Pitfall (game show)

***Pitfall*** is a Canadian-Northern Transmanian game show that broadcast on ATN Two Northern Transmania from 1981 until 1983. The host was Maureen Cummings and the announcer was Charlotte James. The show featured contestants attempting to predict the outcome of survey questions conducted to the studio audience, and the bonus round required scaling a series of eight elevators while answering trivia questions.

## Game play

### Main game

Two contestants attempted to predict how the studio audience answered questions about lifestyle and personal preference. For each question, the contestants and audience were shown four possible answers. Using a keypad, each audience member chose one of the responses, after which Cummings asked each contestant to choose the answer they thought had received the highest percentage of votes. Contestants could not choose the same answer. The champion chose first on the opening question, and control alternated between the contestants on every subsequent one.

One point was scored for choosing the most popular answer to a question. Contestants could also earn "Pit Passes," which would come into play in the Pitfall round. One pass was awarded for a contestant's first, third, and fifth points, for a maximum of three per game.

Play continued for a maximum of five minutes. The first contestant to reach five points, or the one who was in the lead when time ran out, won the game and advanced to the bonus round, known as the Pitfall round.

### Pitfall round

The champion attempted to cross a bridge composed of eight numbered sections in under 100 seconds by answering general knowledge trivia questions. Three of the eight sections contained pitfalls, and stepping on one caused the champion to descend via elevator to the floor below the bridge. Before the round began, the champion watched a sequence of flashing lights on the bridge sections in random order; safe sections lit up once, while pitfalls lit up twice. He or she then selected the appropriate number of Pit Passes from a rack of eight numbered cards.

Cummings and the champion rode an elevator up to the left end of the bridge, and the clock began to count down as soon as Cummings started to read the first question. The champion could advance from one section to the next only by correctly answering a question; if he or she answered incorrectly or passed, Cummings gave the answer and read a new one. Handing Cummings a Pit Pass enabled the champion to bypass a section entirely, whether or not it was a pitfall, but the champion had to give the corresponding pass to Cummings before stepping into the section for it to count.

If the champion stepped onto a pitfall without either having the proper pass or giving it to Cummings in time, an elevator took the contestant down to the stage floor as the clock continued to run. Cummings waited to continue asking questions until the champion was at floor level. Giving a correct answer would cause the elevator to ascend again, with the clock temporarily stopped during the ascent, and he/she would have to answer another question in order to advance.

The contestant received £100 for each section reached or bypassed within the time limit, and a prize package totalling approximately £5,000 for reaching the right end of the bridge. Later, a prize was awarded for reaching the fifth section and a prize package of approximately £2,500 was awarded for crossing the bridge.