Family Challenge

Family Challenge
Logo of The New Family Challenge (1996-1997).
Format	Game show
Presented by	Ray Combs (1995-1996) Michael Burger (1996-1997)
Narrated by	Gene Wood (1995-1996) Charlie Glaize (1996-1997)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	2
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	The Family Channel
Original run	October 2, 1995 – September 7, 1997

Family Challenge is an American game show that aired on The Family Channel from October 2, 1995 to September 7, 1997, lasting for two seasons. Reruns aired on GSN from April 3 to September 25, 1999.

The first season was hosted by Ray Combs, with Gene Wood serving as announcer. Both had formerly served in the same respective roles for Family Feud. It would be the last game show for Combs, as he committed suicide by hanging in 1996. The second season was hosted by Michael Burger and announced by Charlie Glaize.

Contents 1 Premise 1.1 Stunts 2 Season two changes 3 External links

Premise

Two teams of six family members competed. Each team consisted of two adults and four children (commonly the parents' own children, plus nieces and/or nephews). Five stunts were played, and each stunt was worth a varying amount of points. The stunts varied in each show; the following are a few stunts used on the show during the first season.

Stunts

• Tug of war: All six members of the first team competed against Lee Reherman, better known as "Hawk" the American Gladiator, with a tank full of green "gunk" set up at the center point. The team won one point for each second they could stay up. They won 60 points if they stayed up for 30 seconds or pulled Hawk into the gunk. This process would be repeated for the second team.
• Backwards relay race: Three members of each team competed. The first team started at a table with various items on it. The first teammate ran backwards to a board and read a short message written backwards on it, which corresponded to an item on the table. He then ran backwards to the starting position and do something with the item. (For example, "This Icy Sensation Causes A Gyration" means they must pour a pitcher of water down their pants, and "Simple Simon Met A Pie Man" means they must smosh a pie into their face.) This continued until all three teammates had a chance to do two things. After the first family finished, the second family was brought out of isolation to try to beat their time. The family who could do it in the fastest time won 100 points.

• Kissing contest: One event involved three doors and one member of each team. The player on the first team would pick a door, behind which was a live animal, which the contestant would have to kiss on the lips. If the player kept contact with it for 5 seconds, that family won 10 points. The player on the second team then picked a second door, and had to kiss whatever was behind it. After this, each player could elect to kiss whatever was behind the unpicked door, but had to do it blindfolded for 10 seconds. Doing this won 20 points.

• Pearl diving: Two members of each team had two minutes to wade in a giant tank of gunk looking for large balls that represented pearls. Each white "pearl" collected won 10 points, and each black "pearl" won 50.

At the end of the final event, the team with the most points was the winner. That team won two prizes (such as a new living room group and a ceiling fan), and a trophy called "The Family Challenge Cup".

Season two changes

Besides the new host and announcer, the show was re-titled The New Family Challenge and given a new set and slightly remixed music. It was taped at Universal Studios Hollywood. The game was played the same as before, except that only four stunts were played. Burger also played games with the audience, filling the time previously used for the fifth stunt.

Towards the end of the run, all Friday shows were comprised solely of audience participation games.

The second season premiere was dedicated to the memory of Ray Combs, as acknowledged during the credits.

External links

• Family Challenge at the Internet Movie Database