Today's Entertainment

14 • June 9 - 15, 2019 • Brainerd Dispatch By Kyla Brewer TV Media W ith the lazy days of summer right around the corner, tele- vision networks are preparing to roll out their summer schedules, and the competition for ratings is as cutthroat as ever. One network is betting on a slate chock-full of ret- ro-inspired game shows to reel in viewers. Contestants vie for potentially life-altering prizes as they compete in "Press Your Luck," "Card Sharks" and "Match Game," which all pre- miere Wednesday, June 12, on ABC. The network has a number of other game shows lined up for prime time this summer, including updat- ed versions of "Celebrity Family Feud," "The $100,000 Pyramid" and "To Tell the Truth," along with new shows "Holey Moley" and "Family Food Fight." ABC's has stacked the deck with three nights of game-show fun throughout the warmer months. It seems to be a solid strategy given the success of high-stakes game shows in recent years, and produc- ers have snagged a number of charismatic hosts to bring a whole new generation of TV viewers on board. On Wednesday, June 12, Eliza- beth Banks ("The Hunger Games," 2012) kicks things off with a brand new incarnation of "Press Your Luck." In the show, three contes- tants answer trivia questions to earn the right to spin the Big Board, which features cash and prizes. As they attempt to amass the cash and prizes, they have to avoid the dreaded Whammy, who could take all of their winnings and leave them with nothing — it's basically like the wheel landing on "Bank- rupt" in "Wheel of Fortune." The original "Press Your Luck," a daytime game show that aired from 1983 to 1986 on CBS, fol- lowed much the same game play, but the new ABC version boasts an added twist. Banks's "Press Your Luck" features an all-new bonus round in which the winning contes- tant faces off against the Whammy for the chance to win a fortune. ABC follows up that new classic with a revamped "Card Sharks." In April, it was announced that Joel McHale ("Community") had been tapped to host the series, and he follows in the footsteps of several other successful game show hosts. "I'm very excited to be hosting 'Card Sharks,'" McHale said in an official release. He also joked: "Game winners can win tens of thousands of dollars, and in an up- dated twist — losers will be fed to a pen of adult Tiger Sharks." Sharks or no sharks, McHale's new series has a proven formula. Two players go head to head in an elimination card game in which they play for a $10,000 cash prize. The winner then gets the chance to turn that money into even more cash by predicting seven final cards. This isn't the first, second or third time "Card Sharks" has been re- vamped for a new generation of TV viewers. Jim Perry ("$ale of the Century") hosted the original ver- sion, which ran on NBC from 1978 to 1981. Bob Eubanks ("The New- lywed Game") took over hosting duties for a CBS iteration of the program, which aired from 1986 to 1989, along with a syndicated ver- sion hosted by Bill Rafferty ("Every Second Counts"). A short-lived syn- dicated "Card Sharks" also popped up on the airwaves from 2001 to 2002, this time hosted by Pat Bull- ard ("Love Connection"). The show was also featured as part of "Gameshow Marathon" in 2006, this time hosted by Ricki Lake ("Hairspray," 1988). Several international versions of "Card Sharks" have been produced over the years, and the show has spawned video games, online games and even software for mo- bile devices. The Wednesday night game- show reboot trifecta continues with Alec Baldwin as the host of the hit ABC version of "Match Game," which premiered in 2016. As in pre- vious remakes of the series, the show features a panel of celebrities who try to match the answers with contestants. The results are often hilarious, thanks to a rotating ros- ter of comedians and actors. After the initial round of play, the win- ning contestant chooses one celeb- rity from the panel to play in a head-to-head match, with a top prize of up to $25,000. The season premiere marks the fourth season of the ABC show, but "Match Game" has a long his- tory in the television era. Like "Card Sharks," "Match Game" has been revived several times over the years, first appearing on NBC from 1962 to 1969. CBS de- buted its own version of the show in 1973, which ran until 1979. The show aired in daily syndication from 1979 to 1982, followed by a mash-up with another game show in NBC's "The Match Game-Holly- wood Squares Hour" from 1983 to 1984. Other iterations include a 1990 to 1991 ABC program, a 1998 to 1999 syndicated run, and as part of CBS's "Gameshow Mar- athon" in 2006. The alpha network's lineup of summer fun game shows also in- cludes a Sunday night block featuring "Celebrity Family Feud," hosted by Steve Harvey ("The Steve Harvey Show"); "The $100,000 Pyramid," hosted by Michael Strahan ("Strahan and Sara"); and "To Tell the Truth," hosted by Anthony Anderson ("Black-ish"). Later this summer, Ste- phen Curry will host the mini-golf competition series "Holey Moley," and Ayesha Curry will host culinary competition "Family Food Fight." ABC has plenty to offer viewers as they celebrate a summer of fun and games. Dive into the fun when "Press Your Luck," "Card Sharks" and "Match Game" premiere Wednes- day, June 12. Fun and games ABC bets on game shows this summer Feature Story this week Alec Baldwin hosts "Match Game"

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