Crossing The Line
Some game shows make you think, some make you laugh—and some leave you wondering how on earth they ever made it to air. From awkward love triangles to contestants clinging to vehicles for days on end, television history is full of competitions so strange they feel like fever dreams.
Three’s A Crowd
This 1979 stunt had husbands quizzed by both their wife and their secretary—so you can imagine the awkward sparks that flew. The show was panned for its eyebrow-raising premise and ended up tanking Chuck Barris’s career for a good while. Talk about mixing marital discord and passive-aggressive game show cheese.
3's a Crowd clip (1979), GarryMooreFan
The Chamber
“Welcome to fear...with questions!” In this short-lived Fox disaster, contestants strapped into a punishment chamber endured extreme temperatures, earthquakes, and wind—all while answering trivia. After only three aired episodes, the backlash over its “pain as entertainment” vibe swiftly pulled the plug. It’s a lesson in TV history: just because you can push the envelope doesn’t mean you should.
THE CHAMBER: Game Show or TORTURE?, gr33nguy
Distraction
Imagine solving quiz questions…while being sabotaged with paintball guns, electric collars, or having to munch on snails. UK contestants powered through pain and bizarre humiliation in this twisted Jimmy Carr-hosted show. Witty as it thought it might be—making contestants suffer was apparently considered good TV.
Distraction (UK game show), oicur2ys4me4i812
The Singing Bee
NBC rushed The Singing Bee to air in 2007 to beat Fox’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics!, featuring contestants tested on their memory of song lyrics through quirky challenges and karaoke rounds. Its premiere beat Dancing with the Stars in ratings, but viewers quickly lost interest. CMT later revived it for four more seasons before ending in 2012.
CMT's The Singing Bee - Catch the Buzz!, CMT
My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad
Even producer Mark Burnett couldn’t turn a schoolyard taunt into great television. This short-lived competition had father-kid duos tackling physical and trivia challenges for prizes like a mountain bike and an Xbox 360. Low ratings—and an on-air medical scare—ended it after just one season.
My Dad is Better Than Your Dad: Trash Talk, Jeffrey Lee Hollis
Red Or Black
A British game show where candidates stood on a platform awaiting elimination—if the LED light above them turned red, they fell through. Literally. It was ding-or-fall drama with gravity, and not exactly a model of fairness.
Red or Black? - Episode 2 Part 6, I
Hurl
Ever watched someone compete to see who can avoid vomiting the longest? This show did exactly that. Disgusting, nauseating, and undeniably unforgettable, it was reality TV at its most stomach-churning.
The Insane Show That Nobody Remembers, Casually Cal
Identity
Contestants had to match people to their bizarre or obscure identities—like figuring out which person was a gymnast or a trapeze artist. The twisty guessing game felt like a human version of Guess Who? meets Psych!—with oddball flair. Quirky fun, but undeniably absurd.
(Part 2/6) Identity Game Show Episode 110: Saulnier, ChristianSaulnier
Are You Hot?
ABC’s 2003 Are You Hot? reduced contestants to nothing but their looks, with judges rating “America’s Sexiest People” on a numeric scale—no personality, talent, or charm allowed. Hosted by Lorenzo Lamas, Rachel Hunter, and Randolph Duke, it split the country into “Hot Zones” for a truly superficial showdown. A relic of the early 2000s beauty-obsessed reality boom, it was shallow even by the era’s standards.
Are You Hot? premiere episode (2003), Cliporama
Pitfall
Alex Trebek hosted this Canadian oddball in the early ’80s, where contestants had to answer trivia to cross an elevator-equipped “bridge” filled with literal pitfalls. Banking on suspense—and being paid—was complicated by the show’s bankrupt production company. Many contestants never received their winnings.
Rare Full Episode: Pitfall (1981) with Alex Trebek (#2), BonusRoundCanada
Man Vs Beast
Exactly what it sounds like: humans competing against animals in bizarre challenges. Whether it was leg raises versus a horse or speed races with a seal—this show blurred the line between entertainment and zoological insult. Equal parts hilarious and questionable.
Man vs Beast 2 - Gymnast vs Orangutan, Mark Shogreen
Fear Factor
Contestants face their worst fears—like eating bugs or crawling through dirt—just to win cash. Fright factor was the currency here, and while it spawned immense popularity, it also epitomizes the escalation of gross-out reality game shows.
6 Fear Factor Moments That’ll Make Your Skin Crawl 🐛 | MTV Ranked, MTV
Hellevator
Doomed elevator rides through ghoulish scenarios—like zombies or chainsaws—unfolded on this horror-themed game show. Contestants answered trivia to survive each floor. Terrifying and theatrical, it was basically Black Mirror: Game Show Edition.
Hellevator S01EP1 - The Undertaker, lost media
Oh Sit!
Musical chairs…with violent mechanical twists. Chairs vanished, platforms shifted, and contestants were dumped mid-game. If you ever wondered how much chaos could be packed into a childhood game, Oh Sit! served it up with electric flair.
The Chair
Trivia under pressure—literally. Players were strapped into a chair while sensors monitored their vitals; wrong answers could trigger penalties. A real-life tension mount with serious health overtones, it was like The Chamber’s calmer but still nerve-wracking cousin.
The Chair (2002 ABC game show), VHS Escape
Touch The Truck
Contestants had to keep touching a vehicle for as long as possible—the last one standing wins it. Sounds simple—until exhaustion, boredom, and bladder capacity took over. An endurance contest disguised as automotive gift-giving.
What The Hell Was Touch The Truck?, Back In The Day
The 5th Wheel
A dating show turned awkward when two hopeful daters were joined by a third person—the literal “fifth wheel”—whose mission was to sabotage the budding romance. Perfect cringe TV: no couples’ night out should include extra company that wants you to fail romantically. The sabotage factor was the secret sauce here.
The 5th Wheel - Jason Spates (TV Series 2001–2004), Jason Spates
Queen For A Day
Contestants (usually housewives) proclaimed their domestic woes, and the “queen” with the saddest tale won prizes. Emotion as competition made for compelling yet somewhat exploitative television. A relic of tear-soaked, sympathy-based programming.
Queen For A Day NBC Daytime Aired (March 1958), Adam Curry
Repo Games
Follow repo agents as they chase down missed car payments—contestants answered trivia to keep their repossessed vehicles. Reality met Let’s Make a Deal with an ethically dubious twist. Equal parts suspenseful and uncomfortable.
Repo Games is Completely Unhinged, Isiah Young
Bumper Stumpers
Cars decorated with vanity plates posed puzzles to contestants. Solve the phrase from the plate, win prizes. A witty spin on wordplay that kept things light, even if it still felt odd compared to other game shows.
FULL EPISODE: Bumper Stumpers, Hosted by Al Dubois!, Canada's Game Shows
Supermarket Sweep
Contestants dashed through supermarket aisles to grab items earning them the most cash. A chaotic shopping spree disguised as trivia and strategy—probably the least weird on our list, but still delightfully absurd when all you’re doing is running for groceries. Grocery shopping has never looked so dramatic.
The First Big Sweep of the Season - Supermarket Sweep, ABC
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