I've been a game show fan for as long as I can remember. I can recall obscure games from the '70s like 'The Better Sex' and I revel in the classics, from 'Match Game' all the way up to 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire.' So I'll watch any new game show at least once.

All of this is how I explain to myself how I blew two hours watching the first two episodes of NBC's 'Minute to Win It' last night. It's a pretty straightforward game: complete ten physical games, win a million bucks. The games themselves use everyday household items, and variations of them could be found at carnivals, state fairs and church festivals around the country. In fact, there was a game show on for years called 'Beat the Clock' that had a very similar premise.

But 'Minute to Win It' was important. Why? Because of the dark, space-station set and swirling lights. Because of the female British voice that felt vaguely futuristic. In fact, the show felt a lot more like 'Millionaire' than a carnival game. And it was so not necessary.

Conan O'Brien explored his late-night career options during a 'Deal or No Deal' parody with Howie Mandel on last night's 'Tonight Show.'

O'Brien worked his way through a range of steel briefcases in a lightening round of the game show, revealing potential new careers as a "rare albino werewolf' in 'Twilight' and as an Animal Planet host eating bugs off Andy Richter's stomach.

Watch the video after the jump.

Even as a little kid, I remember watching the penultimate episode of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show as Robin Williams launched into an enthusiastic rant about the development of his newborn's genitals. In between battles for control of my ears from my Mom's protective hands, I remember Carson uttering as he tried to gain control of his lungs, "We're out of here tomorrow. What do I care?"

Last night's Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien carried the same air of "Who gives a f#*$&?", even if he'll still have an 11:30 show to do the following night.

In amongst the Jay Leno questions at the NBC executive session, Jeff Gaspin was also asked to confirm that David Hasselhoff was indeed leaving America's Got Talent. Gaspin confirmed this, and he also gave this bit of news: Howie Mandel will replace him as a judge. This news has been floating around for a day or so, so this is confirmation from the big cheese himself.

Mandel, of course, is best known nowadays for hosting Deal or No Deal. That show, according to Gaspin, will continue in syndication, but there are no plans to bring back the primetime version anytime soon.

If you're anything like me (first of all, God help you), then you've noticed that The Jay Leno Show is slowly starting to morph into the old Tonight Show.

Thankfully, Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel finally put the last nail in The Jay Leno Show's coffin by giving the big faced host his own desk.



[via The Hollywood Reporter]

We must really like our televisions to be filled with crap. After all, as a country we continue to support it with nice, big, juicy ratings. Take NBC's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here debuted with 6.4 million viewers, enough for number one on the night, beating out The Bachelorette. I didn't watch it, but our own Jackie contributed to that number. I got enough of Sanjaya on American Idol thank you very much. Plus, I saw Stephen Baldwin being interviewed for this on Late Night and right there I'd had enough of the whole show.

But not America, apparently. Maybe it was all the hoopla about Heidi and Spencer (The Hills) quitting after like 20 minutes because no one would rub their feet or whatever. Did those horrible promos featuring Sanjaya getting set upon by bees really make you want to watch? Was it the last addition of Frangelina? Mrs. Rod Blagojevich? Or is it the car wreck lookie-loo phenomenon?

Maybe my home town should offer tax incentives to the networks. It's working for Connecticut. Not only did NBC announce that the half-hour syndicated version of Deal or No Deal is returning for a second season with host Howie Mandel, but it will be relocating and filming in Connecticut.

I guess with a game show it doesn't matter where you film since it's the same set all the time, but are there as many incredibly gorgeous chicks in Connecticut as there are in California? Isn't Cali where they all go to see their dreams of being an actress reduced to standing on a stage next to a briefcase?

As far as we can tell, here are the responsibilities for hosting Deal Or No Deal:

1. Repeat the painfully obvious rules of the game over and over and over.

2. Loudly announce the names of pretty ladies holding suitcases.

3. Pretend that a game requiring absolutely no skills whatsoever requires skills when choosing numbers in a logically devoid random order.

4. Convince fully-grown adults that you're not pretend-talking on the phone to a villainous, money-hungry banker.

5. Never ever touch the palm of another human being.

'Lipstick Jungle'
(9PM, NBC)
In the penultimate episode of the show's second -- and potentially final -- season, designer Victory tries to come up with the perfect way to propose to Joe.

