To think there is way too many game shows TV...

You think there are too many gameshows.

Another poster thinks there's too much sport.

I think there's too much medical drama.

My OH thinks there's too much reality TV.

My daughter thinks there are too many comedy panel shows.

Difficult isn't it? What shall we do? Who should decide how much of each thing there should be? If only we had 300 channels.

Oh, hang on.....

I agree about the sob stories and all the woo about influencing the randomly-assigned amounts in the boxes is ridiculous.

However, I don't see how you can say that there's no skill involved at all.

The skill element is in evaluating the random amounts that have been revealed, juxtaposed with those still to be found, considering the odds and risks and then deciding based on that whether to keep playing or not, so as to maximise your realistic chances of winning the highest amount possible under your own particular (randomly-arrived-at) circumstances.

You may just as well say that there's no skill whatsoever in playing Bridge or Poker - purely because the original hand that you're dealt is completely random.

I cannot stand Deal or No Deal. There's no skill involved whatsoever, just lots of sob stories and uninteresting desperate people. I do like Pointless and House of Games.

Another household here with no TV and no licence. Honestly there are a thousand other ways to spend your time, even sat on the sofa.

I do remember my parents watching game shows in the 60s and 70s though.

@Yalta there are clearly other issues at play there.
It's not the game shows that are a problem in this situation.

Definitely mind numbing.

Exh used to be quite switched on until Covid and having to isolate he started watching game shows.

He is now a shuffling idiot sitting glued to the tv

*grumpygrape’s *dh sounds similar to exh

Wonder which came first, Watching game shows or the brain declining

Whilst you are answering random questions it keeps your brain from actually thinking about anything else

Sorry, I think I misconstrued what you were driving at - and it sounds like we're actually both on the same page!

Advertising revenue is massively down.

Game shows are cheap compared to drama/comedies

YouTube and streaming has taken over from broadcast TV.

It's only going to get worse

The point I making is that there are so many ways to consume TV now there is no reason for people to tolerate stuff they don't like anymore. If you don't like something (like the game shows that the op was complaining about) then there are 300 odd other live channels to watch and tens of thousands of hours of streaming content available.

My husband has Alzheimer’s so can’t cope with many TV programmes because his memory span is so short he can’t keep up with a plot. He can cope with quiz shows though because it’s instant question/answer and he can sometimes dredge up an answer from his long term memory. They keep him occupied and I can listen and join in while reading MN on my phone. Favourites are Tipping Point, House of Games and The Chase (although he still doesn’t understand the strategy of The Chase and I’ve given up trying to explain it). The other advantage is it doesn’t matter if they are repeats because he doesn’t remember having seen them the first time but is impressed at how many answers I get…..

I think I’m in love with Ben Shephard (Tipping Point) and wonder if he’s really as pleasant a bloke as he seems.

Yes. I'd also love to do Taskmaster.

Hard to know, on MN, many people find any kind of jokey posts 'offensive' and all the other rubbishy remarks!

We like quiz shows especially if you can play along, I am the family champion of House of Games and Catchphrase

Me too!
I really wish the general public could apply to be on house of games!

It’s mind numbing

Quiz/Game shows are mine numbing?! Eh?

Of all the things on tv I'd say they're the least mind numbing given you have to use your brain to some extent!

@JudgeJ yes, Tuvalu and Vanuatu used to always be pointless answers but people have come to know them.

Pointless has taught me more about the periodic table than secondary school chemistry ever did 😂.

My exh’s brain I am certain putrefied when he was isolating during covid and started watching game shows and the soaps all day everyday

I cannot stand the noise. The amount of dings and buzzers. It’s mind numbing

We like quiz shows especially if you can play along, I am the family champion of House of Games and Catchphrase, it's annoying when they don't show the questions the whole time though like Pointless they should split screen it.

I think the taking part as well is a key factor especially for those that live alone, much like the morning and afternoon chat shows where if you were living alone and isolated can have the TV/radio on and listen to others wittering on, evening chat shows I would imagine would give those people a sense of virtual connection perhaps....or perhaps they are cheap as chips to make, all filmed over two weeks and you've got a year's worth of programmes.

I remember when channel 4 was first a thing. In our house, we couldn't get it on the main TV, but I had a black and white one in my room which had an on-set aerial and for some reason, that picked it up. My sister and I used to watch Brookside on it.

@JudgeJ oh honestly I was just joking. Are we really not allowed to make jokes anymore?

Yes, I agree. They know that the trendy, young, dynamic, go-getter sort will all be out painting the town red on a Saturday night, so what's the point in chasing after them with programmes that they'll never be at home to watch anyway?

It makes infinitely more sense to target the audience that you actually have.

This is just what I was going to say.... Richard Osman explained it all in his podcast recently.

I LOVE quiz shows and they're pretty much the only thing I watch.

Monday night quiz night is a highlight of our week 😂 even our 10 year old looks forward to it.

Same with Central African Republic!

I love the format, but they went on for far too long having very slight variations on pretty much the same topic and same question.

Still, it's always hilarious when somebody is utterly clueless and can't even have a remotely intelligent guess. If the subject is South American countries with 7 or more letters in their name, don't guess at Cairo