Game shows used to flood the dial of my TV back in the 1980s and '90s. And that was when my TV could only pick up eight channels, three depending on the weather.

Back then, almost everything from daytime fare to the occasional prime time bit of airtime starred game show hosts. Their purpose on television was solely to wear smart suits, make sure their teeth reached the optimum level of whiteness and keep the game moving but entertaining.

Now that game shows are making a slow but steady return to television, it seems the traditional role of "host" has turned away from the traditional "game" emcee like Chuck Woolery, Wink Martindale, Bob Barker and Art Fleming and more towards lively hosting personalities from other walks of entertainment life like Drew Carey, Wayne Brady, Howie Mandel and Guy Fieri. Does this mean that the role of the traditional TV game show has gone to that great big "Curtain No. 2" in the sky?

I'm a traditionalist when it comes to game shows. I don't really like anything that's too bizarre or wanders too far from the studio audience/stage/host with a mic/play a game format. So I didn't really like the new GSN show 'Instant Recall,' even if there were a few things that I found amusing.

The concept: host Wink Martindale and his crew stage a phony set-up to con someone into playing a game. This first episode featured two people who thought they were at a "love seminar" and a guy who found himself at a party that turned into an intervention for a woman he'd never met before (Wink and the sexy model are in another room as the con unfolds). So yeah, this is 'Candid Camera' with a twist. When it's time to let the victims off the hook, Wink comes in, introduces himself, and they play the game, which is to see if the contestants can remember what just happened to them.

First, to all of you younger people out there, yes there is someone with the awesome name "Wink Martindale" in the world (he also has a site with the equally awesome name Wink's World). He's hosted a bunch of game shows over the years and now he's going to host another one. The new GSN show 'Instant Recall' starts on March 4.

'Instant Recall' is a hidden camera game show. The contestant has to go through a series of tasks (which we'll see via that hidden camera) and when they are done they have to answer a bunch of questions about what they did to see how good their memories are. I just hope it doesn't have all of that so-called suspenseful lighting and lame commercial breaks like a lot of game shows seem to have now.

Martindale hasn't hosted a game show in over twelve years, so it's going to be good to see him back. If you're not familiar with his work, check out the videos after the jump.

There is an interesting post over at YesButNoButYes on ten infamous game show moments. There are a couple good ones, like the guy who lost on the first question of Millionaire, and a couple classic Family Feud and Newlywed Game answers.

Unfortunately, it's more a good idea for a list than an actual good list, because their definition of "Game Show" is insane. I just don't get the reasoning behind adding moments from The Bachelorette, Big Brother, and Top Chef. Especially when there are so many great moments from actual game shows that could have been added.

Some non-reality show contenders for such a list: From The Price Is Right, recently there was a guy who kept bidding 420 (video after the jump). Going back in the TPIR archive there was the time when a rather buxom woman was so excited to be comin' on down that she didn't realize her boobs had bounced right out of her tube top.

Well, I mentioned it back in October, but in case you forgot, game show host Wink Martindale (who can be seen these days in commercials for Orbitz) recently got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Martindale, who's real first name is Winston, has hosted about fifteen game shows in his lifetime. Having grown up in the 80s, I mostly remember him as the host of The New Tic Tac Dough. His other game shows included High Rollers, Trivial Pursuit, and Gambit. Martindale got his start in radio as a young man in Tennessee, and can still be heard today, hosting the syndicated program "Music of Your Life." So congrats, Wink, you deserve the recognition, and you also have one of the best game show host names ever.