Pyramid (Australian game show)

Pyramid is an Australian children's quiz show screening on the Nine Network hosted by Shura Taft. It is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television (the owner of the franchise) and Sydney-based SLR Productions. It began broadcasting on 1 September 2009 and is filmed in front of a live studio audience. It involves two teams competing in games of "vocal charades". The show is based on the 1979 United States game show The Junior Partner Pyramid, a children's variant of the Sony Pictures Television Pyramid franchise.^[1]

In 2013, the series moved to GO! with a new host, Graham Matters, and a strong focus on education and interactive media, with the release of the Pyramid Digital App.

Gameplay

Like the original 1979 US Junior format and unlike the original 1979 US Junior Partner format, contestants are not paired with their parents to guess seven words within 30 seconds, but with a celebrity instead (similar to the standard game with adults), plus there are two kids instead of just one and only have 30 seconds to guess six answers (as was the case with the 2002-04 Donny Osmond version; the Clark, Cullen, Davidson, Richards, and Strahan versions have seven answers).

Pyramid features a pyramid-shaped game board made up of six wide-screen televisions which reveal words and categories to the players. One player describes words from the category, while a team mate must guess six answers within a 30-second time limit. Players rotate to complete three rounds of six categories, and the team with the most points goes to the Winner's Circle for their chance to win prizes. Similar to the Super Six (Osmond) or Big 7 (Clark) versions, one of the six categories contains a prize. For the team to win this prize, they must guess all six words or phrases within 30 seconds. ^[2]

For every correct guess, five points are awarded to the team. Should the team get all six clues within thirty seconds, the team scores one point for every second remaining on the clock.

Each team consists of two contestants and take turns guessing the words/phrases or giving out clues with a celebrity.

In round 1, the celebrities give out the clues and the contestants guess the word or phrase.

The second round is played like the first round except the celebrities switch teams.

In the third and final round, the contestants provide the clues and the celebrities guess. The trailing team has the advantage of choosing which celebrity they want as their guesser. Also, that team gets first pick on the board.

If after three rounds the scores are tied, the host will read out a set of clues and the first contestant to buzz in and give the correct answer will go to the final round. Should that contestant pass or give an incorrect answer, their opposition will go to the final round instead.

In the bonus round, only the contestants played the game (no celebrities involved). In the first series, was played to the classic Pyramid format, with the answers being collective items (similar to the bonus rounds in the US version) e.g. "Things that are round". In the second series, the answers were similar to the ones played in the earlier rounds.

Celebrity guests were placed into each team. The first celebrities to appear included Paulini Curuenavuli, Emily Seebohm, Lara Davenport, Ky Hurst, James Horwill, Heidi Valkenburg, Jessica Napier, Blair McDonough and Charli Delaney.^[3]

Production

The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television and SLR Productions for the Nine Network. It is filmed in front of a live studio audience in Sydney.^[3] Series one premiered on 1 September 2009 after it was delayed by repeats of The Shak.^[4] Series two first aired on 3 May 2010.^[5]

References