600 Chair Game Video
600 Chair Game Video
The Chair was a game show television program that premiered on ABC in January 2002. It was hosted by former tennis champion John McEnroe and directed by Michael A. Simon. Teresa Strasser, a former writer on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and later the newsgirl of the Adam Carolla Show and host of many TLC series, was a writer on the US version.
Before the Show
Contestants on the program underwent extensive medical supervision before they ever made it to the actual game. They were given intelligence tests and had their heart monitored for several hours, among other diagnostic procedures such as seeing how the contestants would react to sudden surprises. If they were declared fit, they would move on to the game.
Game play
Once seated in the Chair, the contestant found him/herself looking up at a large video screen on which McEnroe's image was displayed, as well as the information for the current question. He/she began with a stake of $5,000 and could increase it to a maximum of $250,000 by answering a series of seven multiple-choice questions. However, the contestant's heart rate was continuously measured throughout the game and compared to a "redline" threshold. This value started at 60% (later 70%) above the resting heart rate, and it was lowered by 5% of the resting heart rate after each question.
Money was subtracted from the contestant's total for every second that his/her heart rate exceeded the redline value ("redlining"). In addition, he/she was ineligible to give an answer during this time; only after the heart rate dropped below the threshold could an answer be given. (Redlining between questions carried no penalty.) The third question involved recalling information from a video clip, the fifth was a list, and the seventh involved choosing which event occurred first/last (However, in Stephen Benjamin's game, he was asked a question about animal groups for #7). After the fourth question, McEnroe would make a one-time offer: keep the redline rate constant for the next question, at a cost of $25,000. This was rarely - if ever - accepted.
As long as the contestant had money in the account, and continued to answer questions correctly the game continued. If the money ran out or a question was answered wrongly, the game ended. The question values and penalties for redlining are shown in the table below.
Heartstoppers
At two points during the contestant's campaign, a "heartstopper" event took place. These were designed to raise the heart rate (coming face to face with an alligator, a hive of bees, having McEnroe serve tennis balls at the contestant's head, etc.) If the contestant could endure the event for 15 seconds, the event would end. If he/she went over the redline rate, the event would continue until the heart rate was under control, and he/she would lose money at the rate for the previously answered question.
Stabilize
After answering the $15,000 question correctly (for a potential prize of $35,000), the contestant earned the chance to "stabilize". Once during the rest of the game, he/she could exercise this option after a correct answer; if he/she missed a question, he/she would leave with the money won up to the "stabilize" point. However, if the contestant redlined in the interim and went below the stabilized amount, the stabilized amount would fall and match the current prize amount.
If a contestant could answer all seven questions correctly and keep his/her heart under control for the entire game, the top prize of $250,000 is awarded.
Countermeasure Rule
Contestants were required to stay alert during the game at all times. If a contestant tried to close his/her eyes or perform some other task in an attempt to lower the heart rate, McEnroe gave a warning. Three warnings would end the game. The latter never happened, though one contestant on the US show was warned twice and almost disqualified for the above actions. On the first episode, one contestant closed her eyes for the entire time on the one heartstopper she reached and was not given a warning.
Broadcast history
The Chair lasted for nine episodes on ABC in 2002, but not before two people managed to answer the final question correctly; Chris Mackerer won $224,600 and Steven Benjamin won the maximum $250,000. Just a week before Mackerer's $224,000+ win; another player, Dean Sheffron, saw the last question but redlined away $132,200 after he was unable to get his heart-rate under control.
13 episodes were taped but the remaining four were never aired, despite ABC originally announcing they would air the entire order, but soon changed their minds.
Many episodes were taped post-midnight hours to hurry production in order to compete with Fox's show The Chamber . The latter was also canceled quickly, airing only three episodes.
The Chamber vs. The Chair
The Chair premiered around the same time FOX's torture show The Chamber premiered. Both production companies fought over this, each claiming the other show was a rip-off of theirs. A lawsuit was apparently filed but nothing became of it.
International versions
Arab World
The show aired on Abu Dhabi TVin 2003 the show called الكرسي and hosted by Ibrahim Abu Joudeh. the prize is $10.000
United Kingdom
The show aired on BBC1 from August 31 to November 9, 2002 with a top prize of £50,000; in this version, the first "heartstopper" was played in a different way: a speed round lasting for 45 seconds; each correct answer earned the contestant one extra beat per minute on their redline rate. John McEnroe hosted this version as well.
France
Zone Rouge ("Red Zone") was hosted by Jean-Pierre Foucault (also host of the French Who Wants to be a Millionaire ) adapted and produced by Hervé HUBERT (also producer of the French "Big Deal", "Deal or no deal", "Wheel of fortune", "Price is Right" on TF1 with a top prize of €10,000. France was the only territory were this format encountered a great success. More than 200 shows were aired from January 2003 to april 2005 daily at 6pm.
Russia
Aired on STS with a top prize of руб410,000.
Thailand
เก้าอี้ระทึก ("The Excited Chair") was hosted by Noppon Komarachun, and later John Rattanaweeroj, and aired on BBTV Channel 7 with a top prize of ฿3,000,000.
Japan
TBS aired a version of the show with ¥10,000,000 as the grand prize.
External links
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UK Gameshows Page:
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