know, what they could answer. Education was given a boost by all of that. Smart suddenly became in style. That repeated itself about 40 years later with the advent of 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?' and all the other big money quiz shows that came on from the late 1990s to the present day. Throughout most of that time, other question and answer shows appeared, like Jeopardy, and many, many other variants on the question and answer form. But that I think is the most classic, original form of game.
What are the elements of a 'relationship' game show?
Another genre of the game show, is the relationship show, and this has taken many forms over the years. I think one of the turning points in that sub genre of game shows was the dating game in 1966, which was a Chuck Barris creation. This was really the first time that guys and girls could ask questions of each other in a very frank and open manner, and choose to find romance via television. That has taken on many incarnations since then. One could say that the bachelor and the bachelorette, which are big prime time reality hits, have their genesis with the dating game.
What are the elements of a 'puzzle' game show?
Another genre is the communication game, or word game, or puzzle game. This includes classic shows like Password, which begat Pyramid, both created by Bob Stewart, the same creator. Another style of that show was Concentration, where contestants had to answer a puzzle that was hidden behind a board of prizes. I think the most successful puzzle game ever is Wheel of Fortune, which is still going strong after 25 years in its current version. That show is a very simple children's game, hangman, that, when combined with the excitement of the wheel and the money, has become an enduring hit for decades.
What are the elements of a 'panel' game show?
One genre of game shows that hasn't had great popularity of recent but was huge when game shows first proliferated on television was the panel show, including What's My Line, I've Got a Secret, To Tell the Truth and games of that nature, mostly produced by the Mark Goodson
Why has the 'panel' game show died out?
I don't think there's patience today for a panel show. I just don't think that people will sit still and appreciate the values that panel shows require. It's a level of thinking that I just think is not popular enough on television today.
What are the elements of a 'performance' game show?
Another sub genre of game shows is the performance show. A performance show could take on many different shapes and forms, including the singing and dancing type shows. This could be going back to Ted Mack's Amateur Hour, and American Idol which is actually thought of as a reality show but it has many, many elements and structures of game show in it. You've also got physical performance games, which in the studio realm would be something like a ‘beat the clock' theme, in the outdoors, or in the reality space. It could be something like ‘Fear Factor' or even ‘Survivor'.
What are the elements of a 'physical' game show?
And then you've got physical performance games which in the studio realm would be something like a Beat The Clock. In the outdoors, in the reality space it could be something like Fear Factor, or Survivor even.