Hole in the Wall (US game show)
Encyclopedia
Hole in the Wall is a 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 the Japanese game (meaning Brain Wall
, nicknamed by YouTube
fans as "Human Tetris") in which players must contort themselves to fit through cutouts in a large 13 feet (4 m) by 7.5 feet (2.3 m) Styrofoam
wall moving towards them on a 50 feet (15.2 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
. On March 17, 2009 Fox pulled the series again, replacing it with reruns of King of the Hill
and American Dad!
. The program's cancellation was announced in May 2009.
On July 20, 2010, Cartoon Network
announced that it picked up the series, now updated for its younger audience. The series premiered October 6, 2010, with Real World Hawaii cast member Teck Holmes as host. A second cycle debuted in April of 2011, and features a new co-host, lifeguard Aaron Gingrich. The current status of the show is unknown and if it will continue airing, is currently unknown.
unitards and wear red or blue helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads depending on the team color.
A replay is shown after each wall has passed whether cleared or not. If a wall is 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. On the other hand, the rule that most players inadvertently break is that at least one foot must be in the play area.
The team with more points wins a guaranteed $25,000 and plays the final "Blind Wall". If a tie game should occur, neither team wins the $25,000 but both advance to a sudden-death version of the Blind Wall.
. On January 21, 2009, Fox pulled the series again and replaced it with reruns of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
After an airing on February 8, the show was quickly put on hiatus. After another month, the series returned on March 8. Reruns of the series began airing on Fox Reality (now known as Nat Geo Wild) on May 25. The program's cancellation was announced in May 2009.
(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.
The rules on the Triple and Double Walls are the same except for the scoring system.
goaltender mask is used instead of blacked out goggles. In a second version, 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. There's also a "Black Out" version of this round. This version of the Solo Wall is the player has to remember what the shape looks like, because the lights in the studio turn on and off. Success in this round scores 10 points! After the game is over the team that wins gets a big trophy and trys to get through the impossible wall!
The team with the most points wins the Hole in the Wall trophy and plays the Imposso Wall. If both teams are tied, a tie breaking wall is played.
In addition, the Cartoon Network website includes unaired footage, including 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. 20 points are scored for each player who clears the wall.
The first version aired on the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
television network from 2008 to 2009. The show was an adaptation the Japanese game (meaning Brain Wall
Brain Wall
is a component of the Japanese gameshow Tonneruzu no Minasan no Okage deshita Video clips from the show proliferated on video-sharing websites and the concept was eventually adopted by several countries...
, nicknamed by YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
fans as "Human Tetris") in which players must contort themselves to fit through cutouts in a large 13 feet (4 m) by 7.5 feet (2.3 m) Styrofoam
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...
wall moving towards them on a 50 feet (15.2 m) track. FremantleMedia North America
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
produced the series. Brooke Burns
Brooke Burns
Brooke Elizabeth Burns is an American actress and former fashion model. She began her career on the popular TV series Baywatch and Baywatch Hawaii.-Early life:...
and Fox announcer Mark Thompson
Mark Thompson (TV)
Mark Thompson is a two-time Emmy award winner for writing, hosting and producing specials for the Fox Television stations.-Career as television host:...
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
CBS Studio Center
CBS Studio Center is a television and film studio located in the Studio City district of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. It is located at 4024 Radford Avenue and takes up a triangular piece of land, with the Los Angeles River bisecting the site...
. On March 17, 2009 Fox pulled the series again, replacing it with reruns of King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
and American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
. The program's cancellation was announced in May 2009.
On July 20, 2010, Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (United States)
Cartoon Network is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting which primarily airs animated programming. The channel was launched on October 1, 1992 after Turner purchased the animation studio Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1991...
announced that it picked up the series, now updated for its younger audience. The series premiered October 6, 2010, with Real World Hawaii cast member Teck Holmes as host. A second cycle debuted in April of 2011, and features a new co-host, lifeguard Aaron Gingrich. The current status of the show is unknown and if it will continue airing, is currently unknown.
Game play
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 zentaiZentai
Zentai is a term for skin-tight garments that cover the entire body. The word is a contraction of zenshin taitsu...
unitards and wear red or blue helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads depending on the team color.
A replay is shown after each wall has passed whether cleared or not. If a wall is not cleared, a diagram
Diagram
A diagram is a two-dimensional geometric symbolic representation of information according to some visualization technique. Sometimes, the technique uses a three-dimensional visualization which is then projected onto the two-dimensional surface...
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. On the other hand, the rule that most players inadvertently break is that at least one foot must be in the play area.
Solo Wall
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 "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
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
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
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 $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". If a tie game should occur, neither team wins the $25,000 but both advance to a sudden-death version of the Blind Wall.
