Hole in the Wall (American game show)
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| Hole in the Wall | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Game show |
| Directed by | Ron de Moraes (Fox) Rob George (Cartoon Network) |
| Presented by | Brooke Burns Mark Thompson Teck Holmes |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 (Fox) 4 (Cartoon Network) |
| No. of episodes | 18 (8 unaired) (Fox) 40 (Cartoon Network) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Cecile Frot-Coutaz (Fox) Scott St. John (Cartoon Network) |
| Producers | Jon Peper David Ruskey (game producer; Fox) |
| Editor | Narumi Inatsugu |
| Camera setup | John Perry |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company | FremantleMedia North America |
| Original release | |
| Network | Fox |
| Release | September 7, 2008 – March 15, 2009 |
| Network | Cartoon Network |
| Release | October 6, 2010 – January 19, 2012 |
Hole in the Wall is an American game show that has aired in two versions on American television.
The first version aired on the Fox television network from 2008 to 2009. The show was an adaptation of the Japanese game show Nōkabe (脳カベ) (meaning Brain Wall, nicknamed by YouTube fans as "Human Tetris")[1] in which players must contort themselves to fit through cutouts in a large 13 feet (4.0 m) by 7.5 feet (2.3 m) Styrofoam wall moving towards them on a 50 feet (15 m) track. FremantleMedia North America produced the series. Brooke Burns and Fox announcer Mark Thompson were the hosts of this version. On May 20, 2008, Fox announced that it would commission 13 hours of Hole in the Wall from FremantleMedia North America. According to a Hollywood Reporter report, these hours could be split and aired as 26 episodes. Production began July 13, 2008, at CBS Studios-Radford.
Broadcast[edit]
Cancellation[edit]
On March 17, 2009, Fox pulled the series again, replacing it with reruns of King of the Hill and American Dad![2] The program's cancellation was announced in May 2009.[3]
Revival[edit]
On July 20, 2010, Cartoon Network announced that it picked up the series, now updated for its younger audience.[4][5] FremantleMedia would return as the show's producers. The series premiered October 6, 2010, with Real World Hawaii cast member Teck Holmes as host. Joining him as the show's lifeguard was model/lifeguard Emily Hedicke. A second cycle debuted in April 2011, and featured a new co-host, lifeguard Aaron Gingrich. On January 19, 2012, the CN version of Hole in the Wall aired its last episode.[6]
Fox version (2008–2009)[edit]
Game play[edit]
Two teams of three people play, with a hobby, occupation, or location as the team name. Two lifeguards, one male and one female, sit poolside. The contestants are dressed in the silver spandex zentai unitards and wear red or blue helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads depending on the team color.
A replay is shown each time the wall was passed and each time wall was not cleared, a diagram is shown of the best method.
One rule that is almost automatically assumed is that contestants must jump through the hole without breaking it all off or falling in the water. The rule that most players inadvertently break is that at least one foot must be in the play area.
Solo Wall[edit]
After each team is announced, the team captain is then instructed to enter the play area. After a three-second countdown, the wall is shown. If the captain fails to get through, or "clear" the wall, either by falling into the pool or damaging the wall as it passes, the team earns zero points, clearing the wall earns one point. The opposing team captain then tries a different wall.
Double Wall[edit]
The two non-captains on each team then complete on a Double Wall. The team earns two points if both players clear the wall, if either player fails to clear, they earn zero points.
Triple Wall[edit]
All three players try to complete the Triple Wall. The team scores three points if all three clear the wall. If any player fails to clear, the team earns zero points.
Speed Wall[edit]
Like Round 3, all three players complete. The wall moves twice as fast as before. Each player who clears the wall earns two points, for a maximum of six. In addition, if all three players clear the wall, they win a guaranteed $5,000 bonus whether they win or lose the game. Both teams get a chance to play for the $5,000, even if the second team has been mathematically eliminated.
The team with more points wins a guaranteed $25,000 and plays the final "Blind Wall" for extra cash at $100,000. In case of tie, both teams advanced to the tiebreaker and final "Blind Wall" with $50,000 at stake.
Blind Wall[edit]
One team member, blindfolded, is guided by Brooke to the center of the play area. The two remaining team members must then direct the blindfolded member through a standard solo wall by giving verbal commands, while the audience is asked to remain quiet. If the contestant clears the wall, the team wins $100,000. If both teams advance to the Blind Wall, the prize is split in half and each team tries a different blind wall for $50,000. During the show's opening run, there were only two teams that completed the blind wall. Raphael Xavier from the Freedom Rappers Philly team went through the blind wall, winning $50,000 due to a tie with the other team. The second was a teammate from the Gyrating Gents and they took home the full $100,000.
Broadcast history[edit]
On October 24, 2008, Fox pulled the series from its schedule, replacing it with reruns of Kitchen Nightmares.[7] On January 21, 2009, Fox pulled the series again and replaced it with reruns of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?[8] After an airing on February 8, 2009, the show was quickly put on hiatus. After another month, the series returned on March 8, 2009. Reruns of the series began airing on Fox Reality (now Nat Geo Wild) on May 25, 2009. The program's cancellation was announced in May 2009.[3]
Special episodes[edit]
The show's producers announced that they planned on shooting celebrity and themed episodes of the game, starting with contestants from VH1's Flavor of Love (Pumpkin (Brooke Thompson), Buckwild (Becky Johnston), Saaphyri Windsor) competing against Rock of Love 2 (Destiney Sue Moore, Ambre Lake, Jessica Kinni).
