Who's Still Standing?

Israeli Game Show recently imported to America by NBC (and apparently the first Israeli format to make it to the States as well). A single contestant (the "Hero") tries to beat 10 other individuals (the "Strangers") for a chance to win up to $1,000,000. After picking an opponent, the two alternate answering questions with crossword-style clues ("Website that documents common plot elements in media works: _ _ / _ _ _ P _ S"). Each question has a 20-second time limit: contestants may guess as much as they want, but if they run out of time, down they go!

If the Hero wins the battle, they bank whatever money is hidden on that Stranger's podium (ranging from $1,000-$20,000, with no connection to the Stranger's intelligence; at least one episode used amounts ranging from $1-$50,000, as on the Israeli version). The prize goes up to $250,000, $500,000, and $1,000,000 regardless on the final three), and the contestant gets dropped through a hole under them, after which they must decide to continue on or go home.

If a Hero elects to quit, they're allowed to go "through the door" or "through the floor"; unlike what you may expect, several players have opted to walk out. If the Hero loses, they go through the hole and the Stranger wins $10,000. And the game ends, of course, because that Stranger becoming the new Hero is a bad idea.


 * All or Nothing: Players either walk away with money "through the door" or go "through the floor" with nothing.
 * Bonus Round: After a game concludes, the real fun begins — the remaining Strangers play a Sudden Death Speed Round where they're asked questions going around the circle with 10-second time limits. Each correct answer increases the pot (some episodes gave $1,000, others $2,000), and last one standing wins it all.
 * Lifelines: Two (later three) Passes for the main player, none for the strangers. In the premiere, the Rules Spiel did not mention this, however.
 * Mystery Box: Beating each Stranger earns the share of money they're guarding.
 * Personnel:
 * Game Show Host: Ben Bailey.
 * Studio Audience
 * Think Music: Okay, who thought epic, loud orchestral music would be a good idea for the score of a game show?
 * Speed Round: The whole show (and especially the "bonus" round) could be seen as one.
 * Who Wants to Be Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?: $1,000,000 top prize, epic music, circular set with lots of lighting effects, etc. They're even taking stabs at the "shuffle" format the syndicated run adopted in 2010 (i.e., every round's worth a different amount, but what it's worth isn't revealed until the round's completed).


 * Catch Phrase: "Through the door, or through the floor?" (Contestants who walk away with winnings can choose their exit method. Contestants who lose, however, cannot. For obvious reasons.
 * Christmas Episode: The series debuted as a special holiday "event" for its "obligatory initial Wolverine Publicity run". Problem is, those first shows weren't taped under a holiday spirit, so Christmas-themed bumpers and music were shoehorned in during post-production.
 * Commercial Break Cliffhanger: You thought Minute to Win It was bad with this? Who's Still Standing? takes breaks mid-question! The fact that the music ramps up to indicate that a break's coming kills any tension that they might have generated.
 * Game Over: Used when a Hero loses, before the Stranger that beat them gets their $10,000 graphic.
 * Hollywood Dress Code: All Strangers were asked to bring 3-5 different outfits with them to the studio, but rather than actually use them the wardrobe department made the Strangers look as stereotypical as possible based on their profession and hobbies. Are you a photographer? You're wearing a vest. Are you a female who's done anything involving your figure? You're wearing tight-fitting clothing. Like video games? It's suspenders and coke-bottle glasses for you, nerd.
 * Musical Spoiler: When the music starts to ramp up, a commercial break's imminent...unless they just returned from commercial, in which case somebody's going out on the current question.
 * Viewers Are Goldfish: After every single elimination, an animated clip reminds the viewers how many people have dropped and how many still need to be eliminated to win the Million. They could have at least put that on the set somewhere and had the host do it...
 * And every drop gets about 20 different instant replays too
 * X Meets Y: Russian Roulette (quiz show on top of trap doors) meets Jackpot! (single contestant goes up against others to try and solve their assigned riddles), with a little bit of The Magnificent Marble Machine (clues with crossword-style blanks) and a Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? "Super Mix" aftertaste.