GSN Revives “Chain Reaction”

Well, here’s some interesting game show news for today: GSN is planning to revive its version of Chain Reaction. Forty episodes have been scheduled to air for the first season of the 2015 revival later this year. Sony Pictures Television will produced the new series of episodes and Vincent Rubino (The Newlywed Game, Million Dollar Password) will be the show’s executive producer. Chain Reaction is a word-association game show that has two teams racing to complete a series of word chains where each word is related to the word above and/or beneath it for thousands of dollars in cash. Since the show’s premiere on NBC in 1980 with host Bill Cullen, Chain Reaction has been revived twice in 1986 (aired on USA Network/Global Network in Canada) and in 2006 by GSN. 

Michigan Bowling Alley Helps Revive “Bowling For Dollars”

Tucker’s of Northport will help kickoff a new version of the 1970s game show Bowling For Dollars. Four episodes of the local game show will be filmed in front of a live audience at the bowling alley on January 24 and 25. The new show will air on Michigan's ABC affiliate network WGTU 29&8 in Traverse City every Sunday at 6:00pm EST beginning February 14 and reruns will air Saturdays at 6:00pm EST. Tucker’s is currently searching for contestants, Pin Pal home viewers and audience members to participate. Click on the links for more information on how to apply.

FremantleMedia North America To Launch Buzzr TV On FOX O&O Stations

If you are a die-hard game show fan, you might want to check this out: FremantleMedia North America is planning to launch a digital multicast channel solely devoted to classic game shows called Buzzr TV. FOX owned-and-operated stations have picked up the Buzzr TV to air in 17 top markets beginning this summer. The deal was brokered for FremantleMedia by Debmar-Mercury distribution. Some of the vintage shows expected to air on the new channel could include Goodson-Todman classics like Match Game, What’s My Line?, To Tell The Truth and Password. Debmar-Mercury will shop the channel to other stations during the National Association of Television Program Executives confab, which runs through Thursday in Miami Beach. This seems like the perfect opportunity for FremantleMedia to enter into the multicast market, especially with the success Wiegel Broadcasting and Tribune Broadcasting have had with MeTV and Antenna TV.

Movin' On Up: GSN Shows Year-To-Year Growth Across All Demos

GSN does it again as 2014 marked the most watched year in the network's history showing growth across all demographics in cable primetime. GSN showed year-to-year growth among total viewers, Adults 18+, Women 18+, Women 25-54 and People 25-54. Other notable statistical highlights include 2014 tying 2013 as the most watched year in total day among total viewers, showing positive primetime growth among Persons 25-54 and Women 25-54 for the third consecutive year (a GSN first), delivering its most watched fourth quarter ever in total day among total viewers and cable primetime among Women 18+ and becoming one of the top ten fastest growing ad supported cable entertainment networks in the fourth quarter in cable primetime among Persons 18-49 and Persons 25-54.

Money.com's "Money Match" Online Game Show Casting Call

Time’s Money.com is currently searching for married couples to compete on the site’s online game show Money Match. Hosted by personal finance expert and television personality Farnoosh Torabi, the Newlywed Game-style show tests how well the couples know each other when it comes to marital money matters. If you live in or plan on visiting the New York City area and have been married for less than three years, you can fill out a contestant application on Money.com. The next Money Match taping will occur Friday, January 30 in midtown Manhattan during the afternoon. Check out an episode of Money Match here if you’ve never seen an episode before.

MTV's "Broke-A$$ Game Show" To Premiere February 5th

The once renowned "all-music" cable channel is getting back into the game show game with next month's premiere of Broke-A$$ Game Show. The new series, debuting February 5 at 11:00pm EST, will be hosted by comedians Derek Gaines and David Magidoff. This unorthodox, man-on-the-street game show, which appears to looks similar to Fuse's Billy On The Street, engages unsuspecting contestants in New York City in a series of crazy and insane stunts for small cash prizes. Some of the unusual games include a "Twerk Off", dropping a wiener in a "manhole" and "Cats Humping States", where players win big bucks by correctly identifying states upon which felines are fornicating.

Channel 4 Renews "Fifteen To One" For Third Series

Nearly a month after crowning their series two £40,000 grand champion, Fifteen To One has been renewed for a third series by Channel 4. Sandi Toksvig will return as the shows host and, once again, 40 episodes will be filmed for the upcoming series in Glasgow, Scotland beginning Spring 2015. The tough quiz show is currently searching for contestants to compete on the next series. Email 15to1apps@remedyproductions.tv to receive an application form and go to Channel4.com for more details about the casting process and qualifications details. You must be a resident in the U.K. to apply.

