For decades, Family Feud has been a television bright spot. The format makes it a great game to play along with from home, and it's also a low-stakes comfort watch or effective background noise when you need it. But like a lot of other traditional television, changes to the classic competition are starting to rub some long-time viewers the wrong way. Now, some fans are taking to the internet to slam Family Feud—all while offering plenty of helpful criticism along the way.
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Some viewers are sick of Family Feud.
At a time in television when change is the only constant, game shows tend to be one of the few remaining holdouts. Viewers often turn to programs like Jeopardy! or Wheel of Fortune to escape the seemingly endless onslaught of reality shows and competitions that dominate the airwaves. But in a recent Reddit post, one viewer complains that Family Feud has been on a steady decline.
"There is no game show I am more tired and bored of than Steve Harvey [era] Family Feud," the user writes. "It is the same format EVERY. SINGLE. EPISODE."
They go on to mock Harvey’s trademark tongue-in-cheek hosting style, saying he usually warns that he’s "got something good for ya" before asking the first two questions—which are then often loaded with sexual innuendo or something else vulgar. They bemoan that he then "mugs for the camera, telling some joke, and acting like he’s doing one of his stand-up shows."
Gameplay has also suffered recently.
The Redditor complains that even interactions with contestants have gone stale. They say Harvey typically asks the same questions before the families play up to his level for the camera. What’s even worse is that a major part of the game has also gone stale.
"Fast money that is still only for $20,000, still only $5 a point if you don't win, and way too many 'on a scale of 1-10' questions," they argue.
"I got tired of Wheel of Fortune after a while, but that at least has some variety with the puzzles and where a wheel can land," the Redditor says. "Family Feud is just so boring and played out. If I never saw another episode of it again, I'd be perfectly happy."
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Other fans agree with the criticism.
Unfortunately, Harvey’s antics appear to be a common gripe. Other viewers chimed in to support the claim, often citing the host and other problems with the latest era of the show.
"It got played out several years ago. But they’ll continue it as long as it has a sizable audience," one commenter agreed.
Another wrote: "I think Harvey is currently the shows' longest-running host, and it doesn't seem like he's slowing down anytime soon. Everything is now to make it to YouTube as a clip. The sexual nature of questions and just an unenjoyable show is why I stopped watching regularly several years ago."
Others yearned for a simpler era of the show, with some suggesting softer questions. Some called Harvey "cheesy," while another said it was the "most unwatchable game show of all time." One simply demanded: "Bring back Richard Karn!"
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Some viewers suggest switching over to different game shows.
Despite all of the criticism, other commenters were quick to point out that this isn’t an isolated issue. One user said that many game shows were suffering a similar fate.
"I feel the same way about [Family Feud] as I do about [The Price is Right]," they wrote. "It does not have the same cache as the old days, [or] the classic years. Quiz shows seem to live on and have better longevity, like Jeopardy!"
Fortunately, some commenters had helpful hints on replacement programming. "Honestly, if you like Family Feud, I'd suggest giving Family Feud Canada a shot," one user suggested. "The host isn't shocked by sex being an answer. I'd say there's a nice variety in the types of questions, some absurd, some just run-of-the-mill stuff."
