Review: Hot Seat

HOT SEAT
Jim Peck
Broadcast history: ABC Daytime July 12, 1976 - October 22, 1976
Host: Jim Peck
Announcer: Kenny Williams

GAME PLAY
WEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOHH!$200! Two married couples competed. The first couple was introduced and one member of the team was hooked to a lie detector. Jim asked a question to the player standing outside of the booth with two choices for an answer. After an answer was chosen, Jim re-read the choices for the player hooked up and asked them to say something to the tune of "No, I would not." The lie detector would show how much of a lie that statement was. If the responses agreed with the choice of the first player they got $100. The second question was for $200, and the last for $400. A second couple was then brought out.

It's a...MODEL OF A NEW CAR!?! This technique was used previously on 'Gambit' After both pairs played, the highest scoring couple made a decision. They could take $500 or go for a prize package. Whichever they did not chose went to the other couple. If the couple matched on one last question, they kept their money and won the prize package. New couples played each show.


NOTES
The buzzer for an incorrect answer was the same as "Family Feud's" strike buzzer at the time.

The pilot had one major difference from the series. The higher-winning couple played a bonus game for a prize. Each team member was put into seclusion from one another. In the pilot, the husband had a special hot seat before a turntable, and the wife saw his reactions in another booth. A prize was shown and the husband had to say "No, I would not like that prize." The rainbow would shoot to the right to indicate how much of a lie that was, like the main game. The wife simply picked, based on these reactions, which prize they wanted. Here now, quoted from the late Randy Amasia, is what happened:

"The first prize revealed was a washer/dryer (or something of intermediate value like that)....The next prize is revealed -- it's a $30,000 sports car! "Would you like that prize?" "No I would not," hubby cringes.

The final prize is revealed - it's a steam iron, complete w/ironing board. Value: $25. Oh yeah, it's being modelled by a shapely blonde in a string bikini giving him a "come hither" look. Jim asks, hubby responds, the rainbow blasts to the far side of the scale.

"Sound on in the booth!," cries Jim. "OK, Mary, all you've seen is his reactions, but it's up to you -- which prize are you and John going home with?" Mary, looking quite befuddled, replies timidly, "Uh, number 3?"

"Uh...honey...uh...come on out and see what you picked..."

Mary goes upstage, sees her brand new iron and ironing board, sees what she could've won, covers her face and screams, "Oh no!""

MY THOUGHTS
Uh...well, first things first, the game isn't very solid. The question values are pretty unfair in respect to the game. But the sudden jump from low, low stakes to high-stakes decisions in the endgame is odd. There are belly laughs to be had at the lie detector. One example would be when Jim asked a man if his relationship would improve with age. When he said no, the rainbow didn't go very far at all.

JAY SAYS...
Cast - 2.0
Game - 1.0
Bells and Whistles - 0.5
Prize - 0.5
Tilt - 1.0

[ 05.0 ]

Decent enough entertainment, but not a very good game show. Would've been better as a gimmick on a talk show or something. The set is verrrry small and the music reminicent of "Gambit" from '72.

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