The Newlywed Game

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The basic premise of the perennial game show "The Newlywed Game" has been copied and imitated many times, but this original show proved to be the one fans loved (or hated) the most. The rules to this 1970s five-day-a-week syndicated series were identical to those in the classic ABC series. Four couples, each married less than two years, answered a series of questions designed to expose how well the spouses knew (or didn't know) each other. The husbands were first to answer the questions while their wives were secluded offstage; many times, the answers involved "whoopie" (a euphemism for "sex"). Matching answers were worth 5 points each, while not matching usually led to high-pitched arguments much to the delight of Eubanks and the audience. The process was repeated with the wives answering a series of questions and the husbands taken backstage, correct answers were worth 10 points. A final bonus question (usually general, answered by the wives) was worth 25 points. The couple with the highest point total at the end of the game won a bonus prize "chosen especially for" them usually a trip, furniture or mode of transportation (other than a car or truck). Reruns of "The Newlywed Game" remains among the highest-rated shows on the Game Show Network.