Based on the true story of a couple who appeared on more TV game shows than any other couple in American history.
About TV Dinners
TV Dinners, The Series
A quirky, brilliant-but-unstable playwright and her adoring but financially-challenged husband plunge into crippling debt and their ONLY escape to save their loving family is to win TV game shows again and again. Based on a true story.
The Documentary
He was a history teacher. She was a children's playwright. Together, Bernard and Claire Boiko of Queens, NY were the dead-broke parents of five children. A pair of curiously relatable outsiders, they captured American hearts and saved their family by doing it. Yes! They appeared on TV game shows 28 times over 37 years. From Tic-Tac-Dough (1956), Now You See It, Concentration, Jeopardy!, The Match Game, To Tell the Truth right up to Trivial Pursuit (1993), the Boiko's competed on national television more times than any other couple in American History.
From the National Archives of Game Show History
TV Dinners is based on the true story of Claire and Bernard Boiko. Their 84 pages of historical documents, 25 TV shows and scores of memorabilia are located in the National Archive.
Jeopardy Champ!
Claire was a jeopardy champ.
What critics are saying about the tv dinners pilot
ScreenCraft
"TV Dinners” brings an incredibly nuanced and endearing character-driven period piece that feels epic in scale ... The concept alone carries the story as we have such a unique and compelling premise with the game show aspect to the war and then Alice and Harry’s relationship that will immediately grab a reader’s attention. The tone is consistent throughout as there’s never a moment that feels over the top or contrived. It’s all very grounded and genuine ..."
Roadmap Writers
"The idea of a couple winning game shows over and over again to keep their family afloat is a great idea, and in the streaming era this would absolutely be a TV series of some kind. a great idea for a series a wonderful idea for a biopic. The fact that these two kept going on game shows and gaining and losing their small fortune in the interim is such a great longtime tale to tell... the potential of the premise is so VAST."
2023 Page Awards Judges
"From the outer borough, Section 8 housing where Alice, Harry and their family live, to the shiny world of 1950s live TV studios, it’s clear that quite a lot of research went into creating TV DINNERS. Even if we’re unfamiliar with some of the specifics, an air of authenticity is sure to shine through.
The narrative is illustrated well, and characters are described in engaging ways. This style is consistent throughout the script, and strengthens the script by making it more compelling. The action is specific, allowing the reader to picture it with clarity There are very good characterizations of the children. They are vivid and authentic - embodying the true essence of childish behavior. "