Don’t Fret: ABC’s Match Game Revival Is Still Super Groovy – See Photos!

The upcoming revival of ABC’s Match Game retains a 1970s vibe that’s so authentic, you might just stumble upon some shag carpeting.

This delightful revelation came via a series of behind-the-scenes photos posted on Threads by actress Constance Zimmer, who is part of the impressive lineup of more than two dozen celebrity panelists for the show, announced earlier this month.

“Exciting news! @matchgameabc is making a comeback this July with the fabulous [Martin Short as host]!!! I had the chance to participate and it was a total blast!!” Zimmer shared in her post.

Martin Short, who is well-known for his role in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, isn’t the only star from the show joining the panel. Several other cast members will also feature in the new season of Match Game.

The set of the previous version of this iconic, fill-in-the-blank game show, which premiered almost nine years ago with 30 Rock‘s Alec Baldwin as host, eschewed the flashy, modern aesthetics typical of the late 1990s game shows like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Instead, it opted for a cozy atmosphere with warm carpeting, wood paneling suitable for a family den, and a slim, handheld microphone reminiscent of the one used by former host Gene Rayburn.

The “revival” set looks almost identical to its predecessor, sporting the same logo and only minor aesthetic adjustments. The status of the iconic slim, handheld microphone, however, is yet to be confirmed.

The Baldwin-led Match Game saw a total of 61 episodes, with the last episode airing in July 2021. Baldwin made news in the autumn of 2021 due to a tragic accident on the set of the movie Rust, where he accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The cancellation of Match Game on ABC, however, was not related to this incident, as reported by Variety in April 2022; the show had not been in production since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

The star-studded panel for this summer’s Match Game revival includes celebrities such as Adam Pally, Amy Sedaris, Ana Gasteyer, Andrea Martin, Anthony Anderson, BD Wong, Beanie Feldstein, Cara Delevingne, Caroline Rhea, Constance Zimmer, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ego Nwodim, Jackie Tohn, Jay Pharoah, Jim Belushi, Joel Kim Booster, Joel McHale, Kal Penn, Kevin Nealon, Lamorne Morris, Pete Holmes, Phoebe Robinson, Randall Park, Selena Gomez, Thomas Lennon, Tituss Burgess, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Von Miller, and Ziwe Fumudoh.

The new season of ABC‘s Match Game is set to premiere on Wednesday, July 23, at 9/8c, with episodes available for streaming the following day on Hulu. Each hour-long episode will feature four contestants vying for a chance to win the rather modest prize of $25,000.