Come On Down

If 8 out of 10 cats does something, you bet your ass that we're gonna do it too. This British game show features a panel of contestants cracking jokes about polls and statistics, with the occasional answer thrown in. Kind of like how this podcast is occasionally about game shows.

Years before Europe gave us “The Final Countdown,” the continent of Europe gave us the game show Countdown. Starting in France before emigrating to the UK, Countdown feels exactly like a game show stuffy old British people would watch and tut-tut at. Listen in to learn how it works, how incredibly dry it is, and more.

Just a word of warning: this game show is not about the defunct video rental chain. Nor is it about motion pictures at all, in fact. This week, join us as we learn what it's ACTUALLY all about, why it's completely unfair, and our suggestion for a much better name.

Lie detector tests are notoriously unreliable (as my vacated murder conviction proves), so what about using game show contestants to detect lies? That's the goal of this celebrity-filled game show that aired on-and-off from the 60s through the 80s. Or maybe we're lying about that… tune in and find out.

How do you encapsulate the downfall of Western Civilization in just one game show? You make people answer trivia questions correctly or you take their car away from them. Learn how Spike TV cracked the code for maximum entertainment a decade ago by putting unfortunate people into even more unfortunate situations.

This Australian children's game show brings up a lot of questions. Like, why do they spell "labrats" as one word? Or, how does science work? Learn everything there is to know about this cross between Bill Nye, Legends of the Hidden Temple, and Crocodile Dundee.

What do you get when you combine the game of darts, a cartoon bull, a host who is way younger than he looks, and a serial killer? The British game show Bullseye. We celebrate clickbaiting our way to 20,000 Youtube views by breaking down this unique fusion of darts and trivia.

Many people believe that the bedrocks of a strong relationship are communication and trust. But the TRUE most important factor in a relationship is how good the other person looks naked. This UK game show starts from the bottom (quite literally) to see just how important physical attraction is in creating lasting love.

This week, we condemn ourselves to hell for blasphemy. Jeff Foxworthy hosts the incredibly-difficult-for-heathens Game Show Network hit that brought in a record number of viewers before disappearing suddenly into the heavens. Listen along as we break down the game, the history, and The Word.

This week, we play our own personal game of “talk about the game show with the most suggestive name.” We break down the somewhat confusing rules, the incredible British-ness of a show hosted by a man named Jasper Carrott, and the studies social scientists have done about these peculiar golden balls.

The popular wisdom says bigger is better, so this game show went against the grain and made everything a lot smaller. This week, we discuss the shrink ray technology that must have been used to make all the miniatures used on this show, how we can best acquire said technology and use it to our advantage, and a little bit about this UK game show recently imported to American audiences.

“What if we took a torture chamber and turned it into a game show?” were probably Hitler's last words. They were also the words of some Fox producers in the early 2000s. We break down the highlights of this long-running game show (all 3 episodes), its multiple legal controversies, and its cardboard cutout host in this special Christmas-themed torture-based episode.

We could just tell you this game show is like tic-tac-toe but with trivia questions, but then you might not listen. So disregard that, and tune in to hear us talk about a dominant champion, a little bit of scandal, and some Disney World.

When you think Alex Trebek, the first thing your mind goes to is… Pitfall. This syndicated Canadian game show gave us Trebek with a mini-fro and glorious mustache, an elaborate set full of elevators, and a ton of controversy when they stiffed the future Jeopardy host. We head to the great white north to snowplow through the lurid details.

When you've got a game show podcast, at some point you have to do an episode about the game show that inspired your podcast's name, right? Listen in to learn all about Bob Barker, the guy you haven't heard of that they wanted instead of Bob, Drew Carey, how to place the perfect bid, and so much more.

Not many game shows have their origin in World War II, but then again, not many game shows have the Manning brothers (but not the two you're expecting) as host and sidekick. In this episode, we talk WWII, Vietnam, radio, television, and college rivalries as we review this recent revival.

What do you get when you have eligible singles choose a date from a video profile and connect it with audience members who vote on their favorite with no real consequences? Not a great show, to be honest. Listen in as we try to connect it all together for you.

