Author Topic: Estate of Panic (Read 4354 times)

CarbonCpy · « **on:** November 15, 2008, 01:13:53 AM »

First episode on SciFi's rewind.

Basically, it's Finders Keepers for grownups with a little How Much is Enough mixed in, and it's in a haunted house. All the players rush in, grab as much cash as they can where they can find it (hidden in a statue, under a pile of snakes, behind a heating grate, in a box of FRIGGIN SNAKES). The catch is that the last person to leave the room is locked in, eliminating them from the game.

But they can't just rush in, grab a dollar and leave, because the person with the lowest amount out of whoever is left is eliminated as well. Game keeps on through three rounds until one person is left.

That person wins everything that everybody else managed to grab. They also get to raid the vault room and add to it --but there's a couple of catches-- there's a time limit, they're chained up in the middle of the room, and the chain just stops short of the door. If they can't get themselves loose, they can hit a panic button and leave with half their winnings. But if they can't get out before time runs out, they're locked in.

Steve Valentine hosts. We don't really see a whole lot of him in this, but he drops puns about departing contestants with a goofy, b-movie inflection that really fits with this show.

It's got the usual reality show hallmarks (rapid edits; the long, sweeping camera shots that go fast-slow-fast past the estate, so on), but all the same they've got a sound, compelling game, a decent roster of contestants, and enough chrome to make it interesting.

I recommend it.

TLEberle · « **Reply #1 on:** November 15, 2008, 01:31:51 AM »

[quote name=\'CarbonCpy\' post=\'201673\' date=\'Nov 14 2008, 10:13 PM\']Basically, it's Finders Keepers for grownups, and it's in a haunted house. All the players rush in, grab as much cash as they can where they can find it (hidden in a statue, under a pile of snakes, behind a heating grate, in a box of FRIGGIN SNAKES). The catch is that the last person to leave the room is locked in, eliminating them from the game.[/quote] Funny, I had it as Fear Factor meets How Much is Enough and Fort Boyard. But Dif'rent Strokes and all that.

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But they can't just rush in, grab a dollar and leave, because the person with the lowest amount out of whoever is left is eliminated as well. Game keeps on through three rounds until one person is left.

And these twin rules are what makes the game interesting, because after all, if you just dash in, grab a handful of singles and bail, the grand prize is gonna be bus fare home.

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That person wins everything that everybody else managed to grab. They also get to raid the vault room and add to it --but there's a couple of catches-- there's a time limit, they're chained up in the middle of the room, and the chain just stops short of the door. If they can't get themselves loose, they can hit a panic button and leave with half their winnings. But if they can't get out before time runs out, they're locked in.

I thought this was a decent bit, and the Fort Boyard part of the equation. Then I saw that Big Red Bailout Button, and it went from Decent to Friggin' Awesome. The angle of having to find the key to escape, or failing that to find means to extricate yourself from the chains, bolts or floorboards makes it all the more interesting.

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Steve Valentine hosts. We don't really see a whole lot of him in this, but he drops puns about departing contestants with a goofy, b-movie inflection that really fits with this show.

And here's where I fail my saving throw against Pop Culture. I had no idea who the host was until I looked it up. And then I facepalm'd. Awesome, awesome choice.

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I recommend it.

I concur. As reality games go, this is a goody. And more game shows should have dignified English butlers.

Joe Mello · « **Reply #2 on:** November 15, 2008, 01:39:57 AM »

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'201674\' date=\'Nov 15 2008, 01:31 AM\']And here's where I fail my saving throw against Pop Culture.[/quote]
Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds this sentence terribly amusing.

This already had points in its favor for not being one of those asinine movies they always show. From the sound of things, it looks like it's fully legit. Too bad Sci Fi's on the digital tier here.

TLEberle · « **Reply #3 on:** November 15, 2008, 01:59:47 AM »

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'201675\' date=\'Nov 14 2008, 10:39 PM\'][quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'201674\' date=\'Nov 15 2008, 01:31 AM\']And here's where I fail my saving throw against Pop Culture.[/quote]Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds this sentence terribly amusing.[/quote] I'll have you know that my D&D set was one of the old ones where you had 0-9 twice on a twenty-sided die, and you had to crayon in the numbers yourself. And when the numbers wore off, you rolled the onion that was tied to the loop on your belt (as in the style of the time)

Whippersnapper.

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This already had points in its favor for not being one of those asinine movies they always show. From the sound of things, it looks like it's fully legit. Too bad Sci Fi's on the digital tier here.

