Review: The Chair

THE CHAIR
Premiere: January 15, 2002
Host: John McEnroe
Airtime: [Cancelled]

GAME PLAY
One player enters "The Chair". They start with a "red line" amount which is 60% more than their resting rate. So a person with a 100 resting rate would have an initial red line of 160. (UPDATE: The starting rate has since been upped to 70%) The player is started with $5,000. A question with four choices is asked for another $5,000. As long as their heart rate remains below or equal to the red line rate, they can answer the question. A right answer earns the money, a wrong answer ends the game. At any time, if they go over the red line, they lose $100 a second. This can only start when McEnroe finishes the question. They can only answer when under the red line and going bankrupt also ends the game. After each question, the red line rate drops 5%.

Also throughout the game are "Heart Stoppers". Events or effects made to lose the contestant money. This includes dropping live alligators and fireworks. If they redline, they keep losing money until they go back under their red line rate.

The whole money tree looks something like this:
$5,000-$10,000-$15,000-$25,000-$40,000-$50,000-$100,000

After the first two questions the losing rate goes to $200 a second. The third question is always a visual question. A series of pictures is shown, and they must recall a specific detail about the pictures. The third question for $25,000 sees the red-line loss go to $300 a second. Then $400, then $500 and lastly at $1,000. After the fourth question the contestant also can "Stabilize". The money they currently have can be protected if they do this. Which means, a wrong answer does not cause them to leave with nothing. However, if they red line under this amount, the Stabilized amount also goes down. (UPDATE: As of 1/29, contestants have been offered to give up $25,000 after the 4th question in exchange for not lowering the red line rate that particular time) As many contestants as time permits are played.

NOTES
During the pre-show test, contestants face such "Heart Stoppers" are explosions, detonating pens and more.

MY THOUGHTS
Much better than "The Chamber". Intriguing game, good money, and McEnroe isn't half bad. The questions are of a good nature, and the visual round tests your memory. I'll watch this over "Chamber" any day.

JAY SAYS...
Cast - 1.0
Game - 1.0
Bells and Whistles - 1.5
Prize - 2.0
Tilt - 1.5

[ 07.0 ]

I originally thought this premise was silly. But, I've been won over, and I think it's good. The funny thing sometimes is to see people brag in the pre-game interview, and then choke on stage.


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