ABC Renews Game Shows ‘Match Game,’ ‘Celebrity Family Feud,’ ‘$100,000 Pyramid’

ABC has renewed its game shows “Celebrity Family Feud,” “Match Game,” “$100,000 Pyramid” and “To Tell the Truth,” network entertainment president Channing Dungey announced Thursday.

The Steve Harvey-hosted “Celebrity Family Feud” will enter its third season, while both “Match Game,” hosted by Alec Baldwin, and “$100,000 Pyramid,” hosted by Michael Strahan, will head into Season 2.

This summer, the network has scored substantial success with the three classic game show revivals. Airing back-to-back as ABC’s “Sunday Fun & Games” line up, the programs have helped the network finish first in the ratings on several occasions. That marks a turn for the better, after ABC had a disastrous 2015-16 season that saw it wind up in fourth place among the major networks.

Also Read: ABC Boss on 'Star Wars' Series: Network 'Will Continue to Have Conversations' With Lucasfilm

All three shows premiered in June, with “Pyramid” debuting to a 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, and “Match Game” and “Family Feud” both coming in at a 1.5.

The network has also ren ewed the game show “To Tell the Truth,” which is hosted by “Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson and airs on Tuesdays.

Dungey, who replaced Paul Lee as head of ABC entertainment earlier this year, announced the renewals during her executive session at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour on Thursday. There, she presented the network’s new shows and addressed some questions about her new role and the high-profile cancellations of “Castle” and “Nashville.”

Also Read: Diversity Problems on 'Bachelor' Franchise Will Be Fixed, ABC Boss Says

“Our Sunday Fun & Games night launched in a big way and has proven to be a big night of family entertainment,” she said. “In fact, we have the top two new shows of the summer in ‘Match Game’ and ‘Pyramid.’ And I am thrilled to announce that we’ll be bringing back all of our game shows for next season.”

My Mind Went Blank: A Look Back at 'Match Game' (Photos)

1. 

   This summer, ABC will attempt to resurrect one of the most legendary game shows of all-time: "Match Game." During its run in the 1970s on CBS, "Match Game" became a roaring after-school success with its relaxed atmosphere and bawdy humor that made it feel more like a cocktail party than a game show. Before Alec Baldwin takes over hosting duties, let's look back at the stars that made the original a smash hit that has yet to be replicated.

2. 

   "Match Game" started as a straight-laced NBC show in 1962, with two contestants trying to match answers with a celebrity. The show nearly got cancelled as viewers found it to be staid and boring.

3. 

   Shortly after NBC cancelled the show in 1963, the producers decided to run its final tapings with more risqué prompts like "John always liked to put butter on his _____." The ratings rebounded, and NBC kept the show running for another six years.

4. 

   The "Match Game" that most people know today was born on CBS in 1973. Like its predecessor, it started with no-nonsense answers before taking a wacky turn. In this format, contestants were asked to fill in the blank of a raunchy joke and would get points for each celebrity whose answer matched theirs.

5. 

   The show quickly gained a rabid popularity among teens thanks to a regular stable of naughty stars. First was the show's host, Gene Rayburn, who would keep the show's chaos in line with a sneaky grin and avuncular warmth. He would become known for shooting down a lame answer from a celeb with the retort, "That's a rotten answer!"

6. 

   Rayburn would also get into playful spats with the stagehands and cameramen when they didn't do what he wanted them to, sometimes even trying to grab the camera from their hands and ripping off pieces of the studio equipment.

7. 

   Leading the celebrity panel was actress Brett Somers, a grumpy lady who would often snap at the audience when they booed her answers. Like Rayburn, she also had a rivalry with the crew, namely the guy who would sound the buzzer whenever her answer didn't match.

8. 

   Sitting next to Somers was her frequent comedic banter partner, Charles Nelson Reilly. Reilly would often come to the show smoking a pipe and wearing the most outlandish 70s outfits you could imagine. One of his most common running gags would be his tendency to repeat Somers' answers.

9. 

   Completing the group of regulars was Richard Dawson, who spun his time on "Match Game" into becoming the host of "Family Feud." Dawson quickly became a favorite amongst contestants for trying harder than any other panelist to write answers most likely to get a match.

10. 

    Of the semi-regulars on the show -- and by far the most popular -- was future internet sensation Betty White. Many were surprised to see her subvert her wholesome "Golden Girls" reputation with SNL skits and Snickers commercials, but "Match Game" fans know she's been naughty for years. When Somers once said she was the first to finish with her answer, White responded, "You were finished a long time ago, sweetheart!"

11. 

    Even as the naughty jokes lost their edge, "Match Game" found lasting power in the familiarity between Rayburn and the regular stars. Somers, Reilly, and Dawson knew just what to say to push each others' buttons, while Rayburn eschewed the tendency of most game shows to keep the game moving along at a constant pace. He gave the celebrities the time to joke around and make the audience feel they were right in the studio with them.

12. 

    Alec Baldwin certainly has the comedy chops to carry on in Rayburn's footsteps for this ten-episode "Match Game" revival, but previous revivals have failed to match the chemistry the original lineup had. Can the producers of this edition find a celebrity panel that can help Baldwin bring the laughs? We'll find out when "Match Game" returns June 26.

Previous Slide Next Slide

1 of 12

Alec Baldwin will host a revival of one of the most risque and popular game shows of all time

This summer, ABC will attempt to resurrect one of the most legendary game shows of all-time: "Match Game." During its run in the 1970s on CBS, "Match Game" became a roaring after-school success with its relaxed atmosphere and bawdy humor that made it feel more like a cocktail party than a game show. Before Alec Baldwin takes over hosting duties, let's look back at the stars that made the original a smash hit that has yet to be replicated.

View In Gallery

Related stories from TheWrap:

Kyra Sedgwick to Replace Demi Moore in ABC's 'Ten Days in the Valley'

Ratings: ABC's Game Shows Overtake CBS (and Everyone Else) Again

Ratings: ABC Game Shows Win Sunday