Watch Match Game
- TV-14
- 2016
- 5 Seasons
-
6.1 (1,387)
Match Game is an American television show that premiered on ABC in 2016, and ran for five seasons until it came to an end in 2021. Hosted by Alec Baldwin, this primetime game show features a panel of six celebrity guests who take turns filling in the blanks in funny statements to match their teammates and win points. The show is a revival of the original Match Game that aired back in the 1970s, but with updated gameplay and more modern humor. Joining Alec Baldwin on the Match Game set were two regular cast members - announcer Randy West and a pianist named Steve French. Randy was responsible for introducing the celebrity panelists, while Steve accompanied the contestants as they made their way to the stage. One of the most significant changes in this version of the game show was the inclusion of six panels instead of two, which allowed for more interactions and more matches between the players. The celebrity panelists on Match Game were some of the most famous names in Hollywood and entertainment, including actors and comedians like Jane Krakowski, Rosie O'Donnell, Tituss Burgess, Ellie Kemper, Ana Gasteyer, and David Alan Grier. The panelists were chosen not just for their famous names but also for their humor and wit - they needed to be quick on their feet with clever and funny answers that would match the contestants' prompts and keep the game moving. Each episode of Match Game featured two contestants, who were chosen at random from the show's live studio audience. The contestants took turns picking one of the six celebrity panelists to answer a fill-in-the-blank statement, such as "The dentist said to the patient, 'This is going to hurt a bit. Take off your ___.'" The contestant would then provide their own answer, hoping to match the celebrity's answer to earn points. Once all six panels had answered the statement, the contestant would then choose their own answer to complete the sentence, again hoping to match one of the celebrity panelists. If a match was made, the contestant would earn points based on the panelist's rank in order of how often they were selected as the best match. The game would continue for a total of two rounds, with the contestant with the highest score at the end moving on to the Super Match bonus round. In the Super Match bonus round, the winning contestant had a chance to win up to $25,000 by matching the celebrity panelists' answers to three more fill-in-the-blank statements. The contestant would first make their own selection for each statement, followed by the celebrities' answers. The more matches that were made, the higher the cash prize would be. Overall, Match Game was a fun and entertaining game show that appealed to a broad audience, combining modern humor with the classic gameplay of the original '70s version. The celebrity panelists' quick wit and clever responses always kept the audience on their toes, and Baldwin's hosting ensured that the show always flowed smoothly. While it may not have been a groundbreaking or revolutionary show, it was good, unapologetic fun, and audiences enjoyed it for what it was: a throwback to the golden age of game shows with an updated twist.
