Voting Station

Twenty-One

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TV Series

The Resume

    (September 12, 1956-October 16, 1958)
    Hosted by Jack Barry (1956-1958)
    Hosted by Maury Povich (2000)
    Both versions aired on NBC
    Premise: 2 contestants placed in isolation chambers try to reach 21 points in a quiz game
    Revived version (January 9, 2000-May 1, 2000)

Why Twenty-One might be annoying:

    The 50's version was trying to cash-in on the success of 'The $64,000 Question' (which was also fixed).
    The 2000 revival was trying to cash-in on the success of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire.'
    It caused a huge scandal when it was discovered that some contestants were given the answers to the questions in advance to the game.
    The show was not only fixed, but choreographed like a play.
    It almost ruined Jack Barry's career.
    The non-fixed revival hosted by Maury Povich in 2000 was canceled after 19 episodes, despite getting good ratings.
    The 1956-58 version had lots of product placement for their sponsor, Geritol, including a big Geritol logo on Jack Barry's podium.
    Although other game shows in the 50's were fixed, this show is most remembered for it.

Why Twenty-One might not be annoying:

    It was one of the most popular shows of the 50's.
    Robert Redford made a movie about one of the contestants involved in the fixing of the show.
    The producers were forced into fixing the game by Geritol.
    The 2000 revival crowned (at the time) the biggest winner in game show history, David Legler, who won $1,765,000.

Credit: Diplomat


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 13 Votes: 61.54% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 17 Votes: 58.82% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 14 Votes: 64.29% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 84.62% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 24 Votes: 79.17% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 54 Votes: 74.07% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 28 Votes: 64.29% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 71 Votes: 73.24% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 89 Votes: 74.16% Annoying