Why I Watch Certain Game Shows But Not Others

I have been told that I have a wealth of information about pop culture, history, news, word meanings, and most trivia. Several people have suggested that I become a contestant on a game show on television.

Years ago when I was living in New York, I did apply and tried out for The $25,000 Pyramid when the late Dick Clark was the host. I was never called to return to be on the show. However, that was a great experience for me when I was in my twenties.

The application process is extremely long and tedious today for any game show. It takes years for applicants to appear as contestants. Therefore, I settle for playing the games at home. Unfortunately, I get no prize money, but I enjoy playing along with the contestants.

Game Shows Based on Knowledge

I favor and watch game shows where trivia is based on knowledge. After the host reads a question, the one who buzzes in first is the one who gets a chance to answer. It is not that the others don't know the answer. They are just slower buzzing in.

The following are my favorite game shows based solely on knowledge.

The Chase, hosted by Brooke Burns is definitely based on knowledge where contestants compete against Mark Labbett, also known as The Beast. Speed is involved, but the winner is the one who answers the most questions based on what he knows. The Beast is often the winner. He has an IQ of 151. |That means he is in the 1 percent of people. Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking both had scores of 160. Only 70 percent of the population score between 85 and 115 on the IQ test.

Master Minds is also hosted by Brooke Burns. The show is based exclusively on knowledge. Three contestants compete against three master minds: Ken Jennings, Muffy Marracco, and Jonathan Corbblah.

Common Knowledge is the appropriate name for the show hosted by Joey Fatone. Those questions are common knowledge that everyone should know especially when they are given three multiple choices. It is all about common knowledge without any luck.

I especially like game shows which involve words.

The $100,00 Pyramid has been renewed for its sixth season on ABC. The game show, hosted by Michael Strahan features celebrities partnering with contestants to play word games. Contestants win when they get the right answers to categories after they have been given certain clues by their partner.

People Puzzle, hosted by Leah Remini, is just what it says. It is sponsored by People magazine. Remini asks a question, and contestants have to complete a crossword puzzle in a certain amount of time. Knowledge and not luck is what helps contestants win.

Chain Reaction, hosted by Dylan Lane is based on knowledge of words. Players must form chains composed of two-word phrases.

25 Words or Less, hosted by Meredith Vieira, air on the Fox network. Contestants bid on a set of words to give clues to their teams to guess the answer in 25 words or less. It is a fun game show for those like me who love word games.

Game Shows Based on Luck

I am not a fan of game shows based on luck rather than on knowledge.

Deal or No Deal was once hosted by Howie Mandel and aired on NBC. Reruns still come on the Game Show Network. The show had absolutely nothing to do with knowledge. It was all about chance. At the beginning of the game, a contestant chose one of 26 briefcases that could contain from $0.01 to $1,000,000. The contestant eliminates cases when presented with a deal from The Banker to take a cash amount to quit. In the end, a contestant could keep his case or exchange it for one of the others. It was a chance encounter throughout, and the contestant could end up with a case containing only one penny or the million dollars that depended all on chance.

Game Shows Based on Both Knowledge and Luck

Catch 21, hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro is based on both knowledge and luck. First, the host asks a question. The person who buzzes in first and answers that question correctly is given a card from the deck. His knowledge helped him answer the question correctly, but it is luck he depends on to get to 21 in the card game.

Wheel of Fortune is based on knowledge, but contestants must first spin a big wheel to see where the arrow will stop. It could stop on a low or high amount of money. It could stop on a bankrupt or a lose a turn. The winner of the regular game with three contestants gets to go to the bonus round. He spins a wheel to determine his prize if he wins. That's luck. If he knows the answer to the puzzle, that's knowledge. Therefore, Wheel of Fortune hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White is based on both knowledge and luck.

Jeopardy! is based mostly on knowledge during the regular game, but the contestants have to bet a portion of their winnings without knowing what the question will be or what the other contestants are waging. That's luck.

I watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! even though some luck is involved in both of the game shows.

Game Show Network

Some days I keep my television locked on the Game Show Network which is filled with game shows.

My all-time favorite show is America Says, hosted by John Michael Higgins. It is based on knowledge and not luck. It is called America Says because teams have to give the same answers Americans have given. After the host reads a statement, contestants have to supply the answers based on the first letter of the word and the length of the blank.

I am not fond of a recent new show, Tug of Words which premiered on the Game Show Network on November 8, 2021. It is hosted by Ahmad Rashad. Two teams play against each other to answer the most word questions over three rounds. The first two rounds are easy, but that third round is very challenging. I find it too difficult to compete at home. So, I don't bother.

Family Feud, hosted by Steve Harvey is not one of my favorite game shows because it is neither based on knowledge nor on luck. The answers don't have to be correct. They are opinions based on a survey. Contestants have to guess what the survey said whether it is correct or not. Family Feud is a very popular game show that comes on several times night and day on the Game Show Network and on Fox Television.

I love watching the reruns of The Match Game which originally aired on NBC from 1962 to 1981. The last host was Gene Rayburn. I watch it to be entertained because I learn nothing from the show. Contestants are given a silly question. To win, their answers much match what the celebrities say. The host, most of the celebrities and contestants are no longer living.