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Panel games are particularly popular in the United Kingdom, where they've endured ever since the [[BBC]] adapted its first panel shows from classic parlour games in the early days of radio and television.<ref name=DailyMailHistory/>
Panel games are particularly popular in the United Kingdom, where they've endured ever since the [[BBC]] adapted its first panel shows from classic parlour games in the early days of radio and television.<ref name=DailyMailHistory/>


In the United States, panel games saw their peak of popularity in the 1950s and '60s, when [[CBS]] ran three long-running panel games in [[prime time]]: ''[[I've Got a Secret]]'', ''[[What's My Line?]]'' and ''[[To Tell the Truth]]''. At times, they were among the top ten shows on U.S. television and they continue to experience occasional [[revival (television)|revivals]] on [[daytime television in the United States|daytime television]] and on [[cable television|cable]]. All three primetime shows were cancelled by CBS in 1967 amid ratings declines and trouble attracting younger viewers, although these programs were consistently profitable by being among the cheapest television shows to produce.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://0-proquest.umi.com.catalog.multcolib.org/pqdweb?did=83574522&RQT=309&VName=HNP|title='What's My Line?' Leaving TV in Fall|publisher=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=NYTVLoss>{{cite web|url=http://0-proquest.umi.com.catalog.multcolib.org/pqdweb?did=90268348&RQT=309&VName=HNP|title=Only One Prime-Time TV Show Will Be Produced Here In Fall|publisher=The New York Times}}</ref> Their cancellations came as attention to [[demographics]] and a focus on younger viewers gained currency among advertisers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/s/HistArchive/ahnpdoc/EANX-NB/12F6D5BCF98EC1A8/8CE642B8CA5C4083BE84A2539D6E1A73|title=Mature Programs Dying As TV Woos Young Folks|publisher=The Oregonian}}</ref> The departures of these three New York-based shows were also part of a mass migration of television production to Los Angeles, leaving only one primetime show produced on the East Coast.<ref name=NYTVLoss/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-C8oAAAAIBAJ&pg=3284,647005|title=Last New York-Based Shows On The Way Out Due To Lack Of Space|publisher=The Evening Independent}}</ref>
In the United States, panel games saw their peak of popularity in the 1950s and '60s, when [[CBS]] ran three long-running panel games in [[prime time]]: ''[[I've Got a Secret]]'', ''[[What's My Line?]]'' and ''[[To Tell the Truth]]''. At times, they were among the top ten shows on U.S. television and they continue to experience occasional [[revival (television)|revivals]] on [[daytime television in the United States|daytime television]] and on [[cable television|cable]]. All three [[Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions|Goodson-Todman]] primetime shows were cancelled by CBS in 1967 amid ratings declines and trouble attracting younger viewers, although the programs were consistently profitable by being among the cheapest television shows to produce.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://0-proquest.umi.com.catalog.multcolib.org/pqdweb?did=83574522&RQT=309&VName=HNP|title='What's My Line?' Leaving TV in Fall|publisher=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=NYTVLoss>{{cite web|url=http://0-proquest.umi.com.catalog.multcolib.org/pqdweb?did=90268348&RQT=309&VName=HNP|title=Only One Prime-Time TV Show Will Be Produced Here In Fall|publisher=The New York Times}}</ref> Their cancellations came as attention to [[demographics]] and a focus on younger viewers gained currency among advertisers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/s/HistArchive/ahnpdoc/EANX-NB/12F6D5BCF98EC1A8/8CE642B8CA5C4083BE84A2539D6E1A73|title=Mature Programs Dying As TV Woos Young Folks|publisher=The Oregonian}}</ref> The departures of these three New York-based shows were also part of a mass migration of television production to Los Angeles, leaving only one primetime show produced on the East Coast.<ref name=NYTVLoss/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-C8oAAAAIBAJ&pg=3284,647005|title=Last New York-Based Shows On The Way Out Due To Lack Of Space|publisher=The Evening Independent}}</ref>


Later years saw a few successes in the format, with several versions of ''[[Match Game]]'' and ''[[Hollywood Squares]]'' primarily airing in the daytime, the U.S. version of ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (U.S. TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]'' having a successful run from 1998 to 2004 on [[ABC]], and ''[[Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!]]'' becoming a popular weekend show on [[NPR]]. In 2010, [[NBC]]'s launch of ''[[The Marriage Ref]]'' was described as a revival of the primetime American panel game.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lowry|first=Brian|title=The Marriage Ref|work=[[Variety magazine]]|date=March 1, 2010|url= http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117942333.html|accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Simmons|first=Chris|coauthors=|title=Jerry Seinfeld’s "The Marriage Ref" Debuts on NBC|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=March 1, 2010|url= http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/03/01/jerry-seinfelds-the-marriage-ref-debuts-on-nbc/|accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref>
Later years saw a few successes in the format, with several versions of ''[[Match Game]]'' and ''[[Hollywood Squares]]'' primarily airing in the daytime, the U.S. version of ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (U.S. TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]'' having a successful run from 1998 to 2004 on [[ABC]], and ''[[Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!]]'' becoming a popular weekend show on [[NPR]]. In 2010, [[NBC]]'s launch of ''[[The Marriage Ref]]'' was described as a revival of the primetime American panel game.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lowry|first=Brian|title=The Marriage Ref|work=[[Variety magazine]]|date=March 1, 2010|url= http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117942333.html|accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Simmons|first=Chris|coauthors=|title=Jerry Seinfeld’s "The Marriage Ref" Debuts on NBC|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=March 1, 2010|url= http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/03/01/jerry-seinfelds-the-marriage-ref-debuts-on-nbc/|accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref>

