Card Sharks

I brought back GSN after seeing them finally scale back on the crap that hurt the network in 2004-05. One of the shows that they have is an old favorite of mine, Card Sharks.

As children of the 80's we'd play the Hi-Lo game part and it was a lot of fun. You could win some big money and the surveys they have were all over the place.

I prefer the Jim Perry version aired at 2:00 P.M. over the Bob Eubanks version at 2:30 P.M. Perry was better suited for this game show, he was a favorite of mine from his days of Definition here in Canada and Sale Of The Century. Eubanks was an excellent host on a raunchy program like The Newlywed Game but he didn't fit in with something like Card Sharks.

While you could win more money and cars in the Eubanks version you only could have three possible cards to use for a card change in the bonus round while you got the whole deck with the Perry version. Both are good but if I had to choose one I'd go with Perry's version. Never saw the Bill Rafferty version, BTW.

I've been a fan of the show since the original airings, it has a great format and is very easy to watch while thinking 'What would I say in this situation?' It's pretty obvious they encourage the contestants to talk a little about why they answered the way they did. The biggest problem I have with it is there should have been a push rule in effect from the very start, not just in the money round. It's unfair to play higher/lower when a duplicate card means losing no matter what. At the very least they could have let each contestant have two insurance chips that would let them change the card when a duplicate showed up.

If I had to choose a great late 70s game show entry,Card Sharks would be it. When I go to my mom's house,the Bill Rafferty version(1986-87) of this show is on KCOP (My13).It's on Sunday morning at 1:30am here in Los Angeles after Family Feud(Louie Anderson version).Although it was a short-lived version,it's still enjoyable.GSN had this version on for awhile,but it just disappeared into thin air.I wish they could put this marvelous show on DVD for us to enjoy anytime we want.

...and mostly because of the facts that a)there's a four-and-a-half year gap between versions(the original,Jim Perry-hosted show ran from September,1978 thru October,1981;the Eubanks show bowed in January,1986)b)there are distinctly different hostesses and sets and c)it was different networks,with somewhat different producers and probably different staff.(Perry's was NBC,Eubanks' was on CBS,and was paired with a syndicated version hosted by Bill Raferty)

As to the game itself,it was actually so easy to watch and smoothly and effortlessly made that one forgets that Mr.Perry(and to a lesser degree,Mr.Eubanks)does an exceptional job shifting from amiable emcee to near cheerleader-like fan of each contestant's quest for money(which could sometimes top over $30,000;while always a good chunk of change,for the late '70s and even into the '80s would be an impressive haul). Also a catchy theme,very attractive models(one of them would go on to have an decent steady career as an actress:Markie Post)and some nifty little diddy poems to open the game would make this one of the gems of daytime of its era. Every so often,you can catch the re-runs on GSN. DVR or stay up late if you like!

In 1978, we got the debut of Card Sharks, with the objective being to predict what the next card holds, and if you'll go home rich or broke.

The host for the 1978 version on NBC was Jim Perry, who was an underrated game show host and fit the role as host perfectly. In addition to Perry, we also get the models who decked out the cards for each round, which includes Ann Pennington, Janice Baker, Lois Areno and Markie Post, before she starred in The Fall Guy as Terri and as Christine Sullivan in Night Court.

The show did end on NBC in 1981, but got revived by CBS in 1986 with new host Bob Eubanks, who is known for hosting The Newlywed Game. The lovely Lacey Pemberton and Suzanna Williams were the models for this version. Pretty much, it's mostly the same game, but later added different things to keep it fresh.

So, whether you're a fan of the Jim Perry and/or the Bob Eubanks versions (personally preferred the latter), watch Card Sharks and play your cards right!