#8 Game Show of All Time

I'm sure everyone has anxiously been awaiting the return of the game show rankings. Without going into the excitement of game shows, I continue the rankings. Video Power and $25,000 pyramid came in at 10 and 9 respectively. At #8.....

8) Wheel of Fortune - It's the second longest current running syndicated game show in the U.S. The hangmanesque puzzle game stormed on the nightly scene in 1983 and has not looked back.
Host: Pat Sajak (rating - 7). Pat is strong. With a recognizable face and a quick wit, he's become a household name. He always has a few humorous comments as he banters with his contestants. His only weakness is his stature. I would guess he measures in around 5'5 but hides his age well.
Vanna White (rating - 4). While Wheel of Fortune does have a famous duo, let's be honest, Vanna is bringing Pat down. Maybe in the early 80's she was still needed, but I think something called technology has erased her need.

Game Format: (rating - 6.5) The wheel is a good gimmick. Any great game show has a marquee gimmick to build around. Spinning the wheel (though probably stolen from Price is Right) adds suspense and the much hated "bankrupt" slot can always level the competition. The incessant clapping while the wheel goes around can get annoying, but overall it's good. On a side note: I've always wanted to see just how big the wheel is.
The word game itself is one a viewer can play at home, but with no change throughout the rounds it can get boring.

Another plus for a game show is anytime a line from the show makes its way into the home. Wheel of Fortune got one of these with: "I'd like to buy a vowel please." Come on, whose never used that line at a party to grab a chuckle or two?

Grand Finale: Bonus Round (5) - Nothing special here. The contestant chooses three additional consonants and one vowel to go along with R,S,T,L,N and E. The contestant then has 10 seconds to guess the word. The suspense was nice with the constant ticking in the background, but there just needed to be a little more. However, Pat did the best with what he had and frequently pulls a Bob Barker to draw out the suspense when revealing the prize. Here is a side note fact: one puzzle, "Baby", was actually solved with no letters showing at all. I didn't see that one, but I'm sure Pat went crazy.

Overall: 6.3 - The show lives and dies with Pat's nightly performance. Good set, good gameplay, but lacking in some creativity and action. Maybe they could add a dueling round where one contestant "word dueled" with another for a jackpot prized.
Fun Fact: Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak pulled a switch on April Fool's day in 1997. I'm guessing Pat was more comfortable with the switch than Alex. Alex seems like a guy that doesn't like change. All the bells and whistles of the Wheel of Fortune set probably ensured it was a one time gig for Trebek.