Television series

Password Plus

Password Plus is a word-guessing game show where celebrity-contestant teams decode one-word clues to solve a larger puzzle. Hosted by Allen Ludden with characteristic warmth, it's pure 1970s fun: bright, quick-moving, and built on genuine chemistry between hosts and players. It rewards quick thinking and lateral associations. For anyone who loves word games or game show history.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy quick-fire word games where a single clue can send two strangers down a funny wrong path, and you like watching ordinary people think on their feet against a ticking clock.

Skip it if you want a story that builds, a plot to follow, or any real stakes beyond a game show's brisk rhythm, since every episode resets to the same fast exchange of clues and guesses.

What it asks of you: It asks for a half hour at a time and very little else: quick attention to the clues, no sustained commitment, and a tolerance for the bright, repetitive pace of a daytime-style quiz format.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Password2022

The original Password is the blueprint Password Plus expands on. Allen Ludden's easy charm and the elegant simplicity of the format make it endlessly watchable, and you'll see where the refinements came from.

But Black and white, slower pacing, and the celebrity guests are dated now—some of the banter hasn't aged well.

Password poster

The $100,000 Pyramid2016

Dick Ayers hosts a similar celebrity-contestant partnership game where category clues lead to a bigger puzzle. The same satisfying logic puzzle feel, with great comedic moments between host and players.

But The format is less forgiving; if you miss early clues, the endgame becomes confusing to follow.

The $100,000 Pyramid poster

Tattletales1974

Bert Convy hosts couples competing based on how well they know each other's answers. It has the same warm, gossipy energy and fast-paced playfulness as Password Plus, with more unpredictable human moments.

But The couples angle and marital drama can feel intrusive if you're just looking for a clean word game.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Password Plus

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Hollywood Squares1966

Both live or die on the relationship between host, celebrities, and contestants. The game is almost secondary to the chemistry—it's a framework for human comedy.

Tic-tac-toe with celebrities answering trivia in a grid. Peter Marshall's hosting is masterclass, and the comedy comes from the celebrities' personalities, not the game itself. The interplay between host and guests is what makes it sing.

But Some celebrity appearances feel phoned in; dated references and the occasional cringey moment undermine the warmth.

The Hollywood Squares poster
More like this (4)

Match Game2016

Gene Rayburn's irreverent comedy show wrapped around a fill-in-the-blank game. Fast, funny, and packed with celebrity riffing. Pure 70s charm and a looser energy than Password Plus.

But Relies heavily on innuendo and dated references; the humour is uneven and sometimes landing on the wrong side of the era.

Match Game poster

Super Password1984

An expansion that ups the stakes and the celebrity involvement. If you loved Password Plus, this is the natural next step—more money, bigger words, more complex puzzles.

But The higher stakes make it feel slightly more corporate; some of the charm gets lost in the larger production.

Super Password poster

Press Your Luck1983

Peter Tomarken hosts a high-energy game where contestants answer questions and then navigate a game board avoiding the Whammy. Different mechanic entirely, but the same buzz of luck and quick thinking.

But Repetitive after a while; the Whammy animations become grating, and the trivia is sometimes thin.

Press Your Luck poster

High Rollers

Dice-rolling game with celebrity guests. The format is simple enough to follow while cooking dinner, and it has a relaxed, Friday-night-at-a-casino vibe.

But The dice mechanic makes it feel arbitrary; skill counts less, so there's less intellectual satisfaction.

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Cast

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