Carrie's Game Shows Blog

With all of the new game shows crammed into Tuesday nights now, it's quite possible that you missed last night's episode of The Moment of Truth. Contestant Nettie (Annette) took the hot seat and ended up winning $200,000 - a first for the show.

Nettie was asked a few tough questions about her marriage, her son and her stepson. Among other things, she admitted that she never would have married her husband Larry, who was in attendance, if he didn't have any money, and that she would not keep her stepson Larry Jr. on the payroll at her company if he wasn't related to her. Nettie was also asked if she could ever forgive the man who almost killed her son Paul in a car accident, and she said no. Apparently Paul, at the age of nine, was hit by a drunk driver. The driver reportedly stopped his car, wiped off his bumper with a handkerchief, and got back into the car and drove away. In an odd little twist, the driver himself appeared, face pixelated and voice altered, to apologize and explain that he had not been drunk, and had tried to find out how Paul was doing in the hospital. Paul and Nettie both forgave him on the spot, and even hugged the man. It was a little surreal.

At the $100,000 plateau, Nettie decided to press on. She answered another three questions, none of which were very shocking or scandalous, to become the first $200,000 winner on The Moment of Truth. She walked away with her cash at that point.

One other thing to note is that, since the summer season is coming to an end next week, there are already teasers popping up for the fall season. Not only will we be seeing "doctors, lawyers, policemen, and identical twins" on the show, but also "celebrities." This is especially interesting to me, since I had asked host Mark Walberg if we might start to see some recognizable faces on the show and he replied that he didn't think there would be many who would be willing to do it, although it was a definite possibility. One has to wonder just how loose the term "celebrities" is being used here.

If you could put any celeb into the Moment of Truth hot seat, who would it be, and what would you ask them? I'd have to go with OJ Simpson, and I think the questions would be pretty obvious.

Photo courtesy FOX

Last week, Program Partners, the company that syndicates Merv Griffin's game show Crosswords, announced that the fall season would not be going ahead as planned. Citing "production costs" as the reason for the show going on hiatus, Program Partners is in a bit of a bind, since many networks across the country had already signed on to carry season two. The channels are now being offered a few different options to fill the time slot.

The first option is a "best of" package with episodes taken from the first season of Crosswords. Since the game is already in reruns for the summer, viewers will soon tire of seeing the same episodes over again. The other two options are to replace Crosswords with the Canadian shows Style by Jury, or Inside the Box.

Yours truly is Canadian, and I have watched both of these shows quite a few times. Style by Jury is a personal makeover show, where the subjects are "judged" on before and after pictures by a jury made up of the general public. It's a fun show, but it tends to get old after a couple of episodes. For people tuning in to watch a game show, this one will only lead to disappointment.

On the other hand, Inside the Box is a clever and fun game show, based on the old 20 questions format, with all of the subject matter about television shows, characters, and actors. One contestant sits inside the box, and asks questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no" of the other two contestants. The person in the box has a screen full of questions that can be asked, while the other two only have a picture of the answer on their monitors. Each round is timed, and five seconds are deducted for an incorrect answer. After every five "yes" responses, the timer is paused and the contestant in the box is given a clue. They get one free guess, which can be used during any of these pauses. The game continues until the correct answer is guessed, or time runs out. The speed round at the end of the game works in much the same way.

The host of Inside the Box is Sam Kalilieh, who is upbeat and adds some personality to the show. The top prize available to be won is $10,000, which is actually quite generous for a Canadian game show. If you're interested in seeing this game in action, check out these YouTube clips of the regular rounds, as well as the final round.

GSN has decided on two women to host the pilot episodes of their revivals of The Newlywed Game and The Dating Game. Kim Coles, pictured, will take on singles looking for a match on The Dating Game, while comedian Judy Gold will face newly married couples on The Newlywed Game.

Coles is best known for her role as Synclaire James-Jones on Living Single. She's also appeared as a guest co-host on The View, and done game shows and reality shows such as Celebrity Mole, The Weakest Link, Hollywood Squares, To Tell the Truth, and The $100,000 Pyramid.

Gold has also co-hosted The View, and in addition to her many appearances on Comedy Central and TVLand, she's played Hollywood Squares, and been a guest star on lots of sitcoms and dramas, including Law & Order.

Female game show hosts seem to be few and far between, so it's great to see these two talented women taking on these roles. They'll appeal to a mainly female audience, which I think is probably a good thing for GSN. And since we're on the subject, check out my list of the Top Five Female Game Show Hosts, and let me know if you agree or disagree in the comments. Do you have a favorite who didn't make the list?

Photo by Frederick M. Brown, courtesy Getty Images Entertainment

Good news! CBS has announced that Million Dollar Password will be back for another six episodes. The show is kicking butt in the ratings, winning its time slot for each episode and averaging 9.46 million viewers per show.

Since the announcement of renewal has just been made, there are no details yet about casting, celebrities, or when these new shows will air. As soon as this info starts trickling in, I'll be sure to keep you updated! I can confirm though that Regis Philbin will return as host, which is even more good news!

Photo courtesy CBS

I have to admit that out of the three new game shows that kicked off last night, I was least excited about Wipeout! Even though the previews looked rather funny, I had assumed that watching people fall, trip, and wipe out would quickly become stale. Boy, was I wrong!

