From '80s Japanese game shows to short-lived and shocking attempts at exploitation from the FOX Network, TV has aired some truly wild and wacky stuff for viewers who are willing to sit through it. Game shows aren't always trivia contests on a nicely lit sound stage; they can often be tortuous gauntlets of endurance, offer wicked displays of dexterity or be the most nefarious and tenacious troll attempts a producer can concoct for their contestants to go through.

While some people might immediately think of the daring stunts and disgusting meals shown on "Fear Factor," these TV shows are more geared towards the comical, the absurd, the wondrous and the truly audacious. These are the furthest things you can get from the likes of "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune," and if you're curious about just how low-brow television can be, look no further.

'MXC' (2003-2007)

A fan favorite, this is like two different shows combined into one. The footage is (mostly) from "Takeshi's Castle" straight from Japan, with no English translations anywhere. It was the progenitor of the "large obstacle physical fitness" type of game show, but taken to the extreme with its courses and tone. Then, Spike TV got voice actors and comedians to dub over the footage with their own characters and thus the "Most Extreme Elimination Challenge" was born, and if you can get over some humor that has not aged well, there is a lot of funny stuff here.

'Silent Library' (2009-2011)

Also based on a Japanese variety show, "Silent Library" is the rare MTV product that doesn't have anything to do with music videos or reality competition. It was simply a team of people trying to accomplish tasks that might cause pain or laughter in a library as quietly as they could to win some money. It's a brilliant idea, and as long as you're immune to seeing people get hurt in cringey scenarios, then this is a chill watch because of how quiet it is.

'Banzai' (2001-2003)

Rounding out a trilogy of "possibly racially insensitive game shows that might not have aged well" to start this list, "Banzai" — a British gambling game show that spoofs its Japanese inspirations — fits right in. The show was meant to be bet on, and had bizarre challenges and skits where the viewer had to figure out the outcome. Like many of the shows on this list that originated from other countries, it was recirculated onto American airwaves via FOX, Comedy Central, USA and G4. If you're lucky, you can see episodes with Kelsey Grammar, Angelina Jolie, Bill Murray and Donna Air.

'Don't Forget Your Toothbrush' (2000)

This was a really short-lived show in America, but a bigger deal around the world. The host Mark Curry would get people to do very stupid games for cash or prizes, and members of the audience were asked to bring their toothbrush to tapings.

'Dog Eat Dog' (2002-2003)

A game show that mixed giant feats of strength alongside cunning and ruthless backstabbing, "Dog Eat Dog" was a staple of early 2000s reruns. The large pool that got people wet is probably the most memorable part for anyone just flicking through the channels back in the day.

'Sasuke/American Ninja Warrior' (1997-Present)

The longest running of any show on this list, what we know now as "American Ninja Warrior" was originally a hit in Japan named "Sasuke." But as other countries took on the idea and evolved it, this went from a tiny blip on the radar for anyone with the G4 channel to something NBC still airs to this very day.

'Wipeout' (2008-Present)

A spiritual successor of sorts to the likes of "Takeshi's Castle" and "Ninja Warrior," "Wipeout" is the other most well known spin-off game show involving ridiculously sized obstacle courses designed to make people get hurt in hilarious (and non-violent) ways. It's gone through different hosts, channels, a reboot and now sports John Cena as a host, but the central premise is still the same.

'Holey Moley' (2019-2022)

In the wider "Wipeout" and "Ninja Warriror" family sits this oversized golf game show, hosted by Rob Riggle and Joe Tessitore that also features Steph Curry and The Muppets. Mini-Golf is the perfect sport to turn into a wacky game show, as long as you can screw with the competitors in different and fun ways.

'American Gladiators' (2008)

The original version of this aired in the '80s and '90s, and was a big hit at the time. This rebooted version didn't last as long, but was the inspiration for many of the foam padding-filled contests of agility we now have. They even got NFL quarterback Joe Theismann involved, as well as Hulk Hogan, for all of you Hulkamaniacs out there.

'Hole in the Wall' (2008-2012)

Seeing people wear helmets and attempt something crazy or slightly dangerous is never not appealing, and "Hole in the Wall" is a pure distillation of just that. Contestants wore silver spandex unitards with elbow and knee pads, and they had to make weird shapes with their bodies to clear the moving walls coming their way. If they didn't, they'd get knocked into the water and lose. This seems like a ton of fun, and many members of the Digg staff would love to try this IRL.

'Ultimate Beastmaster' (2017-2018)

Obstacle courses and challenge runs hit streaming back in 2017 when Netflix produced "Ultimate Beastmaster." This is less silly than many of the shows above, with a slightly more serious tone, but still: it's people jumping around, which is always a good time.

'Floor is Lava' (2020-2022)

The childhood game we all played was turned into a real-life game show, albeit with fake lava instead of imaginary lava. Just make sure you don't inspire your kids to try this out at home, because we cannot be held responsible for any injuries that happen.

'The Chamber' (2002)

Last on our list, and least poplar, is this FOX bomb that lasted only three episodes. Six were taped, but it wound up being too controversial to keep going. Contestants were strapped into a torture device where they'd have to answer questions while being subjected to extreme heat, extreme cold or while keeping their blood pressure and heart rate down. They will never air anything like this again, so good luck tracking it down if this YouTube link gets pulled off of the internet. Still, it's a fascinating time capsule into what TV used to be like, back when Joe Rogan hosted TV shows and not podcasts.

If you liked this movie list, you can check out our list of scary movies without jump scares, or our Netflix recommendations.