Hollywood Game Night

Hollywood Game Night
Genre	Game show Panel show
Created by	Sean Hayes Todd Milliner
Presented by	Jane Lynch
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	28 (as of July 24, 2014)
Production
Executive producers	Sean Hayes Todd Milliner Michael Agbabian Dwight D. Smith
Production location	Los Angeles, CA
Running time	60 minutes
Production companies	Hazy Mills Productions Mission Control Media Universal Television
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	July 11, 2013 (2013-07-11) – present

Hollywood Game Night is an American television series hosted by Jane Lynch currently airing on NBC. The program premiered on July 11, 2013 and follows two contestants who take part in a casual game night with celebrities, with the winning contestant taking home up to $25,000 in cash prizes. A holiday special aired on December 23, 2013, while the rest of the second season began on January 20, 2014. On May 11, 2014, NBC renewed the show for a third season. The third season will air Tuesday July, 7 at 10/9c after Americas Got Talent.

Gameplay

Two teams of four players each (consisting of three celebrities and one contestant) play a series of games. The celebrities play for a chance to win $10,000 for a charity of their choice, while civilian players compete for the right to win $25,000. The civilian player is designated captain of the team.

Five games are played on each episode. Within each game, teams attempt to score points for their team, with one point awarded for each correct response in rounds one and two, and two points per correct answer in rounds three and four. The fifth and final game awards five points per correct answer, with the team in the lead going first. If both contestants are tied prior to the fifth and final game, then the contestant who won the last game goes first.

The contestant with the most points at the end of play wins the game and advanced to the $25,000 bonus round. When both contestants are tied at the end of the game, the contestant who wins more games will advance to the bonus round.

Games

Timed games last 90 seconds unless otherwise noted.

