Stevecorp
Don't listen to the negative reviews
Humaira Grant
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Isbel
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
OllieSuave-007
This was an exciting and educational game show I used to watch when I was a kid - a fun one where two-member teams of children compete to answer questions and complete stunts, with the winning team going through the "Fun House" to collect as many tags, which each represent prizes, as they can.Lots of exciting stuff to see here, from answering educational questions to passing through obstacles and messy stunts - all in a race to beat the clock and become the winner at the end. The adrenaline continues on with the prize hunting, which serves up another wild round of excitement.J.D. Roth does a great job hosting, keeping the show energized and displaying a professional yet cheerful demeanor with the kid contestants. Good show for the entire family.Grade A
bluezgirl5
My husband was on this show when he was in Jr. High. He said he had a blast, and out of the people he met, JD Roth was the nicest and most down to earth. To the person who said he was a bad host for catching the kids off guard: everything was scripted. They have a dry run of everything BEFORE the taping, including every question asked, so kids were never caught "off guard" on camera, simply stage fright.He said that the cheerleaders were a lot older than they appear but wore a ton of makeup, everyone was nice, and that everyone was short too. His episode was one of the most replayed because the kids that he was supposed to play didn't show, so the producers kids stood in. Also, the game was decided by 15 points, or one "token" so it was a great, close episode.I saw the recording on it and remember the old commercials. The best was a commercial with a young, pre-fame, Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Overall he had a great time, and even though they lost he got free BK Knights shoes, Gitano Jeans, a free copy of the board game (that he still has!) and memories for a lifetime. Great, fun show for kids.
DennyLBerg
The late 80s saw a boom in children's game shows due to the success Nickelodeon had with _"Double Dare" (1986)_ (qv) in 1986. "Fun House," contrary to popular assumption, was not an attempt to "rip-off" _"Double Dare" (1986)_ (qv), "Fun House" is based on the fun houses at state fairs and carnivals and was tested in malls before a pilot was shot."Fun House" took kids into a different world. The stunts they used were big and usually very messy. The Grand Prix Race around the studio was also very good, and the bonus round may be the best in the entire genre of game shows.Host J.D. Roth was terrific. He was more like the older brother helping his younger siblings get into mischiff. The announcer, "Tiny" (John Hurley), had a bigger role than most TV announcers. He was on camera just about every show, often times helping along with stunts, etc. The cheerleaders (Jackie & Sammi) also helped out with the stunts, as well as introduced the contestants. And the theme music is FANTASTIC.When the show moved out of syndication and onto FOX in September 1990, huge changes were put in place. Tiny was gone, replaced with rapper M.C. Mike (Michael Chambers). The set was transformed from a carnival atmosphere, to a ghetto, and the theme music was changed accordingly. Game play was virtually identical, and Roth and the cheerleaders remained intact, but the changes around them made the show BAD.The syndicated version is FAR superior and I score it a perfect 10/10. The FOX version was dreadful and I give it 4/10.
bfrancini
While the show was clearly an attempt to build on the success of Nickelodeon's Double Dare, this syndicated show actually improved on the formula. The stunt and question rounds were paced properly, and some of the stunts were quite creative in nature, including a few (such as "Dumpo"), that developed quite a following among children.Hands down the best part of the show was the Fun House itself, an amazingly elaborate labyrinth of obstacles that, as a child, I found mesmerizing. The show's second season featured a complete revamp of the house to include a water slide and a pool. The Fun House set is considered one of the best game show sets of all time, and the challenges of filming it led to the director of the show winning the Daytime Emmy for Best Game Show Director in 1989.After the show's second season in 1990, the program left syndication and ran on Saturday mornings as Fox's Fun House on Fox. The Fun House was revamped again, featuring all new challenges.Presumably the episodes exist on tape, and while they would be a good fit for Game Show Network or Nick Games and Sports reruns, they have not reaired since last broadcast in 1991.