In honor of All Hallow's Eve, things get really spooky and ooky in this Sci-Fi original game show. Contestants try to collect the most cash they can while digging through spiders, snakes, quicksand, and other horrifying things that you'd typically find in a place you'd refer to as an “estate.”

From the twisted mind of Michael Vick comes this canine battle royale where only one pup comes alive... Okay, so it's actually a show where dogs and their handlers compete through obstacle courses, but the other one sounds like a more compelling podcast, right? Learn all about these doggy ninja warrior courses and see if an underdog can come out on top.

When panelists are attempting to fill in the blanks on a giant purple piece of wood named Billy The Answer Head, it's hard not to get romantic about game shows. Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders and a slew of children with increasingly confusing talents try to stump a panel of Nickelodeon “celebrities” in this classic 90s contest. And yes, there's a lot of slime.

What exactly is a mental samurai? Your guess is as good as ours. In this game show that combines all your favorite elements of parking lot carnivals with puzzles from Highlights Magazine, Rob Lowe helps determine who is the mental samurai (again, we're still not sure what that means).

No animals were harmed in the making of this podcast. Straight out of the early aughts, this British import had everything: pools filled with water, water raining from above, people drowning, lawsuits, treadmills, nudity, and stupidity… Basically everything other than actual dogs.

In this entirely unscripted episode, we travel all the way back to 1950 to guess what people's jobs are. Because that's what this game show is about: guessing people's jobs. Sorry for the big spoiler there, please still listen.

Why are people locked in a clear cube attempting to complete difficult challenges for money on TBS? Join us as we try to get to the bottom of that question and others, like, "Why is Dwyane Wade here?" and, "Why does he spell his name like that?"

This week on Confessions of a Dangerous Podcast, we dive into the hilarious, controversial, boundary-pushing world created by Chuck Barris. See if we can make it a full episode discussing this classic game show without getting gonged.

What do you get when you combine an elaborate method of potential suicide with a fun, light-hearted game show? Well, Game Show Network wanted to find out, so they got Mark L. Walberg (no, not that one) to get to the bottom of it. This week, we learn all about the game show, Afghanistan, Jeopardy hosts, and more.

To celebrate our 50th episode, we don't just talk about a game show, we talk about an entire TV network about game shows. From its inception to its original programming to its (lack of) competitors, learn everything we were able to learn about Game Show Network from reading some Wikipedias and watching TV.

As Shakespeare eloquently put it in Richards III, “snitches get stitches.” This 70s game show combines celebrity, marital squabbles, romance, and wealth to entertain the ignorant masses. This week, learn all about Tattletales, its stars, its legacy, and why the revolution will not be televised.

The ACME Detective Agency is enlisting gumshoes to track down master thief Carmen Sandiego and her VILE crime syndicate. Join us as we discuss the (probably) first ever game show based on a computer game, figure out a helpful way to remember which ocean goes where (aside from having a third grade education), and eulogize The Chief.

This week, John Baker and Jonathan "The Hustler" Motney dive into the new ABC game show hosted by Craig Ferguson. Learn about the game, the downfall of late night TV, and how to look like a real hustler.

There's a lot you can say about this post-World War 2 game show, and it's likely that not a lot of it would be good. We take a look back and analyze this show through a 2021 lens, and fondly remember those days of yore when parading out women to share their sob stories, and then voting (by applause) on who is the most pathetic, was still socially acceptable.

What's better than a game show based on a puzzle game you played as a kid? A game show based on TWO puzzle games you played as a kid. We take you from Concentration's start in the 50s through Alex Trebek's run in the 90s.

It's the one question where the answer is almost always yes. Of course I would. This British panel show helps us find out which celebrities are the best liars, and which are the best at sniffing them out. Join us as we put on our transatlantic voices to listen to people with funny accents tell amusing lies and stories in order to earn points that ultimately mean nothing.

This week, we discuss the game show that's kind of like Simon Says, but the power of the world's mightiest government compels you to do their bidding at the threat of military force. Veteran mockumentary actor John Michael Higgins hosts this laugh-a-minute tour through American colonization, imperialism, and genocide. Either that, or it's a Game Show Network knockoff of Family Feud.

