Three's a Crowd (game show)

Three's a Crowd was an American game show originally packaged by Chuck Barris Productions. The first version aired in syndication from September 17, 1979 through February 1980. The second version ran in 2000, on Game Show Network.

1979 version

Hosted by Jim Peck, this version's tagline was "Who knows a man better, his wife or his secretary?" It bore many similarities to Barris's "The Newlywed Game". Three sets of husband-wife-secretary teams appeared, and the game started with the men answering three pointed questions, usually referencing their wives and secretaries in ways that would lead to potential marital discord.

The secretaries then were brought back to answer the same questions, followed by the wives. Whichever team — wives or secretaries — matched the men's answers more often split a $1,000 prize ($333.33 each or $166.67 if the wives & secretaries tied). The men received an announced prize for their participation.

Because of the show's premise of adultery and sexual innuendo, "Three's a Crowd" immediately attracted strong criticism from both feminists and conservative religious activists.Fact|date=December 2007 According to lore, the protests the show prompted, as well as the apparent lack of fun the contestants seemed to be having on this show, prompted Barris to retreat from television production entirely. Barris wrote in his first autobiography, "The Game Show King", that "the public backlash from "Three's a Crowd" not only caused the program to be canceled, but it took three other TV shows of mine with it. I went to my house in Malibu and stayed there for a year."

2000 version

This version was hosted by Alan Thicke. GSN defused its remake, produced by sister company Sony Pictures Television, markedly. The wives-secretaries pairings were replaced by pairing such as girlfriend-best friend, girlfriend-mother and such. Just as often, a female would be the central subject with the pairings altered appropriately, etc.

Round 1

As in the original, the middle people were asked three questions about their significant others. The significant others were asked the same questions when they returned altogether. Each time they or either one match, they get 5 points.

Round 2

The tables were turned as the significant others were asked three questions about their mate. The middle people were asked the same questions when they returned altogether. Each time either one or both significant others match, they get 10 points.

Round 3: Fast Match Round

Each middle person was given four words/phrases that may or may not relate to them. They must answer with one of three possible choices such as, "Be There", "Wouldn't Dare", "No Fair"; "I Win", "I Lose", "It's a Draw" etc. (so, in other words, choice A would be a "Yes" answer, choice B would be a "No" answer, and choice C would be a "Maybe" answer) Before they answer, each significant other must lock in their predictions to how their mates will answer. Once again each match is worth 10 points. Originally, the middle person makes the choice of an answer after locking in their answer, in Season 2, the person now holds the card (like in the first round) to show the answer after they locked in their answer.

Unlike the original, the significant others don't work as a team. The significant other with the most points at show's end won $1,000. The central characters, as before, received an unannounced prize for participating.