Game Show Dynamos (2015)

• 75%
• 2015
• Documentary
• Patricia Boiko

Bernard and Claire Boiko won enough money on TV game shows to escape debt and rebuild their lives. From Tic-Tac-Dough in 1956 to Jeopardy in 1967 to Trivial Pursuit in 1993, they competed on national television 28 times -- probably the longest-running record of individual TV game show appearances by husband and wife in the world. Daughter Patricia melds 10 different TV game shows and a snappy soundtrack with vivid motion graphics and vintage footage to paint an intimate portrait of her quirky parents, paradigms of 20th century family life. Yet -- as their poignant romance and ribald experiences reveal the fascinating historical context of their times -- the winning couple also come to be seen as curiously-relatable outsiders to mainstream culture. Themes of love, hardship, and achievement add emotional weight to Bernard's parting words, 'If it's a lucky life, it's mine.' Quick cash and fabulous prizes, the thrill of winning and the lasting joy of this different family make this a wonderful story of dreams unexpectedly fulfilled.