| The Chair | |
|---|---|
| Format | Game show |
| Directed by | Michael A. Simon |
| Presented by | John McEnroe |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 13 (4 unaired) |
| Production | |
| Running time | approx. 44-52 Minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ABC |
| Original run | January – March, 2002 |
The Chair is 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.
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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.
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, or while a question was being asked, 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.
| Question | Value | Redline penalty (per second) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5,000 | $100 |
| 2 | $10,000 | $100 |
| 3 | $15,000 | $200 |
| 4 | $25,000 | $300 |
| 5 | $40,000 | $400 |
| 6 | $50,000 | $500 |
| 7 | $100,000 | $1,000 |
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, a large pendulum swinging just over their head, having McEnroe serve tennis balls at the contestant's head, etc.) If the contestant could endure the event for 15 seconds(20 seconds in korea version), 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. in korea version starting timeing of the heartstoppers is up to host who say "start the heartstopeer" and then 20 second countdown begin.
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. in korea version stabilize chance will appear after 3rd question the chairmate(who support the challenger) answer the question about challenger correctly order to stabilize the money collecting first 3 questions
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.
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. In the Korean version, that warning rule only applies in heartstoppers.
The Chair lasted for nine episodes on ABC in 2002, but not before two people managed to answer the final question correctly; Kris 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 a massive $132,200 and lost it all 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 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 filed, but nothing became of it.
| Country | Name | Host | Channel | Prize | First year aired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arab World | الكرسي El Kursi |
Ibrahim Abu Joudeh | Abu Dhabi TV | US$10.000 | 2003 |
| France | Zone Rouge | Jean-Pierre Foucault | TF1 | €30,000 | January 2003-April 2005 |
| Japan | ザ・チェアー The Chair |
Masanori Hamada | TBS | ¥10,000,000 | May 25- September 28, 2005 |
| Mexico | La Silla | Juan Manuel Bernal | TV Azteca | MX$250,000 | 2005 |
| Netherlands | The Chair | TBA | RTL | €100,000 | 2012 |
| Russia | Кресло Kreslo |
Fyodor Bondarchuk | STS | 410,000руб | November 15, 2002 - August 28, 2004 |
| South Korea | The Chair Korea | Lee Jung | KBS Joy | W20.000.000 | December 14, 2011 |
| Thailand | เก้าอี้ระทึก | Noppon Komarachun John Rattanaweeroj |
BBTV Channel 7 | ฿3,000,000 | |
| United Kingdom | The Chair | John McEnroe | BBC One | £50,000 | August 31, 2002-November 9, 2002 |
| Vietnam | CHUTICH | UNKNOWN | VTV3 | ₫500,000,000 | 2005 |