The Most Influential Game Shows

For as long as television has been broadcasting, there have been game shows on the air. These shows include some which have become like staples in American society. Shows such as Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy are some of the most recognizable on television. Game shows show us something that appeals to us: ordinary people who are given the chance to win extraordinary prizes. Like the two shows mentioned, there are several others that truly define the world of game shows. Here are some of the most infamous game shows on television, and the rules associated with them.

The game show that is arguably the most influential game show ever created is, of course, Wheel of Fortune. It not only invented and reinvented the modern game show, but it made word problems a fun thing to do. To play, there are several contestants who stand behind podiums. The game board shows a word or phrase that has had letters taken out and replaced with blank tiles. The contestants then spin the wheel of fortune, which lands on a cash value. They guess a letter, and every tile with that letter is shown. The number of letters is added up and multiplied by whatever cash value the wheel landed on. There are many other things it can land on, including “Bankrupt” tiles which cause the contestant to lose all the money earned up to that point.

Another really groundbreaking game show is Jeopardy. It is a game that anyone can get involved with at home. The 3 contestants are faces with a board full of tiles which have cash values, and a piece of trivia associated with them. The trivia is phrased in a way that is very recognizable. An answer to a question is given, and the contestant must provide the question that the answer makes sense for. This is truly the signature style of jeopardy. If the contestant can get the question correct, he or she is awarded the cash value which adds up until the climax at the end of the show.

These are possibly the two most famous and recognizable game shows in America, and for good reason. They show us things that would never be possible otherwise, such as someone winning thousands of dollars just for knowing the answer to a simple question. Game shows attract people of all ages, and that is what makes them so much fun.