Alex Purnell, contestant, Trivial Pursuit: America Plays, 1 vs. 100 (mob), Hollywood Squares, and more
I would like to give it up for the ladies and say that my most memorable game show moment from this decade came from Nancy Christy back in 2003, on the syndicated version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.
A 40-something single mom from Tulsa, OK might have been an unlikely candidate to be "the first female WWTBAM millionaire," but that day, she also took home the distinguished title of the first woman to ever win a million dollars on a U.S. game show.
The excitement from the crowd and host Meredith Vieira was absolutely genuine. With Nancy Christy's million dollar win, we got the OMGs, tears steaming down the face, hugging the host for an uncomfortably long period of time - things that we just didn't get with those prior million dollar winners. Thanks Nancy for a great game show moment and putting us girls on the scoreboard!
You'll find Alex Purnell at her graphic design business, Artini Bar Designs, or follow her on Twitter.
Chico Alexander, Co-Editor, Game Show Newsnet
Deal or No Deal was one of the most talked about, most anticipated debuts of all game shows since Millionaire in 1999. When it premiered, NBC struck gold, making millions by giving away millions. And NBC seemingly rallied around it. Scott St. John reportedly said that he had learned the lessons of Millionaire and was going to keep it at a minimum, "it" being reliance on things outside of the game, like gimmickry and scheduling. Later in the run, it suffered from both, leading to its downfall in primetime.
But we shouldn't forget what attracted us to it in the first place: It was a show that had everything... high risk, high drama, big money, and sex appeal.
Be sure to visit Game Show Newsnet for news updates, schedules, and recaps, and the always-entertaining We Love to Interrupt.
Chad Mosher, guest blogger at About.com Game Shows, contestant, Million Dollar Password and Jeopardy!
There is no way the last ten years of game shows could be discussed without a mention of Ken Jennings. In 2003, Jeopardy! lifted their five game limits for champions... but they had no idea what they would wreak upon themselves.
Just starting off as an everyday software engineer from Utah, within six months Ken Jennings had turned Jeopardy! upside-down. Winning $2.5 million over 74 games, Jennings proved that it's cool to work hard and be really intelligent. Jennings has since parlayed his incredible success into quite a career, having written two books and keeping a recurring role on GSN Live, not to mention serving as a hero for trivia buffs and game show geeks.
Read Chad's full list of his top game show moments of the decade, and visit him at ChadMosher.com.
Carrie Grosvenor, Guide to Game Shows at About.com
There were so many big moments over the past decade that it's hard to narrow it down to just one. I loved the frenzy that surrounded the choice of a new host for The Price is Right when Bob Barker retired, but that's not my absolute favorite moment.
What really made an impression on me, and had me looking forward to a game show episode more than I had in recent memory, was Betty White returning to the game of Password. On June 12, 2008, Betty was once again gracing our televisions, playing Million Dollar Password as only she can. She is absolutely brilliant, and a shining example of a celebrity who truly gives her all in everything she does. No game show host or producer could ever hope for a better celebrity guest. I actually had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes when she was introduced on the show!
