Double Dare
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- This article refers to the children's game show. For other articles, including the unrelated 1976 game show for adults, see: Double Dare (disambiguation).
Template:Infobox television Double Dare was a children's game show, originally hosted by Marc Summers, that aired on Nickelodeon. It is often credited with putting the then-fledgling network on the map.
The show originated from the WHYY-TV studios in Philadelphia in 1986. In 1987, the show temporarily moved to New York City for a special weekend edition called Super Sloppy Double Dare. The show returned to Philadelphia in 1988; by then Viacom syndicated the show to the young Fox network (in markets where the Fox station wasn't an O&O, or there was no Fox station, the show aired on Independent stations). The Super Sloppy format reappeared the following year, and production of the show moved to Universal Studios Florida, where it remained until its cancellation in 1992. The final episodes aired in 1993.
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Gameplay
The Main Game
Image:DDTossUp.jpg The show begins with Marc Summers saying these six words:"On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!"
Two teams of two kids each competed for cash and prizes. Originally, both teams wore red uniforms, but after Double Dare's syndication began in 1988, one team began wearing blue uniforms.
Each round began with a toss-up challenge performed by both teams; this consisted of a physical stunt to be performed by both teams -- the winner received $20 USD and control of the first round.
Host Marc Summers (or Jason Harris in the 2000 version) typically explained the rules of the game as follows:
- I'm going to ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, or think the other team doesn't have a clue ("is stumped"), you can Dare them to answer it for double the dollars. But be careful, because they can always Double Dare you back for four times the amount, and then you'll either have to answer the question or take the Physical Challenge.
() = Used in early episodes.
Scoring
Here's how the scoring format worked:
| Round | Question | Dare | Double Dare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 20 | 40 |
| 2 | 20 | 40 | 80 |
Physical Challenges
Physical challenges were stunts -- usually messy -- that a team had to perform in an allotted time, usually either 10, 15, 20 or 30 seconds. Most challenges involved filling a container past a line with a variety of substances: water, uncooked rice, green slime, whipped cream, "a milk-like substance", etc. to name a few.
Others involved catching a certain number of items before time ran out. "Pie in the Pants," where a contestant had to catch 3 or 4 pies in under 30 (or 20) seconds, is an example of this.
Completing the stunt won the team $40 USD ($80 USD in round 2), otherwise, the money went to the other team.
A later spinoff, Double Dare 2000 introduced the "Triple Dare Challenge." Available only in round two, this allowed a team to make their physical challenge more difficult in exchange for six times the dare amount (or $300, in this incarnation of the show) and a bonus prize. Sometimes this included shaving time off (turning a 30-second challenge into a 25-second one, for instance), or adding difficulty to the stunt (catching 5 pies instead of 4).
The Obstacle Course
The team with the highest score at the end of round two went on to the final challenge of the game, the Obstacle Course. The course consisted of 8 obstacles which had to be completed within 60 seconds. Each obstacle had an orange flag either at the end of or hidden within it.
One team member would start at the first obstacle and upon completion, pass its flag to his partner, who would then move on to the second obstacle. The team would continue to alternate like this until they completed the course or time ran out -- whichever came first.
The team won a prize for each obstacle completed. During the Fox run of Family Double Dare, cash was awarded at obstacle #7 in place of a prize, and the eighth flag won the grand prize. In the original and Super Sloppy versions, the grand prize was usually a vacation. In Fox Family Double Dare, as well as the first season of the Nick run, it was a brand new car. In 1992, it was changed back to a vacation; however, the family that won the tournament held that season had the chance to run the Obstacle Course for a car (see below).
Spinoffs
Super Sloppy Double Dare
The format of Super Sloppy Double Dare copied that of the original program. Launched in 1987, it aired on the weekends on Nickelodeon. To compete with other children's game shows at the time, the format returned on the air in 1989.
Family Double Dare
Family Double Dare premiered on Fox on April 3, 1988, and moved to its regular Saturday night slot that week. This spinoff featured two teams of four: two kids with two parents. The same rules used for the regular version of Double Dare applied.
More money was at stake in this version. The opening toss-up challenge netted a team $25 USD in round one ($50 USD in round two). Dollar values doubled in round two. The grand prize for the obstacle course was a new car or a family vacation.
Scoring
Here's how the scoring format worked in this version:
| Round | Question | Dare | Double Dare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 50 | 100 |
| 2 | 50 | 100 | 200 |
Family Double Dare ended its Fox run by July 1988. Nickelodeon put it back into production in 1990, and finally cancelled it in 1992. Producers taped some new episodes after the cancellation. Summers himself has said about the show, "We could do reruns forever."
