Family Challenge

Family Challenge
Logo of The New Family Challenge (1996-1997).
Presented by	Ray Combs (1995-1996) Michael Burger (1996-1997)
Narrated by	Gene Wood (1995-1996) Charlie Glaize (1996-1997)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	2
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Production company(s)	MTM Enterprises Woody Fraser Productions Maple Palm Productions
Distributor	20th Television
Release
Original network	The Family Channel
Original release	October 2, 1995 – September 7, 1997

Family Challenge is an American game show that aired on The Family Channel from October 2, 1995 to September 7, 1997, lasting for two seasons. Reruns aired on GSN from April 3 to September 25, 1999.

The first season was hosted by Ray Combs, with Gene Wood serving as announcer. Both had formerly served in the same respective roles for Family Feud. Combs took the role in large part because he was deep in debt and needed the money; his financial and some health problems eventually led Combs to commit suicide in 1996, after the first season ended. The second season, rechristened The New Family Challenge, was hosted by Michael Burger and announced by Charlie Glaize. The show was created by comedian Dave Thomas and Woody Fraser and was originally produced as a pilot for ABC Television. Thomas and Fraser were executive producers on the show for its entire run on Family Channel.

Two teams of six family members competed. Each team usually consisted of two adults and four children (commonly the parents' own children, plus nieces and/or nephews). Usually six stunts were played, and each stunt was worth a varying amount of points. The stunts varied in each show; the following are a few stunts used on the show during the first season.

Both the Pie Pendulum and Pie Roulette were previously used on the Nickelodeon game show What Would You Do?, which was also created by Woody Fraser.

At the end of the final event, the team with the most points was the winner. That team won two prizes (such as a new living room group and a ceiling fan), and a trophy called "The Family Challenge Cup".

Besides the new host and announcer, the show was re-titled The New Family Challenge and given a new set. It was taped at Universal Studios Hollywood. The game was played the same as before, except that only four stunts were played. Burger also played games with the audience, filling the time previously used for the fifth and sixth stunt. Each team this season had 5 players, usually 2 adults and 3 children, and the team colors changed every episode whereas in season 1 it was always red team versus blue team.