Distraction (partially lost American adaptation of British game show; 2005-2006)
Distraction was a British game show that aired on Channel 4 for only two seasons totalling 16 episodes from 31 October 2003 to 11 June 2004. The show was hosted by British comedian Jimmy Carr and was created by David Taylor (who previously created the couples game show Every Second Counts). One of the show's writers was controversial comedian Frankie Boyle[1] before he became famous as a panellist on the satirical topic show Mock The Week and for his cynical and graphic sense of humor in his acts.
Format
The show's format is a simple buzz-in with the correct answer to the given question format but with a twist. The four contestants would endure various distractions throughout the given round and these distractions would often affect the contestant's abilities to focus. The contestant with the lowest score was eliminated. This happens two more times until the last remaining contestant is crowned the winner and advances to the fourth and final round. The prize can range from a car to a cash bonus, but before the contestant can go home with the prize, they must answer five questions correctly and if they answer any of the questions incorrectly, the prize would be damaged. In the end, the contestant goes home with the prize regardless of its condition[2].
History
Despite it's short run, it was popular enough to spawn several international adaptions of the show, including one in the United States[3][4]. The show aired on Comedy Central from January 18, 2005, [5] to April 11, 2006 (also for two seasons[6][7]) and was produced by FremantleMedia (who owns the rights to the show[8]). The show's format was the same as the original version's with most of the distractions being lifted straight from the British version. After the show ended, it was reran in the UK on Challenge alongside its British counterpart from 2007 to 2011[9]. After that, the American version faded into obscurity.
Availability
The British version of the show is very easy to find online with it being available on Apple TV, Pluto TV and Channel 4's website, but the American version was not given the same treatment. Very little of the American version is online, with only clips from its UK reruns being available and eventually, its premiere episode would be uploaded on YouTube in 2019 by one of its contestants, Rob Little. To date, this is the only full episode of the American version available online. Archives of the show's page on Comedy Central's website shows photos of the missing episodes. Descriptions of some of the missing episodes are available on Game Show Newsnet[10][11][12][13][14][15]. The exact number of episodes that were produced is unknown.
Gallery
Videos
Photos
External Links
See Also
Pilots
- Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour (lost unaired pilot of NBC game show; 1983)
- Showoffs (partially lost unaired pilots of ABC game show; 1975)
- The Price Is Right (partially found unaired pilot for syndicated game show; 1993)
- The New Price Is Right (lost unaired pilot of Goodson-Todman game show; 1972)
- Family Feud (partially found unaired pilot of Pearson game show; 1998-1999)
- Rock Feud (lost unaired pilot of cancelled spin-off of Pearson game show; 2001)
- To Tell The Truth (lost unreleased pilot of Pearson remake of Goodson-Todman panel show; 1999)
- Card Sharks (partially lost pilots of syndicated revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1996-2000)
Television
- The Price Is Right (partially lost Dennis James episodes of game show; 1972-1977)
- Tattletales (partially found syndicated version of CBS game show; 1977-1978)
- To Tell The Truth (lost first season of syndicated panel show; 1969-1970)
- The Price Is Right (partially found Australian adaptation of Mark Goodson game show; 1973-1974)
- Snap Judgement (partially found NBC game show; 1967-1969)
- Call My Bluff (partially found NBC game show; 1965)
- Match Game (partially lost Mark Goodson Bill Todman game show; 1973-1982)
- Family Feud - Popular Vs Freaks & Geeks (found episodes of Pearson game show; 2000)
- Family Fortunes (partially lost British version of Goodson-Todman game show; 1980-2002)
- The Price Is Right (partially found Doug Davidson version of Goodson-Todman game show; 1994-1995)
- Match Game (found ABC revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1990-1991)
- Champion Blockbusters (partially found British game show, 1987-1990)
- Släktslaget (lost Swedish adaptation of "Family Feud" game show; 2000)
- Password Plus (found unaired George Peppard episode of Goodson-Todman game show; 1979)
- The Price Is Right (partially lost episodes of CBS game show; 1972-2007)
- I've Got A Secret (partially lost syndicated revival of Goodson-Todman panel show; 1972-1973)
- Press Your Luck (lost British adaptation of American game show; 1991-1992)
Miscellaneous
- Super Password (lost builds of unreleased NES port of word game; 1980s)
- To Tell the Truth (lost unreleased DVD game based on panel show; 2005)
References
- ↑ http://ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Distraction
- ↑ https://spokesman.com/stories/2005/mar/04/show-blends-trivia-torture/
- ↑ https://campaignlive.com/article/comedy-central-snaps-carr-game-show-distraction/220527
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3601272.stm
- ↑ https://press.cc.com/press-release/2005/12/20/011405_tca_distraction
- ↑ https://press.cc.com/press-release/2006/03/06/010306_distraction_secondseason
- ↑ https://broadcastnow.co.uk/second-us-run-for-carrs-distraction/1028816.article
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20061128023739/http://www.fremantlemedia.com/our-programmes/view/Game+Shows/viewprogramme/Distraction
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programmes_broadcast_by_Challenge
- ↑ http://gameshownewsnet.com/prime/distraction/011805.html
- ↑ http://gameshownewsnet.com/prime/distraction/012505.html
- ↑ http://gameshownewsnet.com/prime/distraction/
- ↑ http://gameshownewsnet.com/prime/distraction2/011706.html
- ↑ http://gameshownewsnet.com/prime/distraction2/012406.html
- ↑ http://gameshownewsnet.com/prime/distraction2/