The Chamber (game show)
A game show where contestants endured extreme conditions to answer questions.
The Chamber is an American game show that aired on Fox in January 2002. It featured contestants answering questions while strapped into a torture chamber and exposed to extreme temperatures and environmental hazards. The series was cancelled after only three of its six taped episodes were broadcast.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Game show
- Runtime
- approx. 44 minutes
- Creator
- Mike Darnell
- Director
- Don Weiner
- Presenter
- Rick Schwartz
- Composer
- Dave Russo
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Production
The series was developed by Mike Darnell, head of alternative programming at Fox, in conjunction with Dick Clark Productions. Darnell said he was inspired by Fear Factor and wanted to emphasize the visceral effects on contestants. Fox executive Preston Beckman believed Darnell intended to make viewers wonder if Fox might kill someone on television. The producers of ABC's The Chair sued over alleged similarities, and Fox countersued, claiming ABC sent spies to the set. According to a 2007 book, Darnell conceived the show as a response to The Chair, and it was rushed into production in November 2001 after ABC secured rights to the other show. Taping began at Hollywood Center Studios in late December 2001. Sportscaster Matt Vasgersian was initially chosen to host but quit in disgust during a rehearsal. Rick Schwartz, a Los Angeles sports radio host, replaced him. A technical malfunction briefly trapped a contestant in the hot chamber, disturbing Fox president Gail Berman, who was on set. The Chamber premiered on Sunday, January 13, 2002, two days before The Chair.
Reception
The Chamber received negative reviews, with critics calling it a sordid, putrid mess and a joy-free game show. The premiere drew about ten million viewers, but by the third episode, moved to Friday nights, viewership fell to 5.6 million. Fox cancelled the series after concluding that the controversy and low ratings left no reason to continue.
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