SciFi? With gameshows? And they’re good? Believe it.
SciFi network unveiled two new shows this season. They don’t fit the BSG, Stargate, or Star Trek molds. There are no monsters, no aliens, and no ghosts. They feature real people trying to win money.
SciFi came out with 2 gameshows this season- Cha$e and Estate of Panic.
I know- SciFi and gameshows sounds like it’d be as pleasant a matchup as peanut butter and ketchup. I watched the first episodes of both to see what they were all about- and immediately put them both on DishPASS(and moved them to the top of the priority list, no less). So what are they all about?
Cha$e is described as a live-action video game. The game takes place on a “game board.” There are powerups, bonuses, the players, and the bad guys. The game starts out with 10 players. These 10 players, or “runners,” have a painfully simple(sounding) task- don’t get caught by the “hunters.” The hunters are introduced one or two at a time at various intervals throughout the game.
For every second at least one runner is still in the game, a prize bank goes up. If at least one can survive until the end of a 60 minute timer, the prize bank will reach a total of $25,000. Along the way are hidden flags with the Cha$e logo on them- each one collected is worth $1000- if the runner who collects them can finish and win the game. If a runner is tagged by a hunter, he’s eliminated from the game. There are always 3 tools to help the runners evade the hunters, even though they may not get all 3.
The runners are given an initial task, either working together as a whole or in 2 teams of 5 to gain their first powerup. The show refers to it as a “Deflector.” Essentially, the runner gets one shot with his deflector. If a hunter is breathing down his neck, a runner can use his deflector, and the hunter has to turn around and go the other direction.
A second task comes into the game later on, allowing the runners to get a “sonic stunner.” The sonic stunner is one of the optional task rewards. If a runner gets it, he can use it whenever he pleases, and as many times as he chooses within a 30 second timer. When he uses it on a hunter, the hunter is frozen in place for 2 minutes. If a runner were fortunate/unfortunate enough to run into all of the hunters in a row, he could freeze them all.
The third task allows a runner to activate a pair of red tinted sunglasses he’s been carrying that are now “invisibility glasses.” A runner can put them on as he sees fit, but only once, and for 2 minutes. When he has them on, the hunters can’t see him.
During the game, the runners are given clues as to where to find the “exit.” At the 55 minute mark, the exit is opened, and the first runner to arrive there wins the $25k plus any bonus cash they’ve picked up along the way. It’s usually a mad dash to the finish line, and if a player still has any “powerups” they typically get the advantage. Only one runner wins.
All in all, Cha$e is a terrific show. If you haven’t seen it, I urge you to do so. I’ll talk about Estate of Panic(probably my favorite of the two) soon.
