The Better Sex
Men and women compete in a battle-of-the-sexes game show.
It aired on ABC from July 18, 1977, to January 13, 1978, and featured two hosts, one male and one female, each leading a team of the corresponding sex. The show pitted men against women in a battle-of-the-sexes elimination format.
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 30 minutes
- Location
- The Prospect Studios; Hollywood, California
- Creator
- Mark Goodson; Bill Todman
- Director
- Paul Alter
- Presenter
- Bill Anderson; Sarah Purcell
- Company
- Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions
- Announcer
- Gene Wood
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Game play
Two teams of six men and six women competed in an elimination game. The team in control had one member asked a general-knowledge or survey question, then handed a card containing the correct answer and a bluff answer. The contestant chose which answer to use to try to fool the opposing team. Up to three members of the other team then decided to agree or disagree on the answer, with only two allowed to do so. If the two players judged incorrectly, they were knocked out; if correct, the player offering the answer was knocked out along with a teammate chosen by the opposing team, and that team took control. When a team had two players left and could not agree, the first player could change or keep his or her judgment. The first team to eliminate the other won $1,000 and a chance at $5,000 in the bonus game. In the bonus game, the winning team faced 30 audience members of the opposite sex. Each team member was asked a question and shown only the correct answer, then could use it or bluff. Audience members voted with paddle-shaped electronic devices; those voting wrong or failing to vote were eliminated. If all 30 audience members were knocked out within six questions, the team split $5,000; otherwise, surviving audience members split $500. Teams remained until they lost twice or accrued at least $20,000 in winnings, increased to $30,000 by December 1977.
Broadcast history
ABC's game show "The Better Sex" debuted at noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central, Mountain, and Pacific, taking over the slot from "Second Chance." It competed against CBS's "The Young and the Restless" and, at different times, two NBC game shows: first "Shoot for the Stars," then "To Say the Least." In January 1978, when "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" each expanded from 45 minutes to a full hour, the series was put on hiatus, and "The $20,000 Pyramid" replaced it. ABC canceled the show later that year. In 1998, Game Show Network featured it on an episode of "Faux Pause." Buzzr aired two episodes on September 30, 2018, as part of its "Lost & Found" specials. The pilot and finale circulate among collectors, and three general episodes have been shown on GSN and Buzzr.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created The Better Sex?
The Better Sex was created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman.
How many episodes of The Better Sex are there?
The Better Sex has 136 episodes.
More in Television Series by Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions
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