Postmodern Game Shows?

[Greg Vallejo]

In one of my senior classes, we're being asked to examine some text (movie,
book, album, etc.), and tell how it fits in with the whole idea of
postmodernity.

This paper isn't due for a few weeks yet, but I'm trying to figure out if
there are any GS's that fit the somewhat vague definition of
"postmodernism." (And if you don't know, look it up, I'm still trying to
define it myself...)

One that comes to mind is the TV version (and the computer game, for that
matter) of YDKJ. Possibly "Treasure Hunt" as well. Any others (the more
recent, the better)?

Thanks in advance.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Brown Boy,
Greg Vallejo

60 days until graduation...

[Commissioner John Fenner]

>In one of my senior classes, we're being asked to examine some text (movie,
>book, album, etc.), and tell how it fits in with the whole idea of
>postmodernity.
>
>This paper isn't due for a few weeks yet, but I'm trying to figure out if
>there are any GS's that fit the somewhat vague definition of
>"postmodernism." (And if you don't know, look it up, I'm still trying to
>define it myself...)
>
>One that comes to mind is the TV version (and the computer game, for that
>matter) of YDKJ. Possibly "Treasure Hunt" as well. Any others (the more
>recent, the better)?

As per Merriam-Webster's Dictionary:

Main Entry: post·mod·ern
Pronunciation: "pOs(t)-'mä-d&rn, ÷-'mä-d(&-)r&n
Function: adjective
Date: 1949
: of, relating to, or being any of several movements (as in art, architecture,
or literature) that are reactions against the philosophy and practices of
modern movements and are typically marked by revival of traditional elements
and techniques
- post·mod·ern·ism /-d&r-"ni-z&m/ noun
- post·mod·ern·ist /-nist/ adjective or noun

ObGameShows: Whammy!: The All New Press Your Luck sucks.

Hulkamania will live forever!
WrestleMania X-8
March 17, 2002
The Rock now carries the torch!

[Jason Hernandez]

I think a good example would be "What's My Line?" because it was one of the
first, and best, panel shows ever. For myself, it seems that whenever I see
TTTT, or other panel shows, I always look at WML? being the best. There IS a
book on What's My Line that can be found at some libraries, I bet. That book is
here in our library, and I enjoyed it! I suggest you read that book, even for
your enjoyment.

I am such a nerd...er...bookworm, huh? :-P

Greg Vallejo wrote:

---
-Jason Hernandez; aka Riverside Dimples

"Now, I want you to sober up and tell me the price of this..."
-Bob Barker on "TPiR" after a college student makes a STUPID bid on
Cliffhangers.

[Gene Platt]

Now, as I understand it (and this is NOT my strength), postmodern basically
refers to modern artwork that eschews the modern methods of creating art in
favor of more traditional techniques. I'm sure someone else can fit that
better than me.

So, what modern game shows successfully integrate tradtional game elements?
And by this I don't mean remakes. The O'Hurley run of TTTT shouldn't be
considered postmodern, because it's simply an extension of an earlier work,
not a work of its own. Similarly, TPIR isn't postmodern because even though
it may be filled with postmodern elements, they weren't postmodern when they
were introduced.

Example #1 of Postmodern GS: Win Ben Stein's Money. Traditional displays,
pulls instead of monitors for the questions for the 1st season (this element
is no longer postmodern), 60-second clock, and at the end of the day, it's a
straight Q&A, the original old school. Plus Ben Stein inspires memories of
shows which had long-staying or resident smart guys.

Example #2: Paranoia. First, it was LIVE, something which hadn't been done
in who knows how many years. For all of the technology, a lot of your score
depended on just what answer was on a little piece of cardstock your
opponent had in his hand. The game was not just about the right answer, but
about intuition about real, tangible people right in front of you, ala TTTT,
Play your Hunch, and a host of others. It had a tiered system which
basically meant that people could get on the show from the home audience,
whereas the last show before that I can remember that took contestants from
an audience in any form was Ray Combs' Feud.

I'm sure people can provide better examples -- jump in folks.

"Greg Vallejo" <gre...@mail.utexas.edu> wrote in message
news:a799am$hcm$1...@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...

[Is there a doctor in the house?]

If you're talking about "postmodern" art, I'm lost. If you're talking about
postmodern philosphy, that I know something about. Yeah, some people will
ask me "what's the difference?". Let me know which you have in mind, and
I'll see if I can help you.

--JWJ

"Gene Platt" <ge...@pbl.org> wrote in message
news:%TXl8.110597$Nn6.6...@e3500-atl2.usenetserver.com...

[chris319]

>I am such a nerd...er...bookworm, huh? :-P

I thought you were a porn star.

[Chris M. Dickson]

In article <a799am$hcm$1...@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu>, Greg Vallejo
<gre...@mail.utexas.edu> writes

>This paper isn't due for a few weeks yet, but I'm trying to figure out if
>there are any GS's that fit the somewhat vague definition of
>"postmodernism." (And if you don't know, look it up, I'm still trying to
>define it myself...)

Based on my possibly wildly inaccurate definition of postmodernism [*] I
would nominate "Fluke", which ran for one series on Channel 4 in the UK
in 1997. It was overtly based upon the premise that there would be no
skill involved at all and reinforced this idea with catchphrases such as
"What are points? Pointless!"
"The more you know, the less it matters!"
One series was exactly the right length. While it carried off the joke
with consumate style and aplomb, a second series of the same would have
been overstaying its welcome. There's more information at
http://www.qwertyuiop.co.uk/gs/atoz/programmes/f/fluke/ .

If such spoofs (spooves?) go towards meeting your definition, you might
also want to consider "Shooting Stars", which subverted established
celebrity panel game traditions to produce a wonderful comic mess. It
ran on BBC 2 from 1995-8. By the last series, was starting to become
stale. That said, they have revived the show this year with not
particularly many changes... and somehow it's extremely funny once
again. More info at
http://www.qwertyuiop.co.uk/gs/atoz/programmes/s/shootingstars/ .

Good luck with your paper!
Chris

[*] OK, I don't actually have a definition of postmodernism, but, like
the possibly apocryphal USSC judge on obscenity, "I don't know how to
define it, but I know it when I see it."

"Postmodern" does seem to be one of those abused adjectives - at least
among the British chattering classes - like "interesting" or "random"
that one tends to use when one is looking for some adjective to use
without it actually having any particular meaning whatsoever(!)

--
Chris M. Dickson, Middlesbrough, Great Britain; ch...@dickson.demon.co.uk

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