• Snack Round: The round is played based on what snacks they talk about. For crunchy snacks it's called "Crunch Time", for candies it's called "Home Sweets Home" and for candy bars it's called "CBI: Candy Bar Investigation". Players on both teams take turns playing this game. They are shown pictures of bowls of popular snacks or candy. The first player to buzz-in with a correct guess scores a point (two for Home Sweets Home). If a player buzzes in and is wrong, the opponent can answer. Each pair of players who either sit across from each other or diagonally gets two turns.
• Take the Hint: The team in control is given 90 seconds to convey general items. As a three-member team, the celebrities each give clues one word at a time to their captain. The captain gets only one guess per answer and each correct answer scores a point. (Similar game: Password)
• Pieceout: Two players at a time compete, one per team. They are shown a picture of a game piece and must buzz in to identify the board game from which it was taken. First with the correct answer scores one point.
• Clue-Boom: Two players at a time compete, one per team. One player draws a card from a bowl and gives clues to his or her teammates in order to get them to name the item written on it. Once they do, the bowl is pushed to the opponent who then takes a turn. After a random amount of time has passed, the bowl explodes in a burst of confetti to end the round, and the last team to name an item scores one point per item named in the round. (Similar game: Catchphrase)
• Lil' Picassos: Kids from schools across America draw pictures of famous people and it's up to the players to identify them. The players are given clues about the pictures to help them. The first player to buzz in with a correct answer scores two points. Usually, the final picture is of someone in the room.
• Timeline: One celebrity player from the controlling team chosen by the captain is presented with six pictures of things or celebrities. Sometimes they are pictures of the same person and sometimes they are different people. The player has 90 seconds to place them all in chronological order from the earliest to the latest. When the player is done they hit a button nearby and Lynch tells them how many are correct. Every time the player gets less than six correct, they go back and make some changes. The rest of the team are allowed to help out as much as they can. When time is up or if the team gets them all right, they score points for each correct placement. After both teams play the game, a five point bonus is awarded to the team who got the most right or had the fastest time in case of a tie. (Similar game: The Price is Right’s Race Game)
• Playing the Numbers: Similar to Timeline (another game from the show). One celebrity player from the controlling team chosen by the captain is presented with seven photos that include incomplete facts, and are also given the numbers 1-9, which are meant to complete the facts. The team must figure out which number corresponds to which fact and place them correctly. Pressing the buzzer will let them know how many they have correct so far, allowing them to go back and make corrections as many times as they want until time runs out. Points are scored for each correct placement, and a bonus 5 points are awarded to the team who gets the most right or had the fastest time (in case of a tie).
• Celebrity Fusion: A picture is shown of two celebrities who share a common name fused together, more specifically one celebrity's last name is the first name of the other. Clues are given, and the first to buzz in with the right answer wins a point. If a player buzzes in with a wrong answer, the other team gets to steal. In the second season, a version for movies, called Movie Mash-Up was added. Instead of two celebrities, two movies are shown; otherwise, gameplay is the same. A version for TV Shows, called TV Show Mash-Up, was also added. In this version, two TV shows are shown.
• Smash The Buzzer: All eight players participate. A category is given, along with items that may or may not fit. When a player hears an item that fits the category, the first to smash the buzzer gets a point for their team and the right to eliminate an opponent. If they buzz in and the answer is wrong, they are eliminated and the opponent gets the point.
• TV ID: A TV show title is shown to the players by Lynch and the player must buzz in and bid as to how few words as possible it will take to get their partners to guess the title. Their opponent can either bid lower or defer to the bidder. A bid of 1 word will automatically defer it to the bidder. A correct guess wins two points. Players are not allowed to use a character on the show, nor can they use a word in the show's title. (Similar game: Name That Tune's Bid-A-Note)
• Picture Me This: Four pictures representing a word or sound are presented to a team. Together, the four pictures make up a common knowledge phrase, and the team must decipher and have the player that's up place them in the correct order to create the phrase.
• Picture Purrfect: The players are shown still shots of popular movies with the actors in each picture having their faces replaced with cats. The players' job is to identify the film. Each correct answer scores points.
• Matchmaker: The TV monitor displays a 15 star square grid; behind the squares are celebrities. 14 of them match each other to form a host, star or character pair from a popular TV show or movie. Players take turns stepping up to the board picking off two squares they hope will produce a match. Each correct match is worth two points. (Similar game: Concentration)
• But Wait There's More!: This is a game about late night infomercial products. Pairs of celebrity players (one from each team) are shown one of those products and Jane gave clues to the item and then the players are shown eight words divided into two columns of four; two of which form the name of the product (one from each side). The first player to buzz-in gets first shot at guessing. They go back & forth until one celebrity guesses the correct product name and scores two points.
• Lost in Translation: Players are given movie titles that are actually foreign versions of American movie titles. Jane would announce the country and then reveal the foreign title. Then after a few seconds, the title was peeled off the screen and the poster of the film is revealed one piece at a time. Each correct answer is worth one point.
• I Love a Charade: This game is a 90 second tag team round and all subjects in this round fit under a specific category. The team in control take turns acting out different subjects. Each correct answer is worth five points. (Similar game: Charades)
• How Do You Doo?: The teams have 90 seconds to guess as many songs as possible, using only the word "doo". Once a teammate guesses a song, they must perform the next one. Each correct guess is worth five points. (Similar game: Hummmble)
• In Other Words: Two players compete at a time, one per team. They are shown a famous movie quote, and the first one to buzz in has 15 seconds to get his or her teammates to say the line by paraphrasing it, without using any of the original words (including prepositions and articles appearing in the title). A correct answer is worth two points; if time runs out, or if the player says any original words, the other team score.
• Show Me the Music: Team Captains are required to put on noise-canceling headphones. They have two minutes to get as many songs as possible. The other team members act out the song in order to get the team captain to guess the song. Each correct answer is worth one point. (Similar game: Team Charades)
• Off The Top Of My Head: Teams will line up wearing a pair of glasses with a placard with a word or phase that everyone can see but the guesser. The other member has to give clues to get them to say the word or phase on the card. Each correct answer is worth points. (Similar game: Headbanz, Heads Up)
• Make up Artists: Teams have to figure what the title is of a classic movie. One card says the real title, and the other three say "MAKE SOMETHING UP". If the team guessing guesses the true title, they win points. If they do not, the team that has the cards gets the points. (Similar game: Balderdash)
• Four Letter Words: Teams are required to wear black out glasses. They are then handed foam letters and a clue is read by Lynch. They need to arrange the letters around to spell out the 4 letter word. Each word correctly guessed is worth points. Some of the player's letters are switched out with each successive word.
• Link in the Chain: The Team captain gives clues to a word while the celebrities not only have to guess what the words are, but they must also remember & say the other words that came before it as well. On the first word, the first celebrity in line has to give the correct answer & after that, each successive player has to repeat the previous right answer(s) before adding on the next answer. Any mistake makes the offending star go back and start again. Only the longest chain counts for each team and five points are awarded for every word in the longest chain they made. (Similar game: Password)
• It's the Story of My Life: Jane Lynch reads excerpts from a celebrity's autobiography. If a player can identify the celebrity who wrote the book, they win points. Extra points are awarded if a player can correctly identity the title of the book that excerpt came from.
• Letter Have It: Teams to come up with words that start with a group of letters they're given. Teams earn a point for every correct answer that fits the category, but if an incorrect answer is given, the other team has a chance to earn up to 4 additional points by giving a correct answer.
• Back to Back: Both teams of celebrities are lined up across from each other and on either side of Jane. Each one is wearing special handcuffs to make things interesting. Each pair of celebrities acts out words all beginning with the same letter to convey to their contestant partners. The first contestant to guess the word scored two points. After each word, the actors went to the back of the line to make room for the next pair. Two categories are played. First category had the celebrities have their cuffed hands upfront and the second category had them in back.
• Sounds Off: All four players on the team in control stand behind four podiums to which their monitors displays words/phrases/names. Those are all sounds-like clue which when meshed together they sound like a movie title. The team's job is to guess what the title is. Jane would give a clue should they get stumped. The controlling team has 90 seconds to get as many as they can with two points awarded for each correct title. (Similar game: Mad Gab)
• Mono Tunes:: Teams have to guess a song by hearing lines from a song having been fed through an automatic voice recorder. A correct answer net the team one point.
• Marquee Madness: A theater marquee is shown. On that marquee is a mixed-up movie title consisting of one word from three real movies featuring the same actor. The first player to buzz-in and identify the actor gets a point.
• Triple Draw: Three of the team players (starting with the celebrities) stand behind three drawing tablets colored green, blue and red. Now Jane gives a category and when a player's tablet lights up, he/she gets to draw a subject while the player sitting on the couch makes guesses. Jane would give clues along the way. As soon as the guesser guesses the right subject, the contestant gets two points. After a correct answer or pass, the team in control rotates. The round lasts for two minutes. (Similar game: Pictionary)
• I'm with the Brand: Players are shown close-up pictures of famous mascots of popular products or companies. The first player to buzz-in and identify the character or company/product scores a point.
• Block Busters:
  Not to be confused with Blockbusters (U.S. game show).
  The team in control is given four big blocks (one for each team member). Each one is branded with words that are parts of movie titles. Jane gives a clue to a movie titles, then the team has to turn their blocks over to show the correct words and then rearrange themselves to make the title correct. They have 90 seconds. Two points for each correct title with a five point bonus awarded to the team who gets all six faster than the other.
• Block of Fame: The team in control is given four big blocks. Each one is branded with picture parts of six famous celebrities. Jane would give a clue to one of those stars. Then the controlling team tries to arrange the blocks in such a way so that the full picture of the star in question is revealed. They have two minutes. Two points for each correct title with a five point bonus awarded to the team who gets all six faster than the other.
• No Harm, No Vowel: A movie title is shown with its vowels deleted. The players' job is to guess what the title is. Along the way, Jane will announce how many words are in there, where the vowels go and finally give clues.

