Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Squeaky-clean contest recalls TV's simpler times.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Borrowing its premise from a popular British television show by the same name, GAMESHOW MARATHON runs six celebrity contestants through a weeklong, elimination-style tournament of classic American game shows: The Price Is Right, Let's Make a Deal, Beat the Clock, Press Your Luck, Card Sharks, Match Game, and Family Feud. The celebrity who lasts the longest wins the title of Gameshow Marathon champion and delivers a big check to the charity of his or her choice. As part of the process, an all-star roster of contestants -- including Tim Meadows (Saturday Night Live), Leslie Nielsen (Airplane, The Naked Gun), Kathy Najimy (Sister Act), Lance Bass (*NSYNC), Paige Davis (Trading Spaces) and a busty-but-covered up Brande Roderick (Baywatch) -- are refereed by actress and former talk show hostess Ricki Lake.
Is It Any Good?
Parents will appreciate the rare chance to enjoy a prime-time television show with their kids that doesn't include excessive violence or sexual innuendo. In fact, Gameshow Marathon is so tame that it's possible kids might be bored. Nevertheless, it's a perfectly pleasant -- and, yes, even exciting -- way to spend a few evenings, a show that reminds us how far we've come since the days of Truth or Consequences.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the differences between the quirky game shows of yesteryear and the high-tech spectacles of today. Are intense lighting and dramatic music (think Who Wants to Be a Millionaire) really necessary to have a good time on TV? Have million-dollar game show prizes become so commonplace that we no longer appreciate winning the simpler things, like grandfather clocks? If all game show contestants had to give their winnings to charity (as this show's celebs do), would we still want to play -- or is the money all that matters?
TV Details
- Premiere date : May 31, 2006
- Cast : Lance Bass , Leslie Nielsen , Ricki Lake , Tim Meadows
- Network : CBS
- Genre : Game Shows
- TV rating :
- Last updated : December 1, 2021
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