If you only wanted to watch a game show if it wasn't really a game show, this might be the game show for you. Groucho Marx grew a real mustache to host this post-war NBC hit (World War II being the aforementioned war). This week, we learn all about it, smoke some cigars, and ask what's wrong with reality TV.

If you love a great deal, this is the game show for you. Get a stereo system for $5, a family vacation for $15, and get bamboozled into coming back to defend your title the next day and almost certainly walking away with nothing. This week, we dive into Sale of the Century, break down how it works, its Ameri-Austral-ican origins, and do some really bad accents.

Do you like dating people, but hate having to make an informed decision about who to date? This show might be for you! We head back to the Swinging Sixties to learn about the game, hunt down a serial killer, and figure out if you were a raccoon, what would be your favorite piece of trash and why.

Tune into the ONLY podcast that takes place entirely inside an apartment. This week, we delve into our first game show from the Discovery Channel: Cash Cab. Learn about host Ben Bailey, try your hand at the red light challenge, and help us figure out why this show is on Bravo now.

This week, a couple of squares take you through Hollywood Squares: the only game show where you play tic-tac-toe on Joan Rivers’ face. We talk about their Brady Bunch opening credits-looking set, the hosts, the center squares, testicular cancer, and so much more.

This week, we answer the question: Do you have it? Join John "The Piranha" Baker and Jonathan "Maniac" Motney as we take you through the story of Nickelodeon Guts, try to bring home a glowing piece of the Crag, and go to Mo for the scores.

Celebrities, one word clues, love connections: Password had it all. Well, mostly just those three things. This week, we talk through this word association game's debut in the 60s, it's Plus-sized and Super versions (you know, like tampons), and more.

When disco went out, Chain Reaction came in. This early 80s game show is like a game you’d find in the puzzles section of the Sunday Times. We break down all six degrees of this game, talk through its history and hosts, and try to alternate words for an hourlong podcast.

This week, we go for big bucks and no whammies as we break down Press Your Luck. Learn about the history of the show, a little bit of scandal, and its recent revival.

Long before Ready Player One, Nick Arcade put kids in the game. This episode, we talk about the Nickelodeon game show that combined trivia, video game skills, and a bunch of weatherman-adjacent skills.

Imagine a game show that’s actually just a really long commercial. Now imagine the guy most famous for getting intimate with a pie hosting that game show. Congratulations, you’re a Pepsi executive. This week, we discuss the Jason Biggs-hosted Cherries Wild, dive back into American Pie, and more.

It’s both a game show and the strongest shape. The show that started out as The $10,000 Pyramid (and had bumped up to $100,000) gave us a whole lot of Dick Clark, bad guesses, and even worse clues. This week we dive into The Pyramid in all its forms, its schemes, and even NFTs (what are they???).

The great thing about this game show is that you've got a choice. Deal or No Deal put Howie Mandel's shiny dome back on the map, and this week, we dive into the game show, its stylish metal briefcases, Howie's other fine work, and more.

Since the dawn of time, man has been on the hunt for a good deal. And thanks to Monty Hall, there’s no better place to dress in a ridiculous costume and make some deals than on Let’s Make a Deal. In this episode, we get into all the deals, the zonks, the Monty Hall Problem, the Wayne Brady Solution, and more.

The answer to that question is everybody except billionaires. This week, we give you the final answer on this turn-of-the-century cultural phenomenon and discuss Millionaire's history, controversies, and more.

If you love portmanteaus, then this is the game show for you. After their success with horror movie hits like Paranormal Activity, The Purge, and the thousand subsequent movies in those franchises, Blumhouse Productions took a dive into the game show world with this haunted house/escape room style GSN original. Listen in to learn about the show, the Twisted Twins who hosted it, and more.

It’s the question on absolutely nobody’s minds, but it needs to be asked anyway. If your name is Jeff Foxworthy, you might be a game show host for a game where contestants attempt to answer supposedly elementary-level trivia questions. This week, we ask the real question: is this whole premise kinda b.s.?