"Quiz show" redirects here; for the movie, see Quiz Show. For the scandals of that name, see Quiz show scandals. For the Turkish computer games magazine, see Gameshow (Magazine).

A game show involves members of the public or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, playing a game, perhaps involving answering quiz questions, for points or prizes. In some shows contestants compete against other players or another team whilst other shows involve contestants striving alone for a good outcome or high score. Game shows often reward players with prizes such as cash, or holidays and goods and services provided by the show's sponsors. Early television game shows descended from similar programs on broadcast radio.

Types

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There are several basic genres of game shows with a great deal of crossover between the different types.

• The simplest form of game show is a quiz show whereby people compete against each other by answering quiz questions or solving puzzles. Quiz shows usually involves members of the public, but sometimes special shows are aired in which celebrities take part and the prizes are given to charity. Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are examples. Some quiz shows, such as the word games Password and Pyramid, pair celebrities and non-notable citizens. Television's most successful quiz, The Price is Right (premiering in 1956), revolves mostly around how much a merchandise item costs, though the modern version mixes the retail element with games of chance.
• A panel game usually involves a celebrity panel answering questions about a specialist field such as sport or music and is often played for laughs as much as points. Match Game, which dates from the 1960s but is best known for its CBS daytime run of the 1970's, is one such example. Other examples include What's My Line? and To Tell the Truth.
• The third kind of game show involves contestants completing stunts or playing a game that involves an element of chance or strategy in addition to, or instead of, a test of general knowledge. Deal or No Deal is an example of this format, combining both luck and strategy.
• Reality game shows have become popular in recent years. In a reality show the competition usually lasts several days or even weeks and a competitor's progress through the game is based on some form of popularity contest, usually a kind of disapproval voting by their fellow competitors or members of the public.
• Dating game shows, the original reality games, in which the prize is typically a well-funded dating opportunity that one can only pursue with the individual one has 'won' on the show. They are also a type of date auction where competitors compete for dates not with money but with seductive powers or attractiveness or the promise of an enjoyable date or even ultimately marriage.

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