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DennyLBerg
Reviews
Double Up (1992)
Repulsive
This is one of the three worst game shows I have ever seen. There's a brother and a sister who are trying to find a date for one another. There are three potential dates for each (the brother can't see his potential dates and the sister can't see her potential dates). The sister asks the three girls some personal questions to find out what they're like [and to find out if they're good enough for her brother] and the same deal with the brother asking the boys questions. Yawn.
The set looks like an apartment loft in a ghetto, and the theme "music" is rap. I use music in quotes because rap is not music. The announcer is also a rap DJ.
This show was AWFUL and it was killed extremely quickly; only lasted seven shows.
Fun House (1988)
Syndicated Perfection, Network Drivel
The late 80s saw a boom in children's game shows due to the success Nickelodeon had with _"Double Dare" (1986)_ (qv) in 1986. "Fun House," contrary to popular assumption, was not an attempt to "rip-off" _"Double Dare" (1986)_ (qv), "Fun House" is based on the fun houses at state fairs and carnivals and was tested in malls before a pilot was shot.
"Fun House" took kids into a different world. The stunts they used were big and usually very messy. The Grand Prix Race around the studio was also very good, and the bonus round may be the best in the entire genre of game shows.
Host J.D. Roth was terrific. He was more like the older brother helping his younger siblings get into mischiff. The announcer, "Tiny" (John Hurley), had a bigger role than most TV announcers. He was on camera just about every show, often times helping along with stunts, etc. The cheerleaders (Jackie & Sammi) also helped out with the stunts, as well as introduced the contestants. And the theme music is FANTASTIC.
When the show moved out of syndication and onto FOX in September 1990, huge changes were put in place. Tiny was gone, replaced with rapper M.C. Mike (Michael Chambers). The set was transformed from a carnival atmosphere, to a ghetto, and the theme music was changed accordingly. Game play was virtually identical, and Roth and the cheerleaders remained intact, but the changes around them made the show BAD.
The syndicated version is FAR superior and I score it a perfect 10/10. The FOX version was dreadful and I give it 4/10.
The Most Outrageous Game Show Moments (2002)
Disappointing
This special which supposedly featured the funniest, most amazing, most outrageous clips from game show history was a major disappointment in my eyes. Almost all of the clips they showed were of sexual nature and very disgusting. Another thing that kind of aggravated me, almost all of the clips were either taken from "The Newlywed Game" or "The Dating Game."
The clips that were not of sexual nature were pretty funny, though. I wish they had shown more like that. There's one from the British "Family Feud" ("Family Fortunes") that will have you rolling off the couch!
Another complaint I have is they kept building up this one clip they showed at the end of the show calling it "the most outrageous clip ever" and making this huge climax, and it turns out to be: 1) From "The Newlywed Game," and 2) Unfunny, disgusting, and distasteful.
All in all, this is a mediocre production at best that focused WAY too much on sex appeal. They should have toned down the smut and showed some clips that are actually tasteful. And the sequels to follow were not much better. 5/10