Ejector Seat
Contents |
Host
Broadcast
Remarkable Television for ITV, 28 April to 22 June 2014 (30 episodes in 1 series)
Synopsis
Andi Peters pushes chairs backwards until someone reaches the end of the studio and falls over the edge. Literally.
The programme begins with a brief qualifying round: general knowledge questions on the buzzer. A single right answer qualifies the player for the first round proper. The first person to give a wrong answer loses their place in the game, otherwise whoever's left after five right answers loses.
By "loses", we mean, "slides back to the dark end of the studio." The player's seat slides backwards, it comes to a halt, sirens blare, and then the seat tips backwards into a cloud of dry ice. We see a replay, then a shot from a camera on the chair, before it rights itself.
Empty.
Ejected!
One by one, the players are asked a question by Andi. A right answer, they're invited to "sit tight" as Peters moves on to the next person. But an error means "they're on the move." Andi will read out further questions, while the players' chair moves backwards, away from the host and back towards the end of the studio. The seat and its passenger will only stop when the player gives a right answer to one of Peters' posers.
As the round continues, the seats speed up. Towards the end of the track, there's one lifeline - a Panic Button. This will stop the chair's movement, and bring up a multiple-choice question. Answer this correctly, and the player moves forward up the track a little. Get it wrong, and it's instant ejection. Players only get to use this once in the show.
Is there a winner so far?
After one player has gone, the remaining four come back to the start, and there's another round of the same.
When three players remain, all are on the buzzer, and the first to give a wrong answer - or the last remaining after the others gave a right answer - is moving backwards, stopping only when they give a correct answer.
The two player round is similar; all questions are on the buzzers, and Peters fires his questions quickly, stopping only when the player moving has given a correct answer and stopped their seat.
Andi Peters: cheering for the chairs.
Only in the final round does the winner get to bank cash. Their seat begins each round stopped, and will only start moving when the player gets a question wrong (or fails to answer). The prizes mount up: £500 for surviving one round of 45 seconds, £1000 for two rounds, and £10,000 for making it through all three rounds.
Ejector Seat appears to have started as a gimmick in search of a good format. We're not convinced that the show is perfect - the opening half tends to be very repetitive and a little tedious - but it benefits from crisp direction and the engaging host of Andi Peters.
Catchphrases
"[Contestant's name], you're on the move!"
"Sit tight"
Theme music
Marc Sylvan composed a full score.
Trivia
Recorded at Dock10 studios in Salford.
Aired in the 4pm slot usually occupied by Tipping Point. In an experimental ITV schedule, it was followed at 5pm slot by Paul O'Grady's hectic chat show rather than The Chase.
Web links
Publicity interview at Digitalspy
