Three's a Crowd (game show)
Encyclopedia
Three's a Crowd was an American
game show
originally packaged by Chuck Barris
Productions. The first version aired in syndication from September 17, 1979 to February 1, 1980. The second version ran in 2000 on Game Show Network
.
, this version's tagline was "Who knows a man better, his wife or his secretary?" It bore many similarities to Barris' The Newlywed Game
. Three sets of husband-wife-secretary teams appeared, and the game started with the men answering three pointed questions, usually referencing their wives and secretaries in ways that would lead to potential marital discord.
The secretaries then were brought back to answer the same questions, followed by the wives. Whichever team — wives or secretaries — matched the men's answers more often split a $1,000 prize ($333.33 each or $166.67 if the wives & secretaries tied). The men received an announced prize for their participation.
At the time, Barris' company had four other shows on the air: revivals of both The Dating Game
and The Newlywed Game
, the still-running syndicated Gong Show
and its spin-off The $1.98 Beauty Show. Barris wrote that "The public backlash from Three's a Crowd not only caused the program to be canceled, but it took three other TV shows of mine with it. I went to my house in Malibu and stayed there for a year." Indeed, it was largely due to the backlash from Three's a Crowd that ratings for all of his other shows – including the still-popular Gong Show – plummeted and were removed from the air by the start of the next television season.
The series was replaced on February 4 by a revival of the 1960s game show Camouflage, also produced by Barris. This show also failed and was canceled after thirteen weeks, largely due to poor clearances due to its being a weekly series as opposed to a daily "strip", the former of which had fallen out of favor with TV stations by 1980. Three's A Crowd was the last original format Barris tried, with rest of his productions either being revivals of old shows (as Camouflage and a second Barris revival of Treasure Hunt were) or his previous efforts (as The Dating Game, The Newlywed Game, and The Gong Show were all revived in the mid-to-late '80s).
. GSN defused its remake, produced by sister company Columbia TriStar Television
, markedly. The wives-secretaries pairings were replaced by pairing such as girlfriend-best friend, girlfriend-mother and such. Just as often, a female would be the central subject with the pairings altered appropriately, etc.
Originally, the middle person makes the choice of an answer after locking in their answer; in Season 2 the person now holds the card (like in the first round) to show the answer after they locked it in.
Unlike the original, the significant others don't work as a team. The significant other with the most points at show's end won $1,000. The central characters, as before, received an unannounced prize for participating.
The pilots are distinguishable from the rest of the series through a somewhat different set (a brown backdrop with green stripes behind the contestants, plus Peck's podium having a large "3" as the backdrop) and Peck himself not having the perm he sported during most of the series.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
originally packaged by Chuck Barris
Chuck Barris
Charles Hirsch "Chuck" Barris is an American game show producer, film director and presenter best known for hosting The Gong Show and creating The Dating Game. Barris, a survivor of lung cancer, is also an author and claims to have worked for the CIA.-Early career:Barris was born in Oakland, New...
Productions. The first version aired in syndication from September 17, 1979 to February 1, 1980. The second version ran in 2000 on Game Show Network
Game Show Network
The Game Show Network is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its current slogan is "The World Needs More Winners"...
.
Syndicated version
Hosted by Jim PeckJim Peck
James Edward "Jim" Peck is an American television and radio personality based in Milwaukee and is perhaps best known for his time as a game show host.-Early career:...
, this version's tagline was "Who knows a man better, his wife or his secretary?" It bore many similarities to Barris' The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game is an American television game show that pits newly married couples against each other in a series of revealing question rounds to determine how well the spouses know each other. The program, originally created by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir The Newlywed Game is an American...
. Three sets of husband-wife-secretary teams appeared, and the game started with the men answering three pointed questions, usually referencing their wives and secretaries in ways that would lead to potential marital discord.
The secretaries then were brought back to answer the same questions, followed by the wives. Whichever team — wives or secretaries — matched the men's answers more often split a $1,000 prize ($333.33 each or $166.67 if the wives & secretaries tied). The men received an announced prize for their participation.
