Ultimatum (game show)
Encyclopedia
Ultimatum was a Quebec
quiz show
, broadcast from 2001 to 2004 on the TVA
network. Its visual style and lighting and is largely inspired by the success of the British and American shows Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The rules of the contest are, however, different.
However, each player also had access to a number of "tools" to encourage strategic play. Each tool could be invoked only once by each player over the course of the game. They were:
When any of these tools was invoked, or if the contestant had no tools left to use, the host would declare a question to be an Ultimatum, complete with more dramatic lighting and more tense background music was played.
After all contestants but one had been eliminated, the remaining contestant was declared the winner, and went on to play the bonus round. At one point during the series the contestant who won the game received $500.
Later in the run, the bonus round was altered, the contestant chose a category, and was read a question, they'd have 10 seconds to think, if they answered correctly, he/she won $1,000, a wrong answer won nothing extra.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
quiz show
Quiz Show
Quiz Show is a 1994 American historical drama film produced and directed by Robert Redford. Adapted by Paul Attanasio from Richard Goodwin's memoir Remembering America, the film is based upon the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s...
, broadcast from 2001 to 2004 on the TVA
TVA (TV network)
TVA is a privately owned French language television network in Canada. The network is currently owned by Groupe TVA Inc. , a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media...
network. Its visual style and lighting and is largely inspired by the success of the British and American shows Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The rules of the contest are, however, different.
Standard Game
The game was played with five contestants, including a returning champion who was the first "controller". The controller picked a question category from a set list, then read the question and directed it to another contestant. If the contestant got the question right, they became the new controller and the outgoing controller lost a "life". If the contestant answered incorrectly, the controller retained control and the contestant lost a life. Each contestant began the game with three lives, and if they were reduced to zero, were eliminated from the game.However, each player also had access to a number of "tools" to encourage strategic play. Each tool could be invoked only once by each player over the course of the game. They were:
- Ricochet, which could be used by a player who was asked to answer a question to redirect the question to any other contestant (except the controller) as if the controller had asked them directly.
- Miroir (mirror), which could also be used by a player who was asked to answer a question, but would instead direct the question back on the controller, reversing the roles.
- Piege (trap), which was used by the controller. If a controller found a question they were sure they knew the answer to, they could "trap" another contestant of their choice, answer the question themselves, and, if correct, cost the trapped player a life. If wrong, the trapped player assumed control and the outgoing controller loses a life.
When any of these tools was invoked, or if the contestant had no tools left to use, the host would declare a question to be an Ultimatum, complete with more dramatic lighting and more tense background music was played.
After all contestants but one had been eliminated, the remaining contestant was declared the winner, and went on to play the bonus round. At one point during the series the contestant who won the game received $500.
Bonus Round
The bonus round pitted the winner of the standard game against the collective brain power of the eliminated contestants, with a bit of a twist: for each life the winner had remaining at the end of the game, they could eliminate an opponent, meaning they would not be allowed to help the rest answer the question. In this fashion, if a winner had all three lives left, the bonus round would effectively be one-on-one.Later in the run, the bonus round was altered, the contestant chose a category, and was read a question, they'd have 10 seconds to think, if they answered correctly, he/she won $1,000, a wrong answer won nothing extra.
Tournament Play
On several occasions during the run, a multi-week tournament would be held. The 5 contestants played every day from Monday through Friday, with the player who won the most money invited back for the finals, then 4 weeks would be played each with 5 new contestants. When 5 finalists had been crowned, they played an additional week against each other, with the winner of the finals receiving $40,000.See also
- List of Quebec television series
- Television of QuebecTelevision of QuebecTelevision in Quebec is an essential part of the culture of Quebec, as well as the rest of French Canada. With over 99% of households owning a television in Quebec, it has the power to reach every Quebecer...
- Culture of QuebecCulture of QuebecThe Culture of Quebec emerged over the last few hundred years, resulting from the shared history of the French-speaking majority in Quebec. It is unique to the Western World; Quebec is the only region in North America with a French-speaking majority, as well as one of only two provinces in Canada...
- Quiz showQuiz ShowQuiz Show is a 1994 American historical drama film produced and directed by Robert Redford. Adapted by Paul Attanasio from Richard Goodwin's memoir Remembering America, the film is based upon the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s...