officially turning 40 today...

[Superballer]

The former afternoon home base for we game show lovers, USA Network.  And while today's USA's admittedly a mere shell of what it once was, we'll at least always have the firm memories of the decade or so where we could watch all afternoon and never fail to be entertained--and, perhaps, even learn as much as we did in school. 

[dmaingame]

Up through about 1994 or 95, the USA network had the best true variety of programming.  They had everything from the USA Cartoon Express, gameshows on weekday afternoons, sitcom reruns, syndicated dramas, movies (both original made for TV productions and former box office hits like the Star Wars Trilogy, sports including the weekly Tuesday Night Fights program, the US Open, and USFL Football during that league's brief run.  Not to mention Monday Night Raw followed by Quantum Leap.  I miss the pre-mid 90s USA network where on a weekday summer afternoon I could tune in to watch a 5 hour block of game shows followed by MacGyver repeats.  And of course the USA Network news updates at 4pm and promos voiced by Alan Kalter (of the Late Show With David Letterman).  Today's USA just isn't the same.   

[Superballer]

Indeed so.  Classic USA had something for everyone (let's not forget Dance Party U.S.A. in the early evenings before the Cartoon Express, Gene and Liza hosting Calliope Sunday mornings, high quality WWF programming Monday nights and Sunday afternoons, and Night Flight in the evenings).  It's probably fair to say the decline began when the game show block was removed.  But as noted above, we'll always have the memories. 

[JayC]

I have fond memories of classic USA also with the cartoons they used to show and watching reruns of American Gladiators when I didn't have school and the game show reruns in the afternoon. Does anyone else remember their horrible Power Rangers rip-off Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills?

[sideshowPA]

And don't forget USA had a pretty wonderful game show presence back in the 80s (my teen years):
The Jokers Wild, Play the Percentages, Jackpot, Chain Reaction, Liar's Club, Bullseye, Hot Potato...the list goes on!

[Teddy]

It's probably fair to say the decline began when the game show block was removed...

...and GSN began its rise to prominence. USA was a truly great channel with something for everyone!

[dmaingame]

The game show block ending on USA network almost coincided with the launch of Game Show Network in 1995 (when USA live debuted which was a fancy label for repeats of The People's Court with interactive segments going in and out of the commercials (seemingly this was a test to see how "The People's Corner" feature with Harvey Levin would work on future versions of People's Court.  IIRC USA Network didn't drop all the gameshows at once.  They started paring back their game show lineup after the 1992-93 season.  At that point, CBN/The Family Channel began airing a limited block of gameshows including a Wink Martindale hosted Trivial Pursuit.