Celebrating G4 Part 9: Game On

Remembering G4 returns in a new rebrand!

Might as well get this one over with as soon as humanly possible.

So as you can tell from the title, I have done some rebranding of my own with this series. With the return of G4 getting closer and closer, I figured “why remember G4 as if it were dead in the ground when in reality it’s going to have been back by this point next year?” So with this series winding down, I figured I’d go through the shows that weren’t really remembered fondly or at all in some cases. So, without any further adieu, let’s get to Game On. The first series on G4 to get canceled.

Game On was hosted by Matt Gallant and Randy Kagan and the premise was very simple. Matt and Randy would each have a team for whatever fits the theme of the episode and if Randy or Matt lost, one of them would have to suffer an embarrassing consequence as a result. In the G4 Demo Reel, one such punishment has Matt dressed up as an 80s rocker while Randy shouts on a boardwalk “oh my god it’s Steven Tyler!”.

In the above episode, the loser must do a Game On calendar with some “uncomfortable” clothes. While shows such as Cinematech, Blister, Portal, and G4TV.com didn’t push the envelope in terms of risque content and PG-13 rated content; Game On did. The fascinating thing about Game On is that despite having about fourteen episodes made, only a handful are still in existence. A G4 group I am in on Facebook (that is wonderful, by the way), mentions how in reality there may be anywhere from two to four episodes that have survived despite them airing in 2002 and not 1963.

The show as I mentioned, was the first G4 series to have the unfortunate honor of being canceled due to series creator and producer Don Handfield wanting to go into filmmaking. Matt Gallant would end up hosting shows on various channels such as The List, The Planet’s Funniest Animals, and more. Randy would continue his comedy career and establishing a YouTube channel focused on comedy.

I recently ran across a video talking about one of the other G4 shows, Arena that focused on the beef between Jim Downs and hosts Wil Wheaton and Travis Oates. I will link it here as I did not want to shift the narrative of Remembering G4.

For the previous edition of Remembering G4 part 8 focusing on Filter, you can find that here, and the special episode of Player’s Club focused on what we, (Emmett, Javon, and I) want to see when G4 finally does come back, you can find that here.

If you have memories of this G4 launch series sound off in the comments below or if you have extra information that I didn’t get to, by all means and inform the good people!