Networks Winter Schedules Light on Game Shows

With the holidays right around the corner, the networks have released their holiday schedules as well as their plans for winter and early spring. As excepted, there's several game shows getting holidays specials, but overall, the networks winter schedules were very light on game shows. This comes as a bit of a surprise given how many game shows some of the networks have ready to go. 

We will start with ABC and their holiday plans. First, ABC kicks off the holiday season with the tenth season of its Christmas staple, The Great Christmas Light Fight on Monday November 28th, The show returns to its regular Monday timeslot with back to back episodes beginning at 8/7c. The show will run for three straight weeks and a total of six episodes.

As previously reported, ABC has a some holiday specials planned and those will bow on Tuesday December 6th. Holiday episodes of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, Press Your Luck and The $100,000 Pyramid will air back to back to back on December 6th. 

As for their winter schedule, The Chase returns on Thursday January 5th at 10/9c. This will fill the gap until their Thursday dramas return and is the second half of the third season. Season 3 has averaged just a 0.32 demo and 2.229 million viewers. It has fallen to one of the lowest rated ABC game shows, so we shall see if this is the last run. Elsewhere, Celebrity Jeopardy will move to Thursdays at 8/7c in the new year to finish out it's season. 

FOX is a bit more expected, as the third season of Name That Tune bows on Wednesday January 11th at 8/7c. It appears to again be filled with celebrity contestants. FOX has no other game shows ready or on the docket for the winter, although industry sources indicate that Beat Shazam and Don't Forget the Lyrics should both be back this summer. 

Over at NBC, it's a few surprises once again. Both The Wall (December 1st)  and That's My Jam (December 5th) are getting holiday specials, but other than that, game shows are mainly absent. Season 2 of That's My Jam will premiere March 7th but no word on NBC's remaining game shows.

CBS has yet to released their schedule but except at least one holiday edition of The Price is Right at Night and Let's Make a Deal Primetime. They also have Lingo ready to .

ABC and NBC both have numerous shows missing from their lineups. These shows could fill schedule gaps that have yet to be announced or be held of the summer or later in the spring.