Pictionary is a children's game show based on the board game of the same name, in which two teams of three children competed in a drawing game for prizes. One of the versions was hosted by Brian Robbins, and aired on June 12 to September 8, 1989 with 65 episodes. The show was distributed by MCA TV and produced by Barry & Enright Productions.
The score was kept by "Felicity" (played by Julie Friedman), who turned a knob to pour plastic beads into a container until they reached the amount of the team's score. Felicity left the show for several weeks during the middle of the run, during which time the score was kept by Robbins.
Rules explanations and close calls were handled by a bald, mustachioed judge nicknamed "Judge Mental" (played by former pro arm wrestler Rick Zumwalt) who sat in a mock-up judge's bench atop the scoring device, and would always be booed by the audience upon his introduction.
The team in control had 60 seconds to draw as many pictures on a telestrator for his/her teammates as possible. Players alternated turns at drawing, and could only draw for 20 seconds on any one picture. After the 60 seconds ended, the opposing team had a chance to play. The team with the most pictures guessed at the end of the round received ten points. In case of a tie, both teams received 10 points.
In round two, seven picture drawings were all clues to a puzzle. One member of one team drew for the entire 60 seconds. If the team solved the puzzle after the 60 seconds, they scored 10 points; otherwise the opposing team had 30 seconds to draw more clues and finally steal the points by guessing the puzzle.
This round was played in a 90-second speed round format. Each team chose a player to draw in the round, but once again only 20 seconds could be spent on draw any one picture. The first team to buzz-in had a chance to answer. If the team was correct, they scored the picture, but a wrong answer gave the opposing team the right to make unlimited guesses for the remaining 20 seconds. The team with most pictures guessed won 30 points. If there is a tie at the end of the round, both teams gets 30 points.
Near the end of the run, guest stars from children's entertainment took over drawing duties during this round, and all three members of each team attempted to guess the pictures.