Come On Down

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.