Revision as of 07:11, 16 May 2011

A recording of radio panel game Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, featuring, from left, announcer and scorekeeper Carl Kasell; host Peter Sagal; and panelists Adam Felber, Roxanne Roberts and Keegan-Michael Key before a live audience.

A panel game or panel show is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates.[1] Panellists may compete with each other, such as on The News Quiz; facilitate play by guest contestants, such as on Match Game/Blankety Blank; or do both, such as on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! The genre can be traced to 1938, when Information Please debuted in the United States.[2] While panel shows were more popular in the past in the U.S., they are still very common in the United Kingdom.[3]

Format

Most games, such as Mock the Week or Hollywood Squares, are humorous, while others, such as Face the Music, are more serious. Often, the competition and points are a formality, while comedic banter provides much of the entertainment.[4] The American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? (U.S. TV series) acknowledged this with the introduction, "Welcome to Whose Line Is It Anyway, the show where everything's made up and the points don't matter." On QI, the questions are so hard, points can be given for interesting discussion, even if the answers are wrong.

Panel games often have a theme. Some are satirical, such as Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! or Have I Got News for You. 8 Out of 10 Cats is based on statistics, What's My Line? is about occupations, Quote... Unquote features quotations, I've Got a Secret is about secrets, and Would I Lie to You? deals with lies.

Some panel games are variants on classic parlour games.[5] Give Us a Clue is based on Charades and Call My Bluff is based on Fictionary. Other shows, such as Password, have evolved into parlour games themselves.

Frequently, a panel show features recurring panellists. Some panellists also appear on multiple panel shows.[6]

Most shows are recorded in front of a studio audience.

Panel games are so popular in Britain that they have been the subject of satire themselves. I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is a panel game that spoofs many common elements of such shows, including the unimportance of scoring, while Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive is a scripted comedy series that parodies the workings of a panel show.

International production

Panel games are particularly popular in the United Kingdom, where they've endured ever since the BBC adapted its first panel shows from classic parlour games in the early days of radio and television.[5]

In the United States, panel games saw their peak of popularity in the 1950s and '60s, when CBS ran three long-running panel games in prime time: I've Got a Secret, What's My Line? and To Tell the Truth. At times, they were among the top ten shows on U.S. television and they continue to experience occasional revivals on daytime television and on cable. All three Goodson-Todman primetime shows were cancelled by CBS in 1967 amid ratings declines and trouble attracting younger viewers, although the programs were consistently profitable by being among the cheapest television shows to produce.[7][8] Their cancellations came as attention to demographics and a focus on younger viewers gained currency among advertisers.[9] The departures of these three New York-based shows were also part of a mass migration of television production to Los Angeles, leaving only one primetime show produced on the East Coast.[8][10]

Later years saw a few successes in the format, with several versions of Match Game and Hollywood Squares primarily airing in the daytime, the U.S. version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? having a successful run from 1998 to 2004 on ABC, and Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! becoming a popular weekend show on NPR. In 2010, NBC's launch of The Marriage Ref was described as a revival of the primetime American panel game.[11][12]

Panel games in other countries include Canada's Front Page Challenge and The Debaters, and Australia's Good News Week and Spicks and Specks.

Examples

References

  1. ^ "Definition of panel game". Oxford Dictionaries.
  2. ^ "Quiz show". Britannica Online Encyclopedia.
  3. ^ "For an extra point, why are panel games so popular?". The Telegraph.
  4. ^ "A very British tradition". The Guardian.
  5. ^ a b "Fingers On The Buzzer". Daily Mail. 2001 Jan 11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Is it good news that there's so many topical comedy shows?". The Guardian.
  7. ^ "'What's My Line?' Leaving TV in Fall". The New York Times.
  8. ^ a b "Only One Prime-Time TV Show Will Be Produced Here In Fall". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "Mature Programs Dying As TV Woos Young Folks". The Oregonian.
  10. ^ "Last New York-Based Shows On The Way Out Due To Lack Of Space". The Evening Independent.
  11. ^ Lowry, Brian (March 1, 2010). "The Marriage Ref". Variety magazine. Retrieved 2010-03-15.
  12. ^ Simmons, Chris (March 1, 2010). "Jerry Seinfeld's "The Marriage Ref" Debuts on NBC". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2010-03-15. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
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