Broadcast history
Because of the show's premise of adultery and sexual innuendo, Three's a Crowd immediately attracted strong criticism from both feminists and conservative religious activists. According to Barris in his first autobiography, The Game Show King, the protests against the show – as well as the sometimes-evident lack of fun the contestants seemed to be having on it – prompted him to retreat from television production entirely.At the time, Barris' company had four other shows on the air: revivals of both The Dating Game
The Dating Game
The Dating Game is an ABC television show that first aired on December 20, 1965 and was the first of many shows created and packaged by Chuck Barris from the 1960s through the 1980s...
and The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game is an American television game show that pits newly married couples against each other in a series of revealing question rounds to determine how well the spouses know each other. The program, originally created by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir The Newlywed Game is an American...
, the still-running syndicated Gong Show
The Gong Show
The Gong Show is an amateur talent contest franchised by Sony Pictures Television to many countries. It was broadcast on NBC's daytime schedule from June 14, 1976 through July 21, 1978, and in first-run syndication from 1976–1980 and 1988–1989. The show was produced by Chuck Barris, who also served...
and its spin-off The $1.98 Beauty Show. Barris wrote that "The public backlash from Three's a Crowd not only caused the program to be canceled, but it took three other TV shows of mine with it. I went to my house in Malibu and stayed there for a year." Indeed, it was largely due to the backlash from Three's a Crowd that ratings for all of his other shows – including the still-popular Gong Show – plummeted and were removed from the air by the start of the next television season.
The series was replaced on February 4 by a revival of the 1960s game show Camouflage, also produced by Barris. This show also failed and was canceled after thirteen weeks, largely due to poor clearances due to its being a weekly series as opposed to a daily "strip", the former of which had fallen out of favor with TV stations by 1980. Three's A Crowd was the last original format Barris tried, with rest of his productions either being revivals of old shows (as Camouflage and a second Barris revival of Treasure Hunt were) or his previous efforts (as The Dating Game, The Newlywed Game, and The Gong Show were all revived in the mid-to-late '80s).
GSN version
This version was hosted by Alan ThickeAlan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
. GSN defused its remake, produced by sister company Columbia TriStar Television
Columbia TriStar Television
Columbia TriStar Television was the third name of the television studio Screen Gems, named after its then-current 1991 home video division....
, markedly. The wives-secretaries pairings were replaced by pairing such as girlfriend-best friend, girlfriend-mother and such. Just as often, a female would be the central subject with the pairings altered appropriately, etc.
Round 1
As in the original, the middle people were asked three questions about their significant others. The significant others were asked the same questions when they returned altogether. Each time they or either one match, they get 5 points.Round 2
The tables were turned as the significant others were asked three questions about their mate. The middle people were asked the same questions when they returned altogether. Each time either one or both significant others match, they get 10 points.Round 3: Fast Match Round
Each middle person was given four words/phrases that may or may not relate to them. They must answer with one of three possible choices such as, "Be There", "Wouldn't Dare", "No Fair"; "I Win", "I Lose", "It's a Draw" etc. (so, in other words, choice A would be a "Yes" answer, choice B would be a "No" answer, and choice C would be a "Maybe" answer) Before they answer, each significant other must lock in their predictions to how their mates will answer. Once again each match is worth 10 points.Originally, the middle person makes the choice of an answer after locking in their answer; in Season 2 the person now holds the card (like in the first round) to show the answer after they locked it in.
Unlike the original, the significant others don't work as a team. The significant other with the most points at show's end won $1,000. The central characters, as before, received an unannounced prize for participating.
Episode status
Most, if not all, of the original series is intact. GSN reran many episodes, including two pilots from 1978 and a third from 1979.The pilots are distinguishable from the rest of the series through a somewhat different set (a brown backdrop with green stripes behind the contestants, plus Peck's podium having a large "3" as the backdrop) and Peck himself not having the perm he sported during most of the series.