Blind Wall
One team member, blindfolded, is guided by Brooke to the center of the play area. Mark then asks the audience to be quiet so that the blindfolded member can hear their teammates. The two remaining team members must then direct the blindfolded member through a standard solo wall by giving verbal commands which is why the audience must be 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 for $50,000.Broadcast history
On October 24, 2008 Fox pulled the series from its schedule, replacing it with reruns of Kitchen NightmaresKitchen Nightmares
Kitchen Nightmares is an American reality television series broadcast on the Fox network, in which Chef Gordon Ramsay spends a week with a failing restaurant in an attempt to revive the business. It is based on the British show Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. The show is produced by ITV Studios...
. On January 21, 2009, Fox pulled the series again and replaced it with reruns of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (U.S. game show)
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? is an American quiz game show on Fox. It is produced by Mark Burnett and is hosted by Jeff Foxworthy. The show premiered as a three-day special which began on February 27, 2007 with the first two shows each a half-hour in length...
After an airing on February 8, the show was quickly put on hiatus. After another month, the series returned on March 8. Reruns of the series began airing on Fox Reality (now known as Nat Geo Wild) on May 25. The program's cancellation was announced in May 2009.
Special episodes
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 LoveFlavor of Love
Flavor of Love is an American reality television dating game show parody starring Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy.While not a direct spin-off, the show was a result of Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav's failed relationship on Strange Love, as well as The Surreal Life...
(Pumpkin (Brooke Thompson), Buckwild (Becky Johnston), Saaphyri Windsor
Saaphyri Windsor
Saaphyri Windsor is an American reality television contestant, hairstylist, and actress. Windsor is best known for appearing on Flavor of Love 2 and winning Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School...
) competing against Rock of Love 2
Rock of Love with Bret Michaels (season 2)
The second season of Rock of Love with Bret Michaels was confirmed by VH1 in October 2007. On December 8, 2007, VH1 started playing advertisements for Rock of Love 2 with Bret Michaels...
(Destiney Sue Moore
Destiney Sue Moore
Destiney Moore is a reality television personality and clothing designer who is known for her appearances on Rock of Love 2, I Love Money and Rock of Love: Charm School...
, Ambre Lake, Jessica Kinni).
Phu and Leroy from Solitary 2 and Trizz from Solitary 3.0 teamed up as Backyard Wrestlers.
Game play
As was the case in all versions, two teams of three people play. This version features two families, with one of the three members of each family must be a child and one of the three members must be an adult. The third member may be a child or adult. The contestants are dressed in the same attire as seen all versions (silver unitard, color coordinated helmets and pads.)The rules on the Triple and Double Walls are the same except for the scoring system.
Triple Wall
All three players try to complete the Triple Wall. Rules are the same as in the 2008 version, with a total of 30 points at stake (ten points per player clearing the wall).Solo Wall
One version of this round uses the same rules as the end game in the 2008 version, but a black cloth covered hockeyHockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
goaltender mask is used instead of blacked out goggles. In a second version, 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. There's also a "Black Out" version of this round. This version of the Solo Wall is the player has to remember what the shape looks like, because the lights in the studio turn on and off. Success in this round scores 10 points! After the game is over the team that wins gets a big trophy and trys to get through the impossible wall!
Double Wall
Two on each team then compete on a Double Wall. The only difference between the 2008 and 2010 versions is scoring; each player clearing the wall is worth ten points for a maximum of 20 points.Speed Wall
Similar to the Double Wall and the Speed Wall in the 2008 version. One version is that two people on each team compete while being spun by two opponents. When the wall is revealed they stop spinning and try to clear the wall, which moves twice as fast as before. Another version of this wall is that the two players have to make it with a prop. Each player who clears the wall earns 20 points.The team with the most points wins the Hole in the Wall trophy and plays the Imposso Wall. If both teams are tied, a tie breaking wall is played.
Tie Breaker Wall
A player from both teams has four balls and must leap over a wall. The person with the most balls left wins.Imposso Wall
All three players of the victorious team compete. Each player holds a jigsaw puzzle and must match the shape to get the puzzle and themselves through. Another variation requires two of the three members to get through the wall while holding slippery balloons. Another version is that one player is blind flolded, one of them is wearing ear muffs, and a third player is wearing a mouth piece. If completed they earn a spot on the Wall of Fame. Only 4 teams have made it to the Wall of Fame.In addition, the Cartoon Network website includes unaired footage, including a wall called "The Killer Question," based on the British version
Hole in the Wall (UK game show)
Hole in the Wall was a game show that airs on BBC One in the United Kingdom. This game is an adaptation of the Japanese game Brain Wall in which players must contort themselves to fit through cutout holes of varying shapes in a large polystyrene wall moving towards them as they stand in front of a...
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. 20 points are scored for each player who clears the wall.