Boy, was I excited to read in La Presse that TV5, the network which broadcasts francophone programming from various countries, would be bringing a legendary game show back to Canadian shores!
Since 1988, Questions pour un champion (which became Going For Gold in the UK) has pelted its contestants with questions. The fast-paced, tense game is a classic, which recently celebrated its 5,000th episode. Three rounds progressively eliminate players until only the champ is left standing:
1) "Nine to win" - Questions are asked on various topics, ranging from 1 to 3 points. First player to buzz in and answer correctly gets the points. The first three to reach 9 points move on.
2) "Four in a row" - Each contestant plays separately, choosing one of four categories, then answering rapid-fire questions. The goal is to get four answers in a row; one wrong answer and you go back down to zero. At the end of the round, your score is the maximum number of right answers you gave in a row. The top two players move on to the pressure-filled final round:
3) "Head to head" - players race to reach 12 points, with each question worth from 1 to 4 points, depending on how fast it is answered. The kicker: in each time slice, only one contestant can answer! The trailing player decides whether to "play" (answer during the 4- and 2-point periods) or "pass" (answer during the 3- and 1-point periods). Onscreen, players are separated by a vertical column whose 4-3-2-1 slices cleverly shift slightly, once "play" or "pass" is chosen, towards their eligible player. When time starts and the host begins reading the answer's lonngg description, color drains out of the slices (think of an old-style thermometer) and players watch that clock with an eagle eye!
An incorrect answer slides the slice over to your opponent, who can answer during your leftover time and pick up the points, before their own 1-point-less slice begins. Typically, if you have no clue, you'll want to buzz in a guess *just* before your slice runs out, to take a chance at snatching the points before your next turn, 2 points later.
This is a
great format! No wonder the show has lasted so long! And now, TV5 is bringing it back!
Not only that, but during the summer, they're still running La Cible [The target], the superb game show where a rotating camera randomly stops on players who have 3 seconds to give a new answer to the open-ended question! Nice, high-tech show with a good format, appealing graphic design and a good, tough timed bonus game.
La cible and QP1C will air back-to-back, making it a must-see hour of television game show heaven. Ryan, that means you! B^) I'm especially glad because I only became aware of QP1C
after TV5 had taken it off the air, grrr! I can't wait.
Starting July 3:
La Cible - weekdays at 5:30 PM on TV5.
Questions Pour Un Champion - weekday sat 6:00 PM on TV5.
Finally, here are some
links for your ocular pleasure:
Watch the
Head To Head final round - it looks great! (This was the winning question on one of their many themed weeks, this one featuring QP1C "clubs" battling it out. France has a tradition of such game-show clubs.)
A picture of the
2003 set. (The show is dynamic -- each round is played in a different area of the set.)
Screen shots of the "Four in a row" and "Nine to win".
More gorgeous photos, this time from a show whose host "punks" various shows, events, and celebrities.
