Television history is littered with shows that everyone remembers and shows that absolutely nobody talks about anymore. Then there's the 1980s game show It Takes Two. It sits in that weird, nostalgic middle ground. If you grew up in the eighties, you probably have a vague memory of the neon-soaked set or the bouncy theme music.
It wasn't just another game show. Hosted by the legendary Richard Simmons—yes, that Richard Simmons—the show was a frenetic, often hilarious exploration of how well couples actually knew each other. Or, more accurately, how poorly they did.
The Chaos of the It Takes Two Format
The premise was simple. Actually, it was basically the Newlywed Game on a sugar high. Two teams of couples competed. One half of the couple would stay on stage while the other was whisked away into a soundproof booth. Simmons would ask a question, and the partner on stage had to guess what their significant other would say.
It sounds standard. It sounds safe. It wasn't.
What made It Takes Two stand out was the energy. Richard Simmons didn't just stand behind a podium like Bob Barker or Pat Sajak. He was everywhere. He was hugging contestants. He was jumping. He was making self-deprecating jokes about his own hair or his weight loss journey. Honestly, the show was a vehicle for his specific brand of manic positivity as much as it was a competition.
The scoring system used a "sliding scale" of sorts. If you got an answer right, you earned points, but the real meat of the game happened in the "Bonus Round." This is where the tension peaked.
Why Richard Simmons Was the Secret Sauce
People forget that before he was the "Sweatin' to the Oldies" guy, Simmons was a legitimate talk show and variety star. He had this uncanny ability to make people feel comfortable enough to reveal things they probably shouldn't have on national television.
He’d lean in close. He’d look a husband in the eye and ask something like, "Now, honestly, what does your wife think is your most annoying habit in the kitchen?"
The husband would say "Leaving the cabinets open," and then the wife would come out and say "Chewing with his mouth open like a barn animal." The look of betrayal on the husband's face? That was the gold. That was why people tuned in.
A Product of its Time: The 1982 Production Style
The show premiered in 1982. You can see it in every frame. The lighting was that specific kind of over-saturated brightness that defined early 80s syndication. The set was a mix of chrome, plexiglass, and primary colors.
Music was provided by a live band, or at least it sounded like it. Everything felt tactile. No digital screens. No high-definition touchpads. Just physical cards and a ticking clock that sounded like a bomb was about to go off.
It was produced by Merrill Heatter, a name that game show nerds will recognize instantly. Heatter was the mind behind High Rollers and Gambit. He knew how to pace a show. He knew that the audience didn't care about the rules as much as they cared about the human drama.
The Celebrity Factor
Every so often, It Takes Two would throw a curveball by bringing in celebrity couples. This was the era where "celebrity" meant something slightly different. You’d get stars from soaps like General Hospital or character actors from sitcoms that have long since been canceled.
Seeing a "glamorous" TV star argue with their spouse over who forgot to take the trash out was a precursor to the reality TV boom of the 2000s. We think of The Kardashians or The Real Housewives as new inventions, but the seeds were planted right here.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Show
There is a common misconception that It Takes Two was just a clone of the Newlywed Game. While the mechanics were similar, the vibe was fundamentally different.
The Newlywed Game was often mean-spirited. Host Bob Eubanks would frequently lead contestants into saying things that felt like they would lead to a divorce by the time the credits rolled. There was a smugness to it.
It Takes Two felt more like a party.
If a couple missed an answer, Simmons would often console them with a hug or a joke. He wanted them to win. He was the ultimate cheerleader. This changed the stakes. Instead of watching for the "gotcha" moments, you were watching for the "oh, they're actually a cute couple" moments.
It was wholesome. Sorta.
The Short Life of a Cult Classic
The show didn't last forever. In fact, it only ran for one season in syndication from 1982 to 1983. Why did it fail? It’s hard to say. The market was flooded with game shows at the time. You had Press Your Luck, The Price is Right, and Wheel of Fortune all vying for those specific time slots.
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There was also the Richard Simmons factor. As much as he was loved, he was also polarizing. His high energy could be exhausting for a 4:30 PM audience trying to unwind after work.
But its short run is exactly why it has such a strong cult following today. You can’t find many episodes on streaming services. You have to hunt for grainy VHS transfers on YouTube or trade tapes with collectors. It’s a piece of "lost" media that represents a very specific transition point in American culture—where the earnestness of the 70s met the flashy consumerism of the 80s.
How It Influenced Modern Television
Look at any modern relationship-based game show today. Love is Blind, The Ultimatum, or even the comedy panels like 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. They all owe a debt to the format perfected in the early 80s.
They realized that the game doesn't matter. The points are fake. The prizes (usually a set of luggage or a new dinette set) are secondary. What matters is the chemistry.
It Takes Two understood that the "game" was just an excuse to watch two people navigate their relationship in front of a live studio audience. It was early-stage social experimentation disguised as light entertainment.
The Technical Evolution
If you watch an episode now, the pacing feels slow compared to modern TikTok-brain editing. There are long stretches where Simmons just... talks. He listens. He lets a beat land.
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We’ve lost that in modern TV. Everything is a jump cut now. Everything is a sound effect. In the 82-83 season of this show, you got to see the sweat on a contestant's brow. You saw the awkward silence when a wife realized her husband didn't know her favorite color. It was raw.
Final Insights for the Nostalgia Hunter
If you are looking to revisit the show or find out more, here is the reality of the situation.
First, don't expect a Blu-ray box set. It doesn't exist. The rights are likely tangled in a web of production companies that no longer exist. Your best bet is searching for "It Takes Two 1982" on archival sites.
Second, pay attention to the fashion. The hair, the shoulder pads, the polyester—it’s a masterclass in early 80s aesthetic.
Lastly, watch it for Richard Simmons. It is arguably his best work as a host. He was at the height of his powers, completely uninhibited and genuinely joyful. In a world of cynical TV, that’s actually pretty refreshing.
To truly appreciate the show, look for the episodes featuring non-celebrity "regular" folks. That's where the real magic happened. The celebrity episodes are fun, but the genuine confusion of a plumber from Ohio trying to guess his wife's "most used spice" is where the show really hummed.
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Actionable Next Steps
- Search for Archives: Use the Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) to search for "It Takes Two 1982 episodes" to find community-uploaded clips.
- Check Game Show Network (GSN) Schedules: While rare, GSN occasionally does "Black and White" or "Retro" marathons where these short-lived gems pop up.
- Study the Host: If you are a student of media or hosting, watch Richard Simmons' body language. He uses touch and proximity to build instant rapport, a technique still taught in broadcasting schools today.