The Chase (Cowellan game show)

*The Chase* is a Cowellan quiz show broadcast on EBN since 2012. Based on the popular British game show *The Chase*, it was an instant hit.

## Gameplay

### Cash Builder and Head-to-Head rounds

Each contestant individually attempts to accumulate money for the team's prize fund through two rounds. In the first round, known as the "Cash Builder", the contestant answers as many questions as they can within one minute, with each correct answer worth 10 000 Kr and no penalty for incorrect answers or passes. After completing the Cash Builder, the contestant enters the "Head-to-Head" round, attempting to move the money down to the bottom of a seven-step board and into the team's prize fund ("home") without being caught by the chaser. The board had eight steps in the first series.

The contestant is given three options by the Chaser at the start of the Head-to-Head round; play for the money earned in the Cash Builder and start three steps down the board (requiring five correct answers to reach home), accept a higher offer and start two steps down, or accept a lower offer and start four steps down. The lower offer can be zero, or even a negative amount if the team has already banked some money. Once the starting position is selected, the host asks a series of multiple-choice questions to the contestant and the Chaser, both of whom individually select one of the three answer options on keypads. After either person locks in a guess, the other must do so within five seconds or be locked out for that turn. A correct answer moves the person who gave it one step down the board, while a miss or lock-out leaves them where they are.

If the contestant successfully reaches home without being caught, they advance to the Final Chase and their money is added to the team's prize fund (or deducted, if they took a negative amount). If the chaser catches up, the contestant is eliminated, and the money is forfeited. If all four contestants are caught by the chaser, they nominate one contestant to play the Final Chase alone.

### Final Chase

The contestants who have won their head-to-head chases blindly select one of two question sets for themselves, with the other set put aside for the Chaser, and then have two minutes to answer as many questions as possible on the buzzer. Any response given by a contestant who has not buzzed-in is automatically ruled wrong; if only one contestant is participating in this round, the buzzer is not used. Every correct answer moves the team one step ahead of the Chaser, and they are given a head start of one step per contestant participating in this round. The contestants may not discuss or confer on any questions during this portion of the round and may pass as often as desired. There is no time limit on individual questions; the host will only ask a new question after someone has either answered or passed on the current one.

The Chaser is then given two minutes to answer questions from the unused set in an attempt to catch the team, moving one step ahead per correct response. If the Chaser passes or misses a question, the clock is briefly stopped and the team are given a chance to discuss it and respond; a correct answer pushes the Chaser back one step, or (from series 3 onwards) moves the team ahead one step if the Chaser is at the starting line. If the Chaser catches the team before the time expires, the prize fund is forfeited, and the contestants receive nothing. During celebrity editions, a consolation 10 000 Kr is donated to each celebrity's chosen charity.

If the Chaser is unable to catch up to the team, the participating contestants split the prize fund equally. If all four contestants are caught in their head-to-head chases and the one they nominate wins the Final Chase, each contestant wins 10 000 Kr.

Originally put out to unenthusiastic ratings, as the show improved *Jahti* became a hit amongst audiences, with ratings up to 750 000 viewers, the highest being 811 200 for a 2020 episode.

* **Highest number of steps to catch:** 26 by a team of 4 on 4 October 2014, 5 January 2017 and 8 March 2017. All teams won their final chases.
* **Highest catch:** 25 by a team of 4, caught by Olga on 3 November 2015.
* **Highest team win:** 1 080 000 Kr (4 000 Kr, 48 000 Kr, 4 000 Kr, 52 000 Kr) by a team of 4, 25 to catch on 8 July 2020.
* **Highest solo win:** 670 000 Kr by Dougie Pulkkinen on 8 April 2019.
* **Highest chaser offer (civilian):** 1 080 000 Kr by Yrjo to Ella Jónsdóttir on 5 March 2017. Accepted and brought back (though lost in final chase)
* **Highest chaser offer (celebrity):** 1 360 000 Kr by Olga to Penelope Jackman on 9 June 2018. Accepted and brought back (lost in final chase)