Free #5: Television: Game Shows

(Game Show Network Icon)

The reason why I was curious about this topic is the fact that I see my parents every single night change the channel from the news to "Wheel of Fortune" and then "Deal or No Deal" and my dad gets so excited about it that he will pull me away from doing something semi-important in my life just to watch somebody we dont even know on TV win a huge some of money. My question is "Why do viewers get so addicted to game shows on television?". I researched many peoples' blogs on what they think about game shows and also watched this credible interview from Bob Boden (Vice President of Programming Fox Reality Channel) about game shows.


Game Shows: All About Game Shows

As Bob roughly puts it, people find a way to watch television to relax escape from reality of hard work like school or a tedious tiring job. Bonnie Gillipse, a blog writer from spynetwork.org thinks the reason why she is addicted to the "Game Show Network" is because "It's always happy there. No matter what silliness is going on in the world, there is something very sweet going on on GSN, and it's just enough to remind me that life is good." Like the "Brady Bunch" is a escape of reality to the American Dream simple family lifestyle, game shows are an escape for the viewers who want to get away from their own reality, and imagine themselves in someone elses telivised "reality" on tv that has just won a million bucks to make them feel at ease that anything really can be possible. In a way, they see these winners on TV percieving the American Dream in a 30 minute time period of money for almost free.

(American Dream Comic)

Game shows such as "The Price is Right" or "Deal or no Deal" have a minimal amount of thinking to do for the contestant to win big bucks. Most people in America do not want to work the rest of their lives for a decent amount of earnings. So people, like my dad, get sucked into game shows with the curiousity and imagining what it must be like to be in the lucky contestants shoes.

(Wheel of Fortune Logo)

For example, "Wheel of Fortune" has been on the air for 26 seasons and still poplular and some often wonder why. The "Wheel Watchers Club" offers the people at home to win what the contestant just won if their spin id is shown from their own comfort at home. You have to keep watching the show and be updated online with the club to have your Spinner ID even considered to be shown on the screen. "Deal or No Deal" offers the audience on the edge excitement which proves peoples' greedy nature. Bill Owens, a contestant on "The $25,000 Pyramid", states "What I loved wasn't just the lure of instant riches, although that was pretty cool. I loved and admired the knowledge, the trivia, the imagination that game show contestants had to have to win. This is what started my passion for odd and obscure trivia, which endures to this day." Shows such as "Who Wants to be a Millionare?" and "Jeopory" offer this curiousity/ trivia format.

It's also interesting how reality TV shows have formed from game shows. "Survivor" to "Big Brother," "The Bachelor" to "Joe Millionaire," "American Idol" to "Fame" and "Extreme Makeovers" all are examples of reality shows which are more intense and dramatic than a normal game show. A blogger screennamed theMatrix from associatedcontent.com quotes his opinion on reality TV after game shows, "I guess the appeal of these shows isn’t that hard to understand. I mean, they’re kind of like game shows on steroids, giving away millions of dollars and soul mates instead of dishwashers, furniture, and new cars."

People become addicted to the suspense of not knowing what could happen next and the simplicity of a humans knowledge lures almost anybody into networks like the "Game Show Network." Wtih todays technology, people could not only get recaps and any other bit of infomation about a game show on the shows web page, but also play the game to get a feel of what it is really like. The audience can get involved. It would be interesting to be able to talk about game show television in class for a better understanding, but I guess after discovering all this, I still wonder where game shows get money and funds to give away all the time besides sponsors.