subject: Game Shows For Lighthearted Entertainment [print this page] All of us would like to be handed thousands of dollars for getting the price of soap right or for choosing the right suitcase, or recalling the exact piece of trivia when asked by your friendly cab driver. It is fascinating to watch and almost as hard to turn off as a gripping movie. Game shows have been around for a long time with the lure of something for nothing.
The first game show appeared in 1938 with Spelling Bee, Truth or Consequences was the first game show to be aired on commercially-licensed television in 1941. If you lived though the 70's I don't know who could forget Family Feud with legendary host Richard Dawson who kissed all the females on the show, The Dating Game, Pyramid, my favorite The Newlywed Game with host Bob Eubanks. Also popular during the 70's was Let's Make a Deal with host Monty Hall , I loved this game which worked on people innate sense of greed. Do you want what is behind door number one, door number two or door number three? Trading up in prizes or giving up a great catch for total junk. Also the ever popular, The Price is Right which has been on air forever hosted by Bob Barker for 35 years!
Hollywood square combined stars with regular folks to win cash and prizes. The 70's really did start a host of fun and entertaining game shows. Who can forget The Wheel of Fortune with Pat Sajak. I am not sure but I think one of, if not the longest running game show on television is Jeopardy with Art Fleming hosting the show from 1964-1975, 1978-1979 and Alex Trebek taking over in 1984 and still hosting it today, a very smug gentle host who genuinely roots for the contestants while still portraying a "smarter than everyone alive" persona.
Whatever your game show love, be it mindless games of chance or trivia or the newer games of reality, game show really do have a way of hooking and compelling people to watch and enjoy the victory or defeat of their fellow humans. We are always smarter than the contestants and would have won the shiny car or the millions had we had the chance to be on air. The something for nothing lure has us continually coming back for more. Look for a cable or dish network package that offers all the old game shows, sit back and enjoy.
