The Newlywed Game

The long-running game show where unpredictable recently married couples (newlyweds) spill their guts (talk about themselves) in order to win a grand prize or a second honeymoon.

Best Known Rules
Four newlyweds (sometimes three) all of whom were married under two years competed each day, and the game was played in two rounds. In each round, one member of each couple (all of the same sex) was isolated while the other members were asked questions about themselves, their hobbies, likes, dislikes, what they do, what they don't do, and maybe reveal a dirty little secret at times. Many of the questions focused on having sex or as familiarly known as "makin' whoopee". When the isolated spouses returned, they were asked the same questions, and the answers given by the first set of spouses were written on blue cards which were all placed flat on their laps or in front of them. Each time a couple matched their answers they earn points; but each time a couple don't match, they get no points and they would usually argue over their answers.

Round 1
The wives were secluded off-stage while the husbands predicted what their wives will say when they come back. Each match was worth 5 points. Three questions were asked this round.

Round 2
The husbands were secluded off-stage while the wives predicted what their husbands will say when they come back. Each match was worth 10 points. Three questions were asked this round, and after the third question, a bonus question was asked, and that question was worth 25 points. The maximum total score was 70 points (achieved on rare occasions).

The couple with the most points won the game and from 1966-1989, they won a grand prize chosen just for them; starting in 1997, the grand prize was always a second honeymoon (a trip).

Prior to the show, each of the day's couples predicted what their final total score would be. Whenever a tie occurred, the tied couples showed their predictions and the couple who was the closest without going over the actual final total won the game. If all of the tied couples' predictions exceed their final total, then the couple who was the closest was declared the winners.

When the show started, the gameplay was slightly different. The wives predicted what their husbands would say in round one, while in round two The husbands wives predicted what their wives would say in round two. Each round had four questions with the final question worth 35 points, for a maximum total of 95 points.

In 1988, the couples no longer played for points, they played for cash. In round one each match was worth $25 (with that amount given at the start), and in round two only two questions were asked with each question worth $50. The bonus question was a betting question, for they could risk any or all of their current money total. A correct match added the wager while an incorrect match deducted the wager. The couple with the most money kept the cash, and won the grand prize.

When Paul Rodriguez took over as host, the old scoring format returned, but the number of couples was reduced to three.

1996-1997 version
When Gary Kroeger took over in Fall 1996 the show was overhauled with a new format.

Round 1
Each spouse was shown a videotape of their mates who gave a statement mostly about their spouse. The tape was paused near the end which gave the spouse in control a chance predict how his/her mate completed the statement. Then the tape played again, and a correct answer earned 10 points. First the husbands tapes were shown & the wives took a guess, then it went the opposite direction.

Round 2
Host Kroeger asked the couples a multiple-choice question in which one half of the couples had given answers in advance, and the other must guess what they chose. Each match again earns 10 points. First the wives predicted what their husbands said, then the process was reversed.

Round 3
In this round before the show, either the wives or the husbands gave some very weird facts about themselves. Host Kroeger gave the facts to the other half of the couple, whom were equipped with heart-shaped signs that say "That's My Wife/Man!" If they recognized that fact, all they had to do was to raise the sign which then lit up and yell out "THAT'S MY WIFE/MAN!" If correct, they win 10 points for their team, but if wrong they lose 10 points for the team. Only the first person to raise the sign can win or lose. Seven facts were played.

Round 4
In this final round of the game, host Kroeger read a series of two choices (ex: Candy or Potato Chips, Rocket Scientist or Space Cadet, Ketchup or Mustard, etc.) and the wives held cards with one of the choices on it. Then the husbands chose one of the two things that most applies to them. Each match earns points, they were seven questions and each question was worth 10 points more than the previous question with the last question worth even more. So 310 points were possible for any couple who answer all seven questions correctly in this round.


 * Question 1 - 10 points
 * Question 2 - 20 points
 * Question 3 - 30 points
 * Question 4 - 40 points
 * Question 5 - 50 points
 * Question 6 - 60 points
 * Question 7 - 100 points

The couple with the most points wins the game and wins a second honeymoon trip.

