Game Shows

This episode of "Pioneers of Television" is dedicated to game shows. Oddly, it begins with Merv Griffin and his success with "The Wheel of Fortune" and then jumps back to the days of radio when the televised game shoe began. Two main themes are the shows by Ralph Edwards (such as "Truth or Consequences" and "This is Your Life") and Mark Goodson ("The Price is Right" and many others). In addition, the panel show with various celebrity guests is discussed. To me, the most interesting part was the discussion of the quiz show scandals of the 1950s--when this super-popular type of show turned out, in at least a couple cases, to be rigged (with "Dotto" and "21"). All in all, yet another excellent episode of this wonderful PBS series--one that is well worth your time--particularly if you're old enough to remember many of these older shows.