The Best Game Show of 2026

It’s my birthday! Happy Birthday Jordan HAPPY BIRTHDAY ME!

So, as is tradition, I have made it a goal to PICK OUT MY FIVE FAVORITE GAME SHOWS and list them.

For a show to qualify it must

1) be a game show

2) have had an episode between March 1, 2025-March 1,2026

3) must be good enough.

Over on Patreon,I have been squirming. A good chunk of modern game shows have become “the budgets are getting worse” and you're seeing TV shows either put the cheap shows on PRIME TIME, or you're seeing streaming services just record one season, and then you'll have to wait YEARS for the next version, not just NEXT FALL, but like 2 years minimum.

And also game shows that are churned and burned so they can get their 100 episodes and burn them off into FAST channels and Syndication.

The five I selected are a good example of where game shows are going, and what I feel are game shows I'm willing to binge watch.

For those that are lazy, and don't want to listen to me (which I understand, it's been a while)

Here are my shows and a few sentences about them.

5. Millionaire Hot Seat

Take millionaire and have it bookended so there is no carryover, get rid of the Lifelines except for “pass” and given budget constraints have it so only 1 in 6 contestants will get $1,000 with “a chance at” $10,000 or $20,000 or $50,000 or $100,000 or $250,000 or $1,000,000. You know, based on how many of the six contestants are still around at the end of the game at Question 15. In reality, all that matters is that last few minutes with the make or break again. It's all about being at the right place at the right time. But it's still enough of a quiz to play along in the background or just enough to binge a few episodes. Australia got the right idea pairing it with Deal or No Deal, as a modern day Wheel/Jeopardy block.

4. Deal or No Deal

I will continue defending this show. The Italian version is delightful, but the Australian version with Grant Denyer is also “the best model”, it's bookended, but also VERY FAST, the stakes are big, but the prize tree is enough to almost parallel a Wheel of Fortune win. $100,000 being the top prize is still life-changing for a daily version, but the contestants being vibrant funny personalities make it so even if the top amount crashes, there is still enough to be invested, even if it's just $30,000 or $7,500 or $5 left.

If you want a show with the vibrant chaos of the price is right, but don't want the slow of America or UK, it's the version for you.

3. The Genius Game

I think The Traitors might be the biggest reality show in the world right now. I love Claides and Alan, I love the strategy, but ultimately, game theorists know it's essentially just “Mafia”/”Werewolf” just stretched to ten episodes.

The Genius Game takes one season of The Traitors and makes it JUST ONE EPISODE. If you are a HUGE fan of board games and tabletop, like a Coup or Brtrayal at House on the Hill, it's probably the best reality show.

Imagine one of these “challenge shows” but instead of living in a house, it's just a fancy set, and the challenges all involve social engineering and game breaking.

It's pretty much “my jam” and it's sad ITV only gave it one season. There will always be Devils Plan though.

2. Taskmaster

It's a comedy show, that's a game show. 5 comedians are all challenged with various tasks that require creativity, ingenuity and slight athleticism to get it done.

From making the best children's character, to filling a glass of orange juice the fastest. It's all about the chaotic good of the show.

The success of the show comes from the word of mouth, and the variety of the comedians as contestants, while we will always talk Taskmaster USA (and probably ignore Reggie’s era on Comedy Central) it was still a big year for Americans - Jason Mantzoukas being in season 20 and a East Coast tour with special guests like Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Chris Gethard and Kurt Braunholer tell me this still has legs and so much potential.

NUMBER ONE - Game Changer

While Sam will still say it's a “comedy show” first, there is still game mechanics and episodes where there aren't a force win or lose.

Last year's Game Charger is the best season. You had it's own spin on Taskmaster (One Year Later) it's own attempt at Can't Say Ummm (Rulette), A Millionaire Clone that was Amnesia that gave a friend $100,000 (for real!), it had a show about TRYING YOUR BEST, it had a traitors style drinking game, it had a fake political debate, and crowd work as a game show…. And so much more!

Watching Game Changer, as a game show expert and love of the Southern California comedy scene, is essentially a big surprise party for me. I don't know the games, I don't know what will happen, but I'm excited to see what new takes on existing games Sam and his production team have in store, what new loop-de-loops it can bring to Jimmy Kimmel’s announcer or The Dungeon Master from Critical Role.

It's very much a love letter to game shows, as much as it continues to be Truth or Consequences with The Best in Improv Comedy Today.

I am excited to see what happens this season. I am also terrified, but in a good way (that waiting in a queue in a theme park ride kind of way)