Praise Gawd for online content: http://www.scifi.com/rewind/?sid=818441&eid=831421

clemon79 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 15, 2008, 04:38:21 AM »

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'201676\' date=\'Nov 14 2008, 10:59 PM\']
I'll have you know that my D&D set was one of the old ones where you had 0-9 twice on a twenty-sided die, and you had to crayon in the numbers yourself.[/quote]
I had (hell, still have, somewhere) crystal dice (I guess that has another meaning these days: back then that was simply what we called translucent dice) that I didn't want to color in. When we needed a d20, we just rolled it with a d6 and added 10 if the d6 came up even.

weaklink75 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 15, 2008, 11:56:01 AM »

Out of the two shows Sci-Fi started this week, this is the one that's staying on my DVR...If they ever want to bring back The Crystal Maze, Steve Valentine should be on the short list for host. He's perfect here.

\I'll catch up on Cha$e through the website- Just so I can see how many contestants Icey ices...

\\Bad Pun, I know.

tvmitch · « **Reply #6 on:** November 15, 2008, 02:17:41 PM »

Thanks for the post on this. I am not much into the SciFi Channel, but I get a kick out of Steve Valentine and this show sounds really great.

There's a repeat of the premiere at 11:30pm EST this Sunday evening (hour long into early Monday morning) for those who want to DVR or tape on a real TV.

/MacBook = no good for long video viewing

MikeK · « **Reply #7 on:** November 15, 2008, 02:34:22 PM »

[quote name=\'weaklink75\' post=\'201703\' date=\'Nov 15 2008, 11:56 AM\']If they ever want to bring back The Crystal Maze, Steve Valentine should be on the ~~short list for~~ host. He's perfect here.[/quote]
Corrected, and I agree with the altered statement.

bwood · « **Reply #8 on:** November 16, 2008, 12:58:01 PM »

If you get the channel "Chiller" (DirecTV 257), there is a rerun at 2pm Eastern today.

It also repeats at 1:06am EST on USA tonight (early Mon morning).

Sodboy13 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 17, 2008, 01:43:41 AM »

It was also on SciFi Sunday at 11:30e, for whatever that's worth. This show is pretty damn addictive - I'm setting the series recording here. And the end game is pitch-perfect. I watched it with my fiancee, and while she was pulling the blanket over her face at the beginning (the snakes did her in,) by the end, she was yelling at the TV for the guy to get out already - as was I. Matt Kunitz and the Wipeout crew have suckered us in again.

After it was over, I asked her, "Would you go into a flooding room of snakes for a shot at $28,000?" "Hell yes!"

Craig Karlberg · « **Reply #10 on:** November 17, 2008, 03:58:43 AM »

Man, that show was really creepy. I don't mind sticking my hands in some worms for a few hundred bucks, but crabs scare the bejesus out of me. A crowbar to free yourself from the chains? Sounds rather primitive when a simple key or less obtrusive unlocking mechanism would've been easier to deal with than a crowbar. But I guess if you're trying to escape the vault before the time release mechanism locked him in there, if that what it takes, so beit.

MikeK · « **Reply #11 on:** November 17, 2008, 05:41:27 PM »

[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' post=\'201802\' date=\'Nov 17 2008, 03:58 AM\']I don't mind sticking my hands in some worms for a few hundred bucks, but crabs scare the bejesus out of me.[/quote]
Agrees.

clemon79 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 17, 2008, 05:54:42 PM »

[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'201846\' date=\'Nov 17 2008, 02:41 PM\']
Agrees.[/quote]
We haven't pulled out this chestnut in a little while.

comicus · « **Reply #13 on:** November 17, 2008, 06:57:07 PM »

I loved it, and I'm someone who simply could not watch Fear Factor. Without the gross-out eating stunts, it's all very compelling. Steve Valentine does a fantastic job as host. Hope this one sticks around.

Cha$e, IMHO, is even better. Figured it was only a matter of time before we got a watered down version of The Running Man on some basic cable channel... anyone remember that similarly-themed ABC pilot that got kicked around for what seemed like a few years? What was that called again?

CarbonCpy · « **Reply #14 on:** November 17, 2008, 07:12:31 PM »

[quote name=\'CountdownRound\' post=\'201850\' date=\'Nov 17 2008, 06:57 PM\']
Cha$e, IMHO, is even better. Figured it was only a matter of time before we got a watered down version of The Running Man on some basic cable channel... anyone remember that similarly-themed ABC pilot that got kicked around for what seemed like a few years? What was that called again?
[/quote]

I'm thinking of two shows: "The Runner" --was that the one with Matt Damon producing it?-- and "Catch Me If You Can" --back in... 1996, I think. Supposed to have been an American version of Wanted.