Pitfall (TV series)

Infamous Canadian Game Show (also syndicated into the United States) from the early 1980s hosted by Alex Trebek. The game began with a round where two contestants tried to earn Pit Passes by predicting how the audience responded to multiple choice questions. The goal was to reach five points, and a Pit Pass for the bonus round was earned on their first, third, and fifth points. The first to reach five points, or whoever had the lead when time ran out, became champion and advanced to the show's bonus game, the Pitfall Round.

There, the champion ran a gauntlet across a series of eight platforms in 100 seconds by answering trivia questions. However, three of the platforms were designated as "Pitfalls", which would lower the contestant into a pit (effectively incurring a 10-second penalty) until they answered another question correctly (the clock stopped when the contestant was raised back up). To dodge the Pitfalls, contestants were shown a light sequence where each platform flashed once (if it was safe) or twice (if it was a Pitfall); players then took as many Pit Passes as they earned to skip over what they believed were the offending platforms. Completing the bonus round won a $5,000 (later $2,500) prize package.

The show ran for a single season from 1981-82 and was canned not due to ratings, but due to a pitfall of its own — Catalena Productions (which also did the 1980-81 Let's Make a Deal) went bankrupt. Later contestants never received their prizes, and Trebek's check from Catalena bounced. Despite the low point in his career Pitfall became, Trebek made up for it when he received better employment on another game show just two years later.

Game Show Tropes in use:

 * Audience Participation: The audience made their guesses on multiple-choice questions in front game, and the contestants had to predict their responses.
 * Bonus Round: The "Pitfall Round", as described above — cross a giant bridge of elevators in 100 seconds by answering questions. Originally worth $5,000 in prizes, later episodes halved it to $2,500 in prizes.
 * Consolation Prize: $100 per zone crossed. When the prize package was halved, the cash was ousted and a small prize was awarded for crossing the first four zones.
 * Personnel:
 * The Announcer: John Barton.
 * Game Show Host: The one and only (and Canadian) Alex Trebek.
 * Studio Audience: Used in the main game.

This show provides examples of:

 * Cosmetic Award: Due to Catalena Productions filing for bankruptcy, later winners had their "prizes" end up becoming these.
 * Funny Afro: Even in 1982, Trebek still had his afro and Porn Stache.
 * Timed Mission: The front game is first-to-five or best-after-five-minutes, whichever comes first. The bonus round is 100 seconds.
 * What Do You Mean Its Not Awesome: The set had nine elevators, including the one that Trebek and the contestant rode to begin the bonus round. Nine freaking elevators. Is it any wonder Catalena went bankrupt?