Game Shows
A game show is a type of program in the television that involves members of the public; they are involved in games that either include answering the questions, mind puzzles, or spinning of wheels with the hope of winning cash or prizes. The game shows have had different genres for many years; they range from the radio quiz games to the TV shows. However, this paper will only focus on the television game shows. Game shows on TV include such shows as The Wheel of Fortune, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Let’s Make a Deal to name but a few.
The common characteristics of game shows include the fact that they apply a common and considerate outline that entails the fact that in the game there are specific exceptions. In these game shows, a single or various contestants engage in a competition of winning a particular prize in ether the form of cash or any other form. Most of the game shows have a regular host who conducts the activities. The most common trait of game shows is that they involve a standalone setting whereby the episodes of the game shows are self-contained. In the running of game shows, the types of games include puzzles, challenges, and a sequence of similar themed games (John 34). In today’s typical game show, the most ommon characteristics is that each episode starts off with new contestants, and sometimes, there is the presence of celebrities and famous people to spice up the show.
For instance, The Wheel of Fortune is a type of game show whereby the contestants are engaged in word puzzles with the hope of winning the prizes and cash. This game involves the spinning of a giant carnival wheel; There is a new contestant in each show. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is a game show that involves the answering of a sequence of several questions with a maximum cash prize of $1,000,000 (Morris 45).In game shows, characters such as the contestants and hosts are usually loud and overenthusiastic; these are mainly contestants who talk to the hosts for a long time. There is a need for characters that will populate the game show in order to avoid it being tedious. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is one of the famous game shows in the history of television; it is one of the few game shows whereby the contestants were allowed to speak.
In some of the game shows, the contestants compete against each other or play alone with the aim of leaving the show with a prize or cash. In most cases, game shows reward the contestants with cash or prizes such as free trips, services, and goods. It is vital to notee that most of the game shows usually have sponsors (Morris 75). The prizes won in the game are supplied via product placement; however, in some cases, private companies and sponsors take the role of supplying these prizes and cash at either the full amount or at a discount by the game show. In most of the game shows, there is an extensive use of promotional consideration whereby the game show is given financial assistance from an advertiser in return for giving that producer’s product as the consolation prize.
Some of the products supplied by the producers may not be projected to be awarded to the contestants at all but are used as a component of the game show (David 213).Contestants who participate in most game shows have a vast knowledge on various fields; on the other hand, the host of the shows must be smart enough and entertaining to the audience and the contestants. For instance, the game show Who Wants toBbe a Millionaire involves the contestants answering multiple choice questions, the questions get harder and more tricky as the game progresses. One or more players can take part in the game, but each of them must give answers solely. This makes the show more involving between the host, the contestant and the audience (David 200).
