Well, if you want a host for a show where someone supposedly earns ten dollars a second for doing nothing, Ryan Seacrest would be it. Of course, given his typical check, the only person earning that rate is the host...

The amount of filler wasn't surprising: it's a show on NBC about a game which supposedly thousands of people are playing at every possible moment, action stretching to the horizon and beyond, so much that they couldn't possibly hope to cover it all. So naturally, they ignored all of it and presented as little gameplay as possible during the first hour, likely shooting to go under that tonight. (By the final evening, expect three questions and a whole lot of This Week In Non-Review footage.) On the whole, very little happened. Because it's NBC. And because they remain the cheapest network on television -- game shows included.

They tried to say it very quickly, didn't they? They almost tried to have Seacrest talk his way around it, since he's used to lying at every opportunity. But this is a game show, and that means the rules have to be out there. And the rules of this one? It's ten dollars per second given away -- but only the top four players get a chance to keep their own winnings. The top four from the entire run. How long could you sit in that chair taking on contenders before fatigue set in? Before the show tailored the questions to Something You Don't Know? Until the network began to outright cheat?

They want it to sound as if NBC is giving ten million dollars away. And they did -- to Seacrest, since at this point, that's probably his minimum wage. But to the contestants -- if the top four alone collect, we're probably looking at 400K or less. First place only? $150,000 or so. End of Season #1: yes, we tried to deceive you, we're NBC, you should be used to it. The host profits, one to four people temporarily change tax brackets, everyone else wasted their time.

I dearly want this thing to crash. Hard.

Unfortunately, the host already cashed his check.

It's NBC. You don't wait. It could bounce.

• RE: The Million-Second Quiz,tribephyl, 12:49 PM, 09-10-13
  • RE: The Million-Second Quiz,Estee, 03:43 PM, 09-10-13
    • RE: The Million-Second Quiz,tribephyl, 07:45 PM, 09-11-13
• RE: The Million-Second Quiz,Agman2, 05:34 PM, 01-12-16
  • RE: The Million-Second Quiz,Agman2, 06:40 PM, 01-25-16
    • RE: The Million-Second Quiz,kidflash212, 01:04 PM, 07-10-16

I watched, but only because my partner built the set pieces. He's proud of them, I'm proud of him.

Did his Honor Of Working For NBC check bounce? And what's his contractual penalty for having anyone admit he exists and Seacrest didn't dream the entire thing out of that one working non-Idol braincell? Because I'm sure there is one. Six digits. Seacrest is supposedly one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, y'know. You don't get that way by letting other people take any credit for their work.

I really liked the hourglass (which is a very dynamic design and sets off the whole thing) and the Current Champion Chair. The Top Four Pod... the sleeping compartments looked too small for comfort (although part of that might have been the camera angles plus shooting distance) and I would have been a lot happier if I'd seen a bathroom anywhere. I'm also not sure where they are. Other half of the bulb? Another Part Of The Forest? Howard Hughes' living room?

The crossover advertising in the semi-living quarters was annoying, but he has no control over that. Personally, a diet of nothing but Subway might make me lose on purpose.

As for the initial post complaint -- I did some extra research into the show and found out that ultimately, it's one winner, playing for the total cash gathered by the top four players. The other three may get Nada. Or possibly Zilch, although Seacrest may have a copyright on that in order to let him claim most of it. But because NBC wants to boast about Top Game Show Prize (truely or falsely), there's supposedly a $2m bonus to go with that final number. Early advertising had it as $10m -- take home the whole thing -- but NBC backed off that in a hurry and may be praying no one remembers. For that matter, if the ratings tank, I expect the $2m to go away rather quickly. Seacrest is getting half the network for this and it takes a big bite out of the budget. Also all the toilet paper in the building, which is worth more than NBC. And it's single-ply.

So basically, I'm not going to believe any final number until the very last one is openly declared. And not even then. $5,000,000 X-Factor prize, anyone?

Luckily, the project was named something else besides "The Chair for Million Second Debacle" or whatever. And Seacrest's name was never mentioned. So he worked "somewhat" freestyle.

He had done some work on the Voice Chairs, yes, the one's that spin, and I guess now is somewhat of an "LED-riddled Seating Apparatus" expert.
There was no huge check involved though. Barely enough to pay for the gas to get to and from the jobsite, really.
BUT it can go on his resume.

Bump for no particular reason

Bump Echo

I think that is against the guidelines