Celebrity Name Game (Bonus Round)

In the bonus round, "Celebrity Name Game", the winning contestant chooses one of the six celebrities as their partner. The chosen celebrity begins describing a different celebrity as best they can, and for every celebrity the winning contestant identifies correctly, the contestant earns $1,000, and the celebrity receives $1,000 for his or her charity. If the contestant guesses 10 celebrities correctly within 90 seconds, the contestant's winnings are increased to $25,000 and the celebrity partner wins $10,000 for his or her charity.

Production

On August 1, 2011, NBC announced that they were developing the series, then under the name Celebrity Game Night. The project's name was changed to Hollywood Game Night when it was ordered to series on December 18, 2012. In February 2013, it was announced that Jane Lynch would host the show.

Created by actor/producer Sean Hayes and producer Todd Milliner, the show was inspired by Hayes’s and Milliner’s real-life cocktail party-style game nights. "Sean Hayes, the creator of the series, has these notorious game nights that are so much fun, that a variety of people go to because he has a lot of interesting people in his life," host Jane Lynch told The Huffington Post. "And he said 'Let's put it on TV,' and NBC said, 'OK!' Before I knew it, I was hosting it, and we rented this mansion that is, ostensibly, mine, and we put couches in there and we got everybody tanked up on booze and we played these games."

On August 20, 2013, NBC renewed Hollywood Game Night for a ten-episode second season that began airing on January 20, 2014. The season has since been extended, with the eleventh episode airing on April 17 and more scheduled. The season includes fifteen new party games as well as some from the previous season.

NBC announced on May 11, 2014 that Hollywood Game Night would return for a third season. As of the middle of October 2014, however, the season-premiere date was not known to have been revealed.

Broadcast

The first season of Hollywood Game Night premiered on July 11, 2013, on NBC. It aired on Thursdays at 10 p.m. and was repeated on Tuesdays at 8 p.m.

The program's second season began with a Christmas episode that aired on December 23, 2013. Regularly scheduled episodes then premiered on January 20, 2014 and aired on Mondays until February 3. The rest of the season's episodes were aired on Thursdays, from February 27 to July 24.

Reception

Hollywood Game Night's ratings were first or tied for first in its timeslot for every episode of season 1. The show received little advance press, but was reviewed positively by the Los Angeles Times.

Awards and nominations

On August 25, 2014, Jane Lynch won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program at the 66th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. On February 14, 2015 the writers of Hollywood Game Night won the Writers Guild of America award in the Quiz and Audience Participation category.

Adaptations

• France: TMC airs Canapé quiz ("Sofa Quiz"), adapted from Hollywood Game Night, since March 2014 hosted by Arnaud Tsamere.
• Greece, Cyprus: Mega Channel airs Celebrity Game Night since March 2014, hosted by Smaragda Karydi.
• Indonesia: RTV airs Celebrity Game Show since November 13, 2014, hosted by Indra Herlambang.
• Thailand: ONE HD Channel airs Celebrity Game Night since August 2014, hosted by Willie McIntosh.

External links

• Official website
• Hollywood Game Night at IMDb
• Template:TV.com show
• Template:TV by the Numbers