YouTuber Connor Higgins has a great series about Family Feud. Today, Family Feud is a cornerstone of popular culture. Steve Harvey has catapulted the long-languishing franchise back into immense popularity for US audiences. But the show’s original heyday may have been even more overwhelmingly successful. From 1976 to 1985, Family Feud dominated both daytime television and evening syndication, combining the intrigue of everyday people with the dashing persona of Richard Dawson to generate a true television phenomenon. In the first video, we take a look at the genesis of what would become the most popular game show in two distinct generations of broadcasting — and the factors that led to its initial descent, and ultimately to its cancellation.
Almost immediately after Richard Dawson’s tenure on Family Feud came to an end upon the show’s cancellation, creator Mark Goodson began workshopping a reboot of his most successful game show in a long career of smash hits. He landed a fresh talent in comedian Ray Combs, and the show returned to television in 1988. However, this iteration of the show never took off like its predecessor. In the second video, we explore why hopes were so high for this revival project, why it didn’t work, and the many bizarre efforts to keep it afloat — including a truly baffling host change near the end of the show’s run.
Categories: The Evening Post Stuff
