Merv Griffin Dies on the Heels of the Game Show Industry Comeback
Yesterday, Merv Griffin passed away at 82 years old. 
Known as the “inventor” of television games shows, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune were Mr. Griffin’s brainchild. His death comes at an interesting time…some many are calling a television game show revival.
What traditionally was TV “fluff” geared towards the early bird dinner audience, TV game shows have experienced a renaissance period in the past few years starting with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which averaged a jaw-dropping 27.9 million viewers during its 2000 heyday.
Today, there are an abundance of game shows appearing on primetime TV. NBC’s Deal or No Deal and Fox’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? averaged 14.8 million and 12.5 million viewers, respectively, last season. This summer has already spawned two more breakout hits: NBC’s The Singing Bee and Fox’s similarly themed Don’t Forget the Lyrics! And there’s more to come, with the Power of 10 and Crosswords set to debut.
All of these shows are cash cows for the TV networks. Taking very little money to produce, they can be geared to a very specific demographic – mainly 25-45 years old household purchasers.
According to Ellen Seiter, author of Television and New Media Audiences, people simply like watching others win, and love watching them lose. Also, she adds, game shows are universally accessible, meaning you don’t need to be invested in the program every week or day, making them “ideal for group or workplace” viewing.
Of course, today’s game shows also include audience feedback – polls, contests and enter to be applications available via social media – further bringing viewers into the show. For example, on Deal on No Deal, you can text in your choice of lucky cases to win $10,000. You can also play the game online.
Ultimately, with the death of Merv Griffin and traditional TV game show production, the door opens for the next generation.