The final season of the Nickelodeon run ended with a Tournament of Champions. The two teams with the highest scores of the season, along with the two teams with the fastest obstacle course times, were invited back to participate in the special hour-long final episode in a battle of "Brains vs. Brawn". The two "Brains" (high scoring teams) played each other in a full game of Double Dare (sans the Obstacle Course); a full game with the "Brawns" team immediately followed. The winning families from these two games then faced each other in a final full-length game (labeled "Brains vs. Brawn) to determine the grand champion, who won a large trophy and the right to run the Obstacle Course one final time for a car. The winning family, whose team moniker was "Granite Toast", indeed won the car at the end of the show.
The final original episode aired in 1993, and Family Double Dare reruns continued up to February 1999. The Fox run was distributed by Viacom.
Celebrity Double Dare
A 1988 pilot, Celebrity Double Dare was produced by Ron Greenberg and featured celebrity team captains and host Bruce Jenner, with Bob Hilton announcing. The format was also slightly different: questions had two possible answers, with each team member giving one, and the obstacle course offered a new car as the grand prize. This version was never picked up.
Super Special Double Dare
Super Special Double Dare was a short series of special Double Dare episodes featuring celebrities just like the aforementioned-above version, sport teams, cast members from other Nickelodeon shows. These episodes used two teams of four contestants, with all winnings going to charity.
Double Dare 2000
Double Dare 2000 was the revived version of the show which premiered on January 22, 2000. Jason Harris hosted this version of the show; original host Summers was the executive consultant.
Double Dare 2000 followed the Family Double Dare format with a revamped set and bigger physical challenges. It also featured the new "Triple Dare Challenge" option in round two, introduced "goooze", and referred to the obstacle course as the "Slopstacle Course". Double Dare 2000 was cancelled in December 2000.
Rerun status
All four versions of Double Dare have aired in reruns on Nickelodeon's digital cable network Nickelodeon GAS at some point since 2001; however, the only version currently airing is Double Dare 2000 as reruns of Family Double Dare & Super Sloppy Double Dare are took off for a short time on 11/1/05 while reruns of Double Dare is still put on hiatus.
Merchandise
Double Dare's popularity led to a variety of products made available for sale.
Games and Toys
- Double Dare home game (tie-in with first version of Super Sloppy Double Dare), 1987
- Double Dare LCD handheld games ("Pie in the Pants," "Balloon Buster," and "Flying Sundaes"), 1988
- Double Dare jigsaw puzzle, 1988
- Double Dare computer game (IBM and Apple versions), 1989
- Wet 'n Wild Double Dare home game (tie-in with second version of Super Sloppy Double Dare), 1989
- Double Dare yo-yo, 1989
- Super Sloppy Double Dare pinball machine, 1989
- Double Dare video game (NES), 1990
- Double Dare 2000: the Game (tie-in with Double Dare 2000), 2001
Apparel
- T-shirts, available in retail stores and on Double Dare Live Tour stops
- belt buckles
- painter's caps, available on Double Dare Live Tour stops
- pajamas
Home Videos
- Double Dare: The Messiest Moments, 1988
- Double Dare: The Inside Scoop, 1988
- How to Throw a Double Dare Party, 1989
- Double Dare: Super Sloppiest Moments, 1994
Books
- The Double Dare Game Book, by Daniella Burr, 1988
- The All-New Double Dare Game Book, by Daniella Burr, 1989
School Supplies
- Double Dare lunchbox, featuring the Dueling D's on the Sundae Slide, 1988
- Double Dare folders, 1988
Personnel
- Marc Summers (host, 1986-1993; producer 1992-1993; executive consultant 2000)
- John Harvey ("Harvey," announcer, 1986-1992)
- Robin Marella (stage assistant, 1986-1993)
- Dave Shikiar (stage assistant, 1986-1989)
- Doc Holliday (announcer, 1992-1993)
- Jason Harris (host, 2000)
- Tiffany Phillips (announcer, 2000)
- Edd Kalehoff (composer, 1986-1993)
International Versions
- Quebec, Canada - A French language version called Double Défi.
- The Netherlands - A Dutch language version called DD Show.
- Germany - The German version Drops! was broadcast by Sat.1.
- United Kingdom - This BBC version was part of a Saturday morning block of programming called Going Live with Peter Simon.
- Australia - Several episodes of this version were taped for broadcast in the United States with the tagline "G'day U.S.A.!" One special episode featured an American team and an Australian team playing for the Kangaroo Cup. Australia also produced a version of Family Double Dare, which only lasted for three episodes, but marked the debut of veteran emcee Larry Emdur.
- Brazil - A Portuguese language version called Passa ou Repassa (Pass or Repass). Family, celebrity and school versions were also produced. This program had a moment named "Torta na Cara" (Pie on the Face) where the teams would face off answering questions. The contestant who incorrectly answered received a pie in the face from his or her opponent.
- India - Nickelodeon India's version called Nick Dum Duma Dum, which uses the Family Double Dare format.