Match Game (2008 pilot)

This is chronicling the 2008 unsold pilot for a new version Match Game on TBS.

Game Format
Just like in the original 70s version, the object of the game was to match as many of the celebrities as they can. At the beginning of each round, one contestant had a choice of two questions (A or B) leaving the other one for the other contestant. Each contestant was read a statement with a blank at the end or near the end. Then the six celebrities wrote down their answers to fill in the blank. When finished, the contestant in control gave an answer of his/her own after which the stars revealed their answers. Each time the contestant matched he/she scored a point but each celebrity can only be matched one time. The game was played in two rounds and the player who had matched the most celebrities at the end of round two won the game. The winner of the game won the right to play an all new Super Match.

Super Match
In this version, the contestant's job is to fill in the blank on five survey questions with the most popular answer in 20 seconds (a la the "Fast Money" round from Family Feud) with questions such as "Most People Believe Hillary Clinton is a _____", "Dolphins Can't _____ Underwater", "Charlie Sheen Enjoys His _____", It is Socially Acceptable to Have Sex with Your _____ Cousin" & "Barack Obama is Half _____" as each is worth $1,000. After the clock stops, the contestant is allowed to change two of them with the help of the celebrities (they only call on one, but helping is encouraged). For each correct guess of the most popular answer, $1.000 is awarded. Then comes the standard Head-to-Head for double the money, up to $10,000.

Trivia
The six panelists that were seen in the pilot were: (the late) Super Dave Osborne (a.k.a. Bob Einstein), Sarah Silverman, Scott Thompson, Rashida Jones, Norm Macdonald and Niecy Nash. In addition, Nash would later become a rotating panelists in the ABC Alec Baldwin revival in 2016.

The pilot was later shot down in favor of the George Lopez hosted, short-lived, late-night talk show called Lopez Tonight which aired from 2009 until 2011.

The set was not like the on used on the sixth episode of Gameshow Marathon in 2006.

On June 4, 2020; the full pilot #1 (or "rough cut") was uploaded by veteran game show host Wink Martindale on YouTube as part of his ongoing series called "Wink's Vault".

Links
Match Game ('08) Pilot @ usgameshows.net

Match Game ('08) Set Designs

More Match Game ('08) Set Designs