This format was mostly disliked by fans of the original show so the next year they switched it back to its original format and theme with original host Bob Eubanks back at the helm.

2009-current Version
The current version with new host Carnie Wilson and sponsored by eHarmony.com was exactly the same as the classic format except three couples played the game, and a new bonus game was added featuring couples from the previous versions now dubbed "Goldyweds". Other differences were that the wives predicted first, and the husbands predicted second. The final question of the game was dubbed the eHarmony.com Compatibility Dimension Question; it wasn't played on shows where the couples that day met through eHarmony.com.

Each round had three questions with the round one questions worth 5 points, the first two round two questions are worth 10 points, and the final question is worth 20 points, for maximum total of 55 points (achieved on a few occasions).

The couple with the most points won the game, a second honeymoon, and the right to play the bonus round. The losing couples won constellation prizes.

In the bonus round, the winning "Newlyweds" faced-off against the "Goldyweds". To start, the wives were asked five questions during the final commercial break. When the break was done, the husbands were asked those same questions while standing in front of the stage with their wives sitting in chairs in back with cards on their laps. Each question is worth an increasing point value starting with 1 and ending with 5. The couple with the most points won a bonus prize.

If there's a tie at the end of the main game and/or bonus round, the classic Newlywed Game tie-breaker came into effect.

Second Season Changes
Though most of the format remained the same, there were a few changes to the show:


 * The Goldywed Game bonus round was eliminated. However, there are shows in which the Goldyweds played the game themselves for a second honeymoon for their own.
 * Process went back the way it was (husbands predicted first, and wives went second).
 * The eHarmony Compatibility Dimension Question was no longer the last question of the game, plus it's score was the same as the first two questions of the 2nd round. The sponsor was dropped after season two.
 * The real final question was a two-part question where each match is worth 15 points; so there will be a possibility of adding 30 points to any couple's score.
 * With those changes, the new maximum total score is 75 points.
 * "Celebrity" couples play on occasion, with the winning team's charity winning $10,000.

Despite what many people think, not all couples' marriages ended in divorce. Several Newlywed Game couples (even the ones who lost) continued being together after their tapings.

Announcers
Johnny Jacobs (1966-1980)

Tony McClay (1980)

Rod Roddy (1984)

Bob Hilton (1985-1987)

Charlie O'Donnell (1988-1989)

Ellen K. (1996-1997)

John Cramer (1997-1999)

Brad Sherwood (2009 1st season)

Randy West (2009 2nd season)

Music
1966-1980 - Lee Ringuette, Lyn Barris, Frank Jaffe

1984-1988 - Milton DeLugg

1988-1989 - "The Book of Love" by The Monotones

1996-1997 - Jim Latham

1997-1999 - Steve Kaplan, Barry Coffing, John Blaylock

2009-present - Lewis Flynn

Inventors
Nick Nicholson & Roger Muir

Similar Shows

 * The Family Game/I Can't Believe You Said That!
 * He Said She Said/TattleTales
 * 3's A Crowd/All New 3's a Crowd
 * Perfect Match (2)
 * I'm Telling!
 * Burt Luddin's Love Buffet
 * Who Knows You Best?
 * Teammates

Taglines
"Thanks to all of our couples, and thanks to you; I'm Bob Eubanks. We'll see you next time; goodbye for now!" - Bob Eubanks (1977-80).

"Remember, you don't have to be a Newlywed to act like one." - Jim Lange & Bob Eubanks (1984-1985).

"Hey, we'll be back next time with three new couples who will be competing for that second honeymoon. And for more Newlywed fun, go to gsn.com/newlywed. Thank you & Good Night!" - Carnie Wilson (1st season)

Links
Rules for The Newlywed Game @ Loogslair.net

Mike's Classic TV Games Site: The Newlywed Game

Official Site of GSN's Newlywed Game

YouTube Links
Here are some YouTube videos of one couple who played The Newlywed Game and lived together & stayed together to tell about it.

Video #1

Video #2

Video #3