Phu and Leroy from Solitary 2 and Trizz from Solitary 3.0 teamed up as Backyard Wrestlers.[9]
A special was also made for the Cartoon Network version, featuring the main casts from two of CN's live-action shows, Level Up and Dude, What Would Happen, in teams named "Level Up" and "The Dudes". Following the episode, new footage from the pilot movie for Level Up would air for the first time on the network.
Cartoon Network version (2010–2012)[edit]
Game play[edit]
As was the case in previous versions, two teams of three people play. The difference is that the teams now consist of families. One member of each team is a child, and the second member must be the child's parent or guardian. The third member can either be one of the child's friends/siblings or a second parent/guardian. The contestants are dressed in the same attire from previous versions. (silver unitard, color coordinated helmets and pads)
The rules for the Double and Triple walls are the same, but points are now awarded based on how many players clear each wall, meaning that it is no longer required for every member to clear a group wall. Each person who gets through the hole and matches the shape earns 10 points. In the Speed round, the points are doubled.
1-player Wall[edit]
One variation of this round uses the same rules as the end game in the Fox version, but a black cloth covered hockey goaltender mask is used instead of blacked out goggles. In a second variation, one player stands with his/her back to the wall, facing a teammate on the other side of the pool who will give instructions on how to fit through the hole. The third variation of this round is called "Black Out". In this wall, the player has to remember what the hole looks like, but with the stipulation being that the lights in the studio will constantly flicker. If the wall is cleared, 10 points are awarded.
2-player Wall[edit]
Two on each team then compete on a Double Wall. Each player clearing the wall is worth 10 points, with a total of 20 points at stake.
3-player Wall[edit]
All three players try to clear the wall. Each player clearing the wall is worth 10 points, with a total of 30 points at stake.
Speed Wall[edit]
Similar to the Double Wall and the Speed Wall in the Fox version, but with a few variations. In the first variation, two people on each team try to clear a Double wall, the twist being that they are dizzy. Before the wall is revealed, two members from the team that isn't playing will spin their opponents, with the intent of making them dizzy. When the wall is revealed, the players are left by themselves to regain their balance and clear the wall. In a second variation, another Double wall is played, but the competitors have to clear it with a prop. In both variations, the wall moves twice as fast. Each player who clears the wall earns 20 points.
In addition, the Cartoon Network website includes unaired footage from the show, which includes a wall called "The Killer Question", based on the British version of the show. Two players compete, facing a wall that displays a question and shapes that stand for two possible answers. If the players agree on the correct answer and move to that side, they can get through since that answer covers a hole, choosing the wrong answer leads them to hit a solid section and be swept into the pool.
The winning team with the most points earns a Hole in the Wall trophy and advances to the Impossiwall round. If both teams are tied, a tiebreaker wall is played.
Tiebreaker Wall[edit]
One player from each team is chosen to play and will be given ten plastic balls. When the wall starts moving, the players must grab as many balls as possible, throw the balls through their hole, and clear the wall. The player who gets the most balls through their hole wins the competition for their team.
Impossiwall[edit]
All three players of the winning team compete in the fifth round that has a final, more difficult wall, thus being named the Impossiwall. In one variation, two players hold a jigsaw puzzle and must match the shape to both fit the puzzle and get themselves through. Another variation requires one of the three members to get through the wall while holding slippery balloons. In another variation, one player is blindfolded, another player wears ear muffs, and a third player is wearing a mouth piece. No matter the variation, if the wall is completed, the winning team will be immortalized in the Wall of Fame. Five teams have conquered the Impossiwall and got into the Wall of Fame, with the first one being a red team Flipped Out.
Catchphrases[edit]
- "It's time to face the holes." (FOX version; also used in the video game)
- "Show us the hole in the wall!" (Cartoon Network version)
Amazon Prime Video[edit]
Since 2017, prime members can view 18 episodes of the FOX version.[10]
References[edit]
- ^ "Cool Japan: Why Japanese remakes are so popular on American TV, and where we're getting it wrong" Archived 2008-09-15 at the Wayback Machine.AsianWeek. Retrieved on 2008-09-15.
- ^ "Breaking News - Fox Plugs "Hole in the Wall," Trims "Osbournes"". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
- ^ a b Owen, Rob (2009-05-19). "Tuned In: Fox builds fall schedule around 'Glee'". Post-gazette.com. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ "Hole in the Wall Going to Kids Network, Now Casting". Gameshows.about.com. 2010-07-14. Archived from the original on 2010-07-18. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (2010-07-20). "Cartoon digs a 'Hole' - Entertainment News, Top News, Media". Variety. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ "Cartoon Network January 2012 Premiere Info". Toonzone.net. 2011-12-28. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
- ^ "Welcome to nginx". Archived from the original on 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- ^ "Fox Suspends Hole in the Wall - Today's News: Our Take". TVGuide.com. 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ Adalian, Josef. "It's a 'Love' Match on 'Hole in the Wall', TelevisionWeek". Tvweek.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-27. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ Amazon.com: Hole in the Wall
