| Russian Roulette was a game show hosted by Mark L. Walberg (not to be confused with Mark Wahlberg) that ran in two seasons from June 2002 to 2003. It aired on GSN. The Russian Roulette studio consists of a circle with six trapdoors, four of which are occupied by the episode's contestants.
Gameplay
First round
The four players are given $150 at the beginning of the show. One contestant, randomly selected to start the game, is read a
multiple choice question (three choices in the first round, four
thereafter) by the host, and must challenge another contestant to answer correctly. The contestant challenged has ten seconds to
answer. If the challenged does indeed answer correctly, they receive money and are in
control of the next question. In the first season, the contestants received $150 in the first round, $200 in the second, and $300
in the third for each correct answer. In the second season, the third round was played for only $250 a correct answer. After
every question, another "drop zone" is added, incresing the odds that the player will be
eliminated after an incorrect answer. No more than five drop zones can be active in a round. If the challenged is wrong on any
question, he or she gives up all accumulated money to the challenger and must play Russian Roulette.
Playing Russian Roulette
The trap door of the player that answered incorrectly is "unlocked". After the host gives them a chance to say some "last words", they pull a handle in front of their trap door. This triggers the active
drop zones to begin "spinning" around the playfield, much like a roulette wheel or
(more appropriate to the metaphor) the cylinder of a revolver. The number of red
zones depends on the number of drop zones added previously.
When the drop zones are spun after an incorrect answer, if the contestant is not standing in a drop zone when they stop
spinning, he or she is safe; play continues as normal, with another drop zone added if necessary. However, if a player is
standing in a drop zone when they stop spinning, their trap door opens, and drops the player three feet (six feet in season one)
into a room below the set, with thick padding. Contestants are instructed to crouch down and roll when landing so their heads do
not remain above the hole. Only one injury has been reported, a sprained ankle, nevertheless
contestants are required to sign lengthy waivers and release
forms. Should a player "drop out" of the game, the round is over and the next round begins after a commercial break.
After the fifth drop zone has been added and a question asked, or when time runs out in the first two rounds, the winnings of
all remaining contestants are compared. The person with the highest winnings is escorted to the center of the stage, and is safe
from playing Russian Roulette. He or she pulls a handle in the center, which spins one drop zone around the "cylinder" until it
stops on one of the remaining contestants — a successful drop is guaranteed here. This ends the round, with the winnings of
the player that dropped out being equally distributed to the remaining players (including the top winner) for the next round.
In the case of a tie for a round-ending Russian Roulette, the host pulls the lever, and all players are in danger of
dropping.
Second and third rounds
The second round is played similar to the first, albeit with one fewer player. In the third round, since only two players
remain, contestants have the choice to answer the question themselves or pass it to their opponent. A wrong answer forces the
challenged to play Russian Roulette; a right answer gives him or her money and control of the next question. The last person
remaining at the end of the third round will have the chance to play the bonus round.
Bonus round
First season
The contestant is moved to the top-left zone and has one minute to answer five "brain-teaser" questions. These usually consist
of jumbles, math problems, and general knowledge
questions. For every ten seconds, one drop zone opens on the playfield. If time runs out or the contestant gives an incorrect
answer, he or she drops, but receives $500 for every correct answer. Contestants must give their answer by saying "My answer
is..." and the answer. If the player gets all five questions correct, the clock stops and the contestant wins $10,000. He or she
then has the option of forfeiting the $10,000 prize for one final Russian Roulette,
with the number of drop zones unopened. Should the contestant risk his or her winnings and win, the prize increases to $100,000.
No money won in the front game is touched during the bonus round.
Second season
Similar to the first version, but the contestant must answer ten multiple choice questions (with three answers) in one minute
in order to win $10,000. If he fails, he receives an additional $300 for every correct answer. It is no longer necessary to say
"My answer is" before the answer. The contestant once again has the option of risking their money for a final pull.
$100,000 Winners
Three people have won the grand prize on Russian Roulette.
- Al Winchell: 3 drop zones,
$102,150 total winnings
- Todd Truly: 4 drop zones, $102,000
total winnings
- Maria Lay: 5 drop zones, $102,000
total winnings
UK Version
A British version of Russian Roulette was made by Granada
Television and broadcast as a series of irregular "specials" during 2002-3. The British host was Rhona Cameron.
External Links
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