As a part of ABC’s Winter Fun and Games programming, The Chase makes its return to prime time for contestants to chase their dreams of a cash prize.
This revival is hosted by ABC talk show veteran Sara Haines, being her first time hosting a game show. When discussing her experience hosting The Chase, she says “the world of game shows is so different than the world I grew up in, which was morning tv and afternoon talk shows.”
Haines further discusses the differences between these talk shows and a game show, where the game show has a lot more scripted moments than her previous jobs. “When breaking down the game, you have to make sure the audience understands it,” says Haines.
Alongside her are Jeopardy veterans James Holzhauer, Ken Jennings, and Brad Rutter, whom all take turns being the cunning and competitive Chaser.
How Does The Chase Work?
In this quiz show, a team of three contestants is playing against the “Chaser.” All three contestants participate individually in two rounds: a “Cash Builder” round and a “Chase.” In the “Cash Builder” round, each team member answers as many questions as possible in one minute, with each right answer awarding them more money.
In the “Chase” round, each team member goes head to head with the Chaser on a gameboard, where each right answer moves them across the board. The goal of the contestant is to reach the team bank without being caught by the Chaser. If caught, they lose the money earned from that round.
In the last round of the show called the “Final Chase,” the teammates who survived the first two rounds engage in a final battle of wits with the Chaser. Both parties have a set of questions, where they are put on the spot to get as many right answers as possible in two minutes. Each correct answer moves them across the gameboard.
The contestants ultimately win by outrunning the Chaser by getting more correct answers than them. If the Chaser gets a question wrong, the contestants can steal the question, potentially sending the Chaser back a space if they answer correctly.
The Contestants
The latest episode in the series sees contestants Sarah, Wes, and Ilana face off against Jeopardy legend Brad Rutter, who hosts the show for the first time. Wes clearly carried the team, being the only one out of the three to get money in the bank at the end of his “Chase” round. Despite this, Rutter still managed to get the best of Wes during the “Final Chase” round, thus defeating the trio and sending them home with no money.
Jeopardy Champions Shine
Even though they aren’t competing for the cash prize, the Jeopardy veterans are the true highlight of the game show. While only one Chaser participates per episode, the other two Jeopardy stars not in the game provide commentary from the “Chaser Lounge.” This makes for some hilarious side comments from Holzhauer and Jennings. Hearing from each personality even if they are not the main opponent of the episode is satisfying for the viewer.
Seeing these Jeopardy personalities in a different environment than Jeopardy itself is entertaining and refreshing. Holzhauer, Jennings, and Rutter all seem to be in high spirits and having a good time during the episode. I guess they can relax since they aren’t in the hot seat for prize winnings anymore. The witty comments and fun banter from all three of them (especially Brad softly roasting the contestants as the Chaser) make for some hilarious moments.
When describing her relationship with the Chasers, Haines was surprised how down to earth all of them were. “Meeting them, they weren’t what I expected in the best way,” says Haines. “I was so surprised at how such smart people could be so relatable and not make you feel any different from them.” When going out to dinner with the three Chasers, Haines sensed a sibling-like dynamic between them.
Between appearing on this show and hosting Jeopardy, I wonder if Ken Jennings ever experiences information overload from all the various quiz questions.
Should you tune into The Chase?
Between the fun format of the show and three Jeopardy veterans at the forefront, any Jeopardy or game show fan should give this revival a chance. The Chase’s rapid-fire questions are perfect for viewers that like to play along at home. Viewers will also want to tune in to see their favorite Jeopardy stars in a new spotlight.
Furthering playing at home, Haines cites that being a part of The Chase made her smarter. Haines says that “the first time I ever won Trivial Pursuit with my family happened after we shot The Chase.” Those looking to gain an advantage on family game nights would benefit from tuning in to this game show.
The Chase airs Thursdays at 9 PM EST on ABC. As Sara Haines would say, “the chase is on!”
Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. Follow “The Chase” (#TheChase) on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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