Wipeout! is one of the funniest shows I have ever watched. The hosts, John Henson and John Anderson, have a straight-man, sportscaster shtick going with their running commentary, as contestants enthusiastically attempt the most ridiculous (and challenging) obstacles we've seen this side of Japan. Co-host Jill Wagner, reporting from the course itself, was also very entertaining. The game starts off hysterically funny, producing belly laughs so great that we had to rewind the show a few times to catch what we'd missed while doubled over. After a montage of contestants attempting (and failing) an obstacle dubbed "The Big Balls," Wagner commented that "this never gets old." She was right! By the end, however, it turned into a real competition, with a final obstacle course that was both dramatic and difficult.

In future episodes the obstacles and events will change, so the show will continue to be fresh. And if the comedy coming from both the contestants and the hosts keeps up, this show is going to do extremely well. If you missed it last night, I strongly encourage you to tune in next Tuesday at 8pm Eastern on ABC. But take my word for it - keep beverages away from your mouth during the first half of the show, unless you enjoy cleaning floors and television screens.

Photo courtesy ABC

It was originally scheduled to start next Tuesday, but NBC has bumped up the premiere of Celebrity Family Feud to tonight at 8pm Eastern. Al Roker will host this six-episode run of the Feud, which features celebs and their real-life or television families competing to win money for charity.

Tonight's match-ups include Ice T versus Joan and Melissa Rivers, and Raven-Symone versus Wayne Newton. The winners of these matches will go on to compete for the 'Fast Money' round, where families can win $50,000 for their chosen charities.

You can view the complete Celebrity Family Feud lineup, see some pictures in the photo gallery, or read Al Roker's thoughts on the show in our Celebrity Family Feud preview. NBC also has some preview videos up if you'd like to get a taste of what's in store. I can't wait!

Photo courtesy NBC

It's going to be a busy night for game show fans! ABC kicks off two of their three new games tonight: Wipeout! at 8pm Eastern, and I Survived a Japanese Game Show at 9pm Eastern.

In Wipeout!, 24 contestants take on the "world's largest obstacle course" in each episode. There are, of course, tricky obstacles to overcome, as well as some unusual challenges including the Human Cannonball, and a contraption called the "Dreadmill" that sounds incredibly difficult. The show will feature lots of flops, spills, and falls, which make up a considerable portion of the entertainment value. Only one contestant will remain standing at the end to win the $50,000 prize.

I Survived a Japanese Game Show is a little different. Well, a lot different really. 10 contestants are 'kidnapped' and taken to Japan - I imagine this part will be as cheesy as it sounds. After that though, they get to live together and try to absorb the Japanese culture, while competing in some of the silliest and most hilarious game shows you've ever seen.

Don't forget to stop by here after the shows and share your thoughts. It sounds like a night full of fun and frivolity!

Photo courtesy ABC

American Gladiators will return for a third season, and NBC is now searching for new challengers to take on the Gladiators. According to the casting call, they're looking for "weekend warrior types that are big, bad, and athletic." If that sounds like you, read on!

Open casting calls are being scheduled, and will be listed on the NBC casting page when available. In the meantime, you can still apply by sending in a video and application form. All the details you need can be found right here.

If you're not the Gladiator type, check out the complete list of game show casting calls for a wide variety of other shows looking for contestants.

Photo courtesy NBC

Sometimes I feel like I'm in a bit of a time warp, reporting on Password, The Gong Show, and The Newlywed Game. As networks scramble to hit just the right nostalgic note with viewers, more and more "oldies" are making a comeback. Match Game is one of the latest shows to be picked up, dusted off, and reworked for a more modern audience.

TBS has filmed the pilot episode for their remake of Match Game, complete with a celebrity panel that's sure to bring the laughs. If you've never seen the game, it relies heavily on the celebrity guests for entertainment value. Think Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, Betty White, and Vicki Lawrence, all of whom were regular guests on the show, and all of whom had a wonderful and biting sense of humor. The new stars taking a seat on the Match Game panel are Scott Thompson (pictured), Sarah Silverman, Norm MacDonald, Super Dave Osborne, Rashida Jones, and Niecy Nash.

Sounds good so far, doesn't it? Throw in executive producer Robert Smigel, who has worked on shows like Saturday Night Live and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, and we may just have a winner! The host for the pilot episode is Andrew Daly, an actor who has appeared in Semi-Pro and more recently, What Happens in Vegas.

Now we just have to wait and see if the show will be picked up to run as a series!

Photo courtesy Getty Images, by Trish Lease

Bingo America and GSN are running a special promotion starting next Monday that might make a lot of people happy. The "Bingo's Big Gas Giveaway" aims to reward GSN Live viewers with the chance to win $500 gas cards, and one lucky person will win free gas for a year. With the cost of fuel these days, that's a pretty attractive prize!

According to the press release from GSN, here's how it all works:

Those playing along at-home from June 23 to July 7 will be getting a bonus chance to watch and win the following day on GSN Live. Beginning Tuesday, June 24, the first player to call in to GSN Live (1-877-7-GSN BINGO) at 1PM ET/Noon CT and recite the winning pair of Bingo Bonus Numbers from the previous night’s Bingo America episode (Friday numbers for Monday call-ins) will win a gas card worth $500. Moreover, any player who downloads at least one free Bingo America game card a day for any five days throughout the two-week promotion will be automatically entered for a chance to win “free gas for a year.”

You can get more information and download your Bingo cards at http://www.gsn.com/bingo. And if you need help with the downloads or claiming a prize, check out this handy guide to Bingo America.

There's more good news for Bingo America fans too - GSN has confirmed that a second season has been ordered, and will debut in the fall. So if you're already tired of the reruns, there are lots of fresh shows in the pipeline.

Photo courtesy GSN