BUT (yup, if you already know this show, you knew that was coming) there are a couple of catches on this version. You're not allowed to walk away (you can pass once, but you must return to the back of the queue of six, while the next person in line can't pass on that question). And - here's the deal-killer for me - every time a contestant gets a question wrong, in addition to them being eliminated from the game, the highest possible amount on the Money Tree is also eliminated. Oops, sorry, other contestants, you're no longer playing for $1 million.
It's those little tweaks like eliminating big amounts from the Money Tree (no $500K level; $250K is the second highest amount here) that damage an otherwise solid format, and in more than five years, seven seasons and almost 1,200 episodes, no one has yet won $1 million on 'Hot Seat'. Some have come close, 17 have won that $250K second prize, but still no confetti.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millionaire_Hot_Seat
Here's one of their most recent big fails from earlier this year: the one person in a million who doesn't know how John Travolta got his start in Hollywood.
(From YouTube channel GameShowGarbage.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZYnxz1MySU
Once again, everyone who's left loses $750K, most Aussie viewers switch over to 'Deal or No Deal' on rival network Channel Seven, and Channel Nine saves a bit more money to put towards cast salaries for their inevitable 'McLeod's Daughters' reunion movie (sob, sob).
Don't get me wrong, it's a good format, a good idea, but those little tweaks are its downfall.
Of course we all know that American-BAM would never tweak the format like that. Never.
