History Series / TheCheapShow

* {{Zonk}}: The main-game "prizes", typically worth less than $20.

The first team to reach 20 points won the game and moved on to The Semi-Colossal Prize Sweepstakes Finale, in which the couple picked a hole from 1-12 and hoped the show's mascot hamster Oscar scampered into said hole.

* BonusRound: The Semi-Colossal Prize Sweepstakes Finale, where Oscar the Wonder Rodent ran around in a circular area with holes representing actual and legitimate prizes, and the first hole he went into determined what prize would be won. If the couple could correctly guess where he'd go, they'd also win the grand prize of an actual, legitimate new car! [[note]](Granted, it was a Chevy Chevette, one of the cheapest cars of that era...but it was still a legit new car.)[[/note]]

* ConsolationPrize: Some were described between Rounds 1 and 2, and more following the Bonus Round. As with the endgame, these prizes were genuine.

* LuckBasedMission: The bonus game depended on the hamster's brain, not yours.

!!GameShowTropes in use:

* Personnel:
** TheAnnouncer: Charlie O'Donnell, no stranger to the genre that was being mocked (particularly the "cheap" prize descriptions, almost certainly intended to parody his role on ''Series/WheelOfFortune'').
** GameShowHost: Dick Martin.
** LovelyAssistant: Wanda (Janelle Price), a dim-bulb ditz who talked in a very stilted/robotic manner. Oh, and men in drag.
** Oscar, the show's mascot hamster.
** StudioAudience
* PromotionalConsideration: Surprisingly.

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!!This show provides examples of:
* AccidentalMisnaming: One running gag had Dick calling Wanda by some other name - Winda, Zelda, Lila, [[OddNameOut Fillmore]]...
* AffectionateParody: ...Although the "Affectionate" part could be argued against.
* BitingTheHandHumor: Most of Dick's comments, especially his monologue. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], in that the show pretty much asked for it.
* CatchPhrase: "Remember, it's not whether you win or lose — it's how much it costs you!"
* CreditsGag: Such as "Oscar's Wardrobe by MOTHER NATURE".
* HalfHourComedy
* LuckBasedMission: The bonus game depended on the hamster's brain, not yours.
* {{Mascot}}: Oscar, the Wonder Rodent.
* OpeningNarration: Quoted at the top of this page.
* TakeThat: Toward low-budget games and those who ran them.

* AccidentalMisnaming: One running gag had Dick calling Wanda by some other name - Winda, Zelda, Lila, [[OneOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers Fillmore]]...

-->Disclaimer shown before each episode.

GameShow that ran in weekly syndication from 1978-79 with Dick Martin of ''Laugh-In'' fame as emcee. Two couples competed, with Martin asking questions to a thr-oh, sorry, ''two''-celebrity panel. The couple "in control" then picked one of the two celebrity answers; a correct answer awarded you a point (and a [[BlatantLies great prize]] such as [[{{Squick}} Dick's toenail clippings]]) and your opponent got covered in slime, while a wrong answer gave your opponent the point and toenails while your ''spouse'' got covered in slime.

The first couple to reach 20 points won the game and moved on to The Semi-Colossal Prize Sweepstakes Finale, in which the couple picked a hole from 1-12 and hoped the show's mascot hamster Oscar scampered into said hole.

* BonusRound: The Semi-Colossal Prize Sweepstakes Finale, where Oscar the Wonder Rodent ran around in a circular area with holes representing actual and legitimate prizes, and the first hole he went into determined what prize would be won. If the couple could correctly guess where he'd go, they'd also win the grand prize of an actual, legitimate new car! [[note]](Granted, it was a Chevette, one of the cheapest cars of that era...but it was still a legit new car.)[[/note]]
* ConsolationPrize: Some were described between Rounds 1 and 2, and more following the Bonus Round. Again, these prizes were genuine.
* CoveredInGunge: More than likely the first American game show example. If you lost a round, your loved one got something dumped on top of them, or a PieInTheFace.
* GoldenSnitch: The first two questions were worth one point each, while the final question was worth 20 points. 20 points were required to win the game.

** TheAnnouncer: Charlie O'Donnell, no stranger to the genre that was being mocked.

''The Cheap Show'' was a parody of low-budget games, with embarrassingly-cheap "prizes" and the most obvious GoldenSnitch format ever — ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin but better, running for about 39 episodes.

* {{Zonk}}: The main-game "prizes", typically priced at less than $20.

* AccidentalMisnaming: Dick is always calling Wanda by some other name (Winda, Zelda, Lila, [[OneOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers Fillmore]]...).

* WrittenInAbsence: A three-celebrity panel was part of the set, but only two celebs were ever actually present; the third, a person who wouldn't ordinarily appear on a GameShow (such as Henry Ford or Richard Nixon), would always be absent for one reason or another.
-->'''Dick Martin:''' (''after noticing the third seat is empty'') Where's our third celebrity?\\
'''Charlie O'Donnell:''' That's right, Dick. Henry Ford was supposed to be with us tonight, but he said that the change in his pocket added up to more money than we offered to pay him. Back to you, Dick!

* CoveredInGunge: If you lost a round, your loved one got something dumped on top of them, or a PieInTheFace.

''The Cheap Show'' was a parody of low-budget games, with embarrassingly-cheap "prizes" and the most obvious GoldenSnitch format ever — ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin but better, running for about 39 episodes. As an example, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8QRGp6Oqyc here's the fourth episode.]]

* NoBudget: Parodied as the gimmick of the show, then subverted in the BonusRound where actual and legitimately-good prizes were available.