Kumari Shreya
Created by Mark Goodson, ‘Family Feud’ is a reality game show that premiered in 1976 and has since remained a beloved piece of entertainment for many. In each episode, the viewers are introduced to the two participating families who are ready to battle it out in order to win the stated prize. For each question, they must guess the answers that a group of 100 people may have given. The more common the guess, the better it is for the family.
Since 2010, the beloved Steve Harvey has been serving as the show’s host, though he was preceded by Richard Dawson, Ray Combs, Louie Anderson, Richard Karn, and John O’Hurley, all of whom kept the viewers hooked during their own tenures. Given the immense popularity that this particular series enjoys, it is easy to see why people might be curious about its legitimacy as a game. If you are in the same boat, worry not because we have your back!
Is Family Feud Scripted?
No, we do not think that ‘Family Feud’ is scripted. In particular, the results and the winners of any specific episode of something that most agree is not rigged. In fact, it is perhaps its stellar reputation that has allowed the show to remain a fan favorite for well over four decades. That being said, the series does have a set of rules which the participants must follow in order to hopefully take home the victory.
Like most game shows, ‘Family Feud’ has an established structure that must be adhered to, but the outcome of the same is apparently not pre-determined. However, many people have commented that the show does often ignore its rules or tries to balance the scales between the participating teams in order to keep the whole competition more engaging for the viewers. Whether or not this is true has not yet been officially verified. Despite this, almost everyone seems to agree that the ultimate victors are in no way pre-established and are found based on the rules of the game.
One major point in favor of the reality show is the fact that it is filmed in front of a live audience, which adds to the competitiveness and legitimacy of the show. After all, faking any results might just be hard when a plethora of ever-changing public members are present to see just what happens on the stage of ‘Family Feud.’ In such filming conditions, the shyness of many of the contestants also seems genuine, as not everyone is entirely comfortable in front of a crowd.
However, for hosts like Steve Harvey, it is also a major task to control their genuine reactions so some situations. In fact, audience members often seem to love any situation that throws the experienced artist off his game as he tries to grapple with some of the answers that the participants come up with. His genuine bafflement, combined with his innate sense of humor, is perhaps a significant reason why the show has continued to rise in fame under his presence.
Overall, we do not believe that ‘Family Feud’ is scripted. Given its established set of rules and the presence of a live audience, it does seem like the showrunners are more than happy to be as transparent as possible about the whole process. Additionally, it should be noted that most of the participants are members of the general public. In fact, the show is loved for its unscripted and funny moments whenever the game goes slightly off track though the questions and answers within it are also often laughter-inducing.
Read More: Where is Family Feud Filmed?
