If you check the TV listings these days, you will find that ABC is rife with game shows……in prime-time! ABC has a long history of successful game shows, including Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, and Family Feud, but they’ve always been daytime game shows. Prime-time — defined as the 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. time-slot — has always been a mix of drama, comedy and reality shows. So why is ABC turning into the game show network? Generally speaking, game shows cost far less to produce and get on the air than scripted shows. Once a sound stage has been set up for a game show, it rarely needs to be changed. In addition, scripts don’t have to be written, which means writers don't have to be paid. If a game show becomes a hit, the profits are substantial. While it’s hit or miss with game shows, the potential upside makes them very attractive to networks looking to improve their bottom line. As with everything on television, money drives the schedule.