But her pals are in less romantic states, as Wendy finds out that hubby Shane is still considering going on tour with pop star Natasha Bedingfield (who guests), which would put a cramp in Wendy's personal and professional lives.

Nico, meanwhile, is still planning parenthood for her future, but her quest may be derailed by her ongoing struggle to get recognition at work and by her growing friendship with the boss -- very handsome boss -- Griffin.

'Deal or No Deal'
(8PM, NBC)
Some people dream of a white Christmas, others dream of a green Christmas, as in one million pieces of green legal tender.

Tonight's special holiday-themed installment of 'Deal' offers the chance at that big prize for two families: Californian James Calhoun and Purple Heart war hero Matt Zedwick. Both have big plans for the money, including Calhoun's intentions to give his baker's dozen the Christmas of their dreams and Zedwick's promise to buy his new wife a house.

As if that weren't enough to help spread Christmas cheer, the 'Deal' studio audience is also lavished with a plethora of goodies, while home viewers get a chance to play 'Beat the Banker' and win $50,000.

What the...? Deal or No Deal has 200 episodes under its belt? It seems like only two years, 10 months and 46 days since the show premiered on NBC. Never in the history of game shows has a simple concept like that of Deal been stretched and bent in order to keep the format fresh. There were two-hour episodes, audience participation episodes, episodes that focused around the contestant. and episodes featuring naked briefcase models. All right, the last one is a fantasy of mine. However, should the executives at Endemol be listening...

For the 200th episode, which preempts Chuck tonight at 8 p.m., Deal will be offering another variation of the game. Four lucky contestants will get the chance to take the Banker's challenge or find the million dollar briefcase in a series of speed rounds. Normally, contestants have a pretty big window to determine if they want to take the offer from the Banker -- the whole concept of the game. This episode they will only have a mere 20 seconds to make the decision.

'Saturday Night Live Presidential Bash 2008'
(9PM, NBC)
Is it as important as tomorrow night's election coverage? Duh. But it's undoubtedly more fun, as the Not Ready for Primetime Players unspool two hours of very primetime-worthy political skits.

Recent sketches (Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton, Fred Armisen as Barack Obama and, of course, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin) and clips from the 'SNL' vaults -- Chevy Chase as a bumbling Gerald Ford and Will Ferrell's numb-skulled Dubya, for example -- pepper the election eve special.

And there will be some new surprises from the show that's been the go-to series for political satire this season. We'll just be happy to see Poehler's 'Palin Rap' again.

'My Super Sweet 16: Exiled'
(10:30PM, MTV) series premiere
Today's secret word: Schadenfreude! Who can blame anyone for taking a bit of pleasure in the discomfort of the 'Exiled' stars, who were plucked from MTV's My Super Sweet 16' and sent off for a reality (TV) check.

Yep, their six-figure soirees are a thing of the past, as their fed-up 'rents send them to live with the locals in Amazon jungles, the frosty Arctic Circle and the most remote islands of the South Pacific -- sans their designer duds and swanky cars.

How will self-proclaimed "divo" Bjorn, pampered princess Amanda and Gnarls Barkley offspring Sierra react? Like the spoiled kiddies they are ...

The Price is Right ... Hollywood Squares ... Family Feud ... see where they rank on our list.

Come on down ... you're the next reader of AOL TV's Top 20 Game Show countdown, our list of the finest tube efforts to have contestants name that tune, make a love connection and guess if the price is right.

Did your favorite game show make the cut?

Survey says: Keep reading to find out.

A day hasn't gone by where we haven't received some sort of tip or email asking us, the TV Squad, how to get on [insert reality show here]. Unfortunately no, Simon Cowell does not work for us, and Donald Trump isn't my BFF, so we really can't help all that much.

The folks at RealityWanted.com often send us a list of new and existing reality shows that are looking for new, er, talent, and they've given us permission to make mention of them here. We'll try to make this a regular feature as often as we get a new list.

This time we have America's Next Top Model, Don't Forget the Lyrics and a lot of new shows.