"Monopoly Millionaires' Club" To Premiere February 7th

The new lottery game show makes its series debut a little less than a month from today on February 7 and 8 in national syndication and on GSN. Each weekly, hour-long episode of Monopoly Millionaires' Club, hosted by Mike & Molly star Billy Gardell, will have five studio audience members play games based on elements from the board game (Community Chest, Electric Company, Advance to Boardwalk...) for a chance to win up to $100,000. In the final round, the contestants must decide whether to keep their winnings or risk it all for a chance to win $1 million. Contestants featured on the show have qualified through the semi-nationwide lottery game of the same name. Each winning player and an invited guest won a five-day, four-night trip to Las Vegas to attend and potentially compete on the show filmed at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. The show is executive produced by Scott St. John (Celebrity Name Game, Deal or No Deal) and Kevin Belinkoff (Family Game Night). Additionally,  BuzzerBlog revealed today that Todd Newton will be co-hosting alongside Cardell.

"Celebrity Name Game" Renewed For Second Season

This update shouldn't come as much of a shocker for game show fans after hearing news of the show's forecasted renewal last month. FremantleMedia announced today that Celebrity Name Game will be returning for another season thanks to pickups by Tribune Broadcasting, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Cox Broadcasting and many others. Hosted by Craig Ferguson and executive produced by Courteney Cox and David Arquette, the show is currently in its first season with new episodes to come January 12. Thom Beers, CEO of FremantleMedia North America and one of the show's executive producers commented, "Celebrity Name Game came out of the gate with an impressive start, building its audience each week, and showing itself to be a strong contender in syndication." Celebrity Name Game is holding its own by ranking second among new daily syndicated shows in the all-important key daytime demo of women 25-54. For most of the season thus far, the show has averaged a commendable 1.2 rating.

Fourth Season of GSN's "The Chase" To Premiere January 27th

Mark "The Beast" Labbett and host Brooke Burns return to GSN later this month for all new episodes of The Chase. The Emmy-nominated show's upcoming fourth season debuts Tuesday, January 27 at 8:00pm EST.  This season will feature more brainy contestants facing tough general knowledge trivia questions as well as a series of special themed shows. Special episodes include two celebrity games, with Carson Kressley (How to Look Good Naked), Cameron Mathison (All My Children) and Tatyana Ali (The Fresh Prince of Bel Air) competing February 3 and Joe Morton, Kate Burton and Brian Letscher (Scandal) competing later this year, and a "revenge" episode inviting back three losing contestants to face "The Beast" for a second time.

Stay Tuned: New Episodes of "Idiotest" and "Baggage On The Road" Premiere Tonight on GSN

GSN is set to premiere all new episodes of Idiotest and Baggage's spinoff series, Baggage On The Road, beginning tonight at 8:00pm EST. First, the first season of Idiotest continues with two new episodes at 8:00pm and 8:30pm filled with more competitive teams, more brain teasers and more of host Ben Gleib poking fun at the contestants while knocking them off of their intellectual pedestals. GSN announced late last year that the network renewed the show for a second season with 65 episodes to air. At 9:00pm, Baggage On The Road debuts on the network with two new episodes. The network revived its most successful original dating game show and reformatted it as a traveling game show with Jerry Springer returning as host. The gameplay remains the same with three single contestants trying to win a date and make a love connection with the episode's featured contestant while revealing their most intimate secrets, or "baggage". The series kicks off with episodes filmed from LSU and Austin, TX. Later this season, we will see the shows filmed from Tampa Bay, FL and the University of Connecticut. Stay tuned for both shows this evening and take a look at a couple of promos from both series.

"Best of 2014" Top 10 Game Show Moments Countdown

Happy 2015, everyone! The Blog Is Right is starting the new year off right by taking one final look at some of the most incredible moments to occur in 2014 (and there were a lot of them). Before I begin the countdown, I want to thank everyone who voted for their favorite game show moments last month to be placed in the #10, #9 and #8 rankings. Your votes did not go unnoticed. This was another daunting list to compile, especially when you consider all the Wheel and Jeopardy! moments that plagued the mainstream media and social media sites. Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you the first article on The Blog Is Right for 2015”: "Best of 2014" Top 10 Game Show Moments Countdown.