Timeless Nature of Game Shows

This Friday is Pat Sajak’s final episode of Wheel of Fortune.

He’s been hosting that show since 1981! Vanna White, his letter turning cohost on the show, joined in 1982.

I don’t know of anybody else displaying such consistency in their fields.

Wheel of Fortune was never my favorite, but woe to the person who visited my late grandma at 6:30 p.m. She would not talk to you while “The Wheel” was on. She watched it religiously.

We’d catch up on conversation during commercials.

Whenever I’m over at my parents house at 6:30 p.m., Wheel of Fortune is on there as well – and there was a comfort in the unchanging nature of it.

Ryan Seacrest is taking over hosting duties and it certainly won’t be the same. At least Vanna is staying for a few more years.

Not as many people watch game shows anymore. If you don’t – may I suggest you start watching them again? Far more entertaining than cable news. My favorite game show as a kid was either The Price is Right or Jeopardy. Often, when our daughter is home from college, as has been the case the last few weeks, we all still gather to watch Jeopardy recordings in the evenings.

As far as the Price in Right is concerned, I liked it a lot more when Bob Barker was the host. It was must-see-TV every summer weekday morning and might have been the highlight of days spent home from school. I was a big fan of Family Feud and Sale of the Century as well.

One of our kiddos was home sick from school several days this spring semester and his favorite thing to watch when he’s sick is the game show “Press Your Luck” which is enjoying a resurgence.

I always felt bad for kids who got perfect attendance – never knowing the joy of laying on the couch in the middle of a school day and watching game shows.

Check out Pat Sajak’s final Wheel of Fortune episode Friday night at 6:30 p.m. on NBC.