The Chair (quiz show)

***The Chair*** is a Transmanian cardiac reality quiz/game show television program based on the format created and developed in New Zealand by Julie Christie, Darryl McEwen and Brian Bigg for Touchdown Television and developed and licensed in Transmanitain by Harry Grant for Big Synergy. In this show, Each contestant is fitted with a heart monitor and given a below a pre-determined level called their "redline rate" that is 70% more above their resting heart rate. Throughout the program, they must keep their heart-rate under their redline rate. If their heart races out of control, they are not allowed to answer the question and they start to lose money for each second. If a contestant answers a series of questions correctly without losing any money as a result of exceeding the pre-determined level (redlining), they can win up to a cash prize of Ð250,000. The original version premiered on TBN on August 29, 2002, and ended in November 2003 after 2 seasons and was hosted by entertainer Henriette Ryd-Saunders. The show was rebooted and premiered on January 17, 2008, and ended in November 2008.

## Format

### Pre-screening

Before qualifying for the show, 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 two 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.

### Gameplay (2002-2003)

Once seated in *The Chair*, the contestant found him/herself looking up at a large video screen on which the host's image was displayed, as well as the information for the current question. He/she began with a stake of Ð2,500 and could increase it to a maximum of Ð250,000 by answering a series of 7 questions. However, the contestant's heart rate was continuously measured throughout the game and compared to a "redline" threshold. This value started at 70% above the resting heart rate that is more than his/her normal pulse, and it was lowered by 5% of the resting heart rate after each question. For example, a contestant with a resting heart rate of 96 would have an initial redline threshold of 164 (170% of the resting rate, respectively), which would drop by 4 (5%) 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 while the heart rate was no higher than the threshold number could an answer be given. (Redlining between questions, or while a question was being asked, carried no penalty.) The third question is a visual question which involved recalling information from a video clip: the contestant will be shown a series of images which appeared on the screen and asked a question about one of them.

As long as the contestant had money in the account and continued to answer questions correctly, the game continued.

The game ended when one of the following events occurred:

* Answering a question incorrectly
* Losing all money by redlining
* Answering all seven questions correctly

The question values and penalties for redline are shown in the table below.

If the contestant answered a question incorrectly, he/she left with whatever amount he/she had "stabilized" (see below). Correctly answering every question awarded the contestant all of the money in his/her account, for a potential top prize of Ð250,000 (if he/she had no penalties).

#### Heartstoppers

At one point during the contestant's campaign, a "heartstopper" event took place. Before the third question was asked, the first was an interval heartstopper, the contestant has 45 seconds to answer as many quick-fire questions as possible in each correct answer adds 1 heartbeat to their redline rate and there is no penalty. The second heartstopper was designed to raise the heart rate which comes face to face with an alligator or a hive of bees or a large pendulum swinging just overhead. If the contestant could endure the event for less than 20 seconds, 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 of Ð400 per second from the previously answered fifth question.

#### Stabiliszer

After answering the third question correctly (for a potential prize of Ð25,000), the contestant earned the chance to "stabilisze". 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 point. However, if the contestant redlining in the interim and went below the stabiliszed amount, the amount would fall and match the current prize amount. Before the seventh question, the contestant can decide to stop and leave with half of his/her winnings.

### Gameplay (2008 Revival)

The basic format remained the same as the original version, but with the following changes.

* The questions are increased to 9 rather than 7 and the heartstoppers are increased to 4 rather than 2.
* The top prize was increased to Ð275,000.
* The contestants' game.