Trivial Pursuit (1993)

''OPENING SPIEL #1 (Interactive Game): Today, these nine/twelve players, and you at home will test your Trivia IQ, as we play Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game. And here's the star of our show, Wink Martindale!''

''OPENING SPIEL #2 (Classic Game): It's time to test your Trivia IQ, as we play/on the World's most popular trivia game, Trivial Pursuit. And here's the star of our show, the man who (insert funny fact), Wink Martindale!''

Trivial Pursuit was an American game show loosely based on the board game of the same name.

Format
The show was played in two halves. The first half was an interactive game show while the other half was a traditional game show.

The Interactive Game
Nine players (originally twelve) competed for three spots in the second half of the show.

Round One
Five questions with four multiple-choice answers were asked by the host. The players had 10 seconds to answer by pressing a number from 1-4 on a keypad in front of them. They scored points based on how fast they answered the question correctly, with a maximum of 1,000 points available. After five questions, the six players with the highest scores played round two and the other players were eliminated.

Round Two
This round was played in the same way as round one, except the three highest scoring players won a special prize and a chance to play Trivial Pursuit in the next half hour show.

The Classic Game
As in the board game, three contestants raced to complete their game pie first by answering questions from categories that match the colored wedge. Unlike the board game, however, it took two questions to complete a wedge, and no board or die was used. And although most of the colors were the same, one was different and that color is red replacing the brown-colored wedge.

In the first three rounds, each player received two turns consisting of a category choice followed by a question posed by host Martindale. A correct answer lit up a wedge but an incorrect answer gave the two opponents a chance to steal the wedge.

Round One
In the first round, the six traditional Trivial Pursuit categories were used.

Round Two
This round used either the categories from the Movie Edition or Television Edition.

In the 2nd half of Round 2 (or usually Round 3), a new set of categories were played. (In early episodes, the questions related to a certain year in history.) The category sets used were different each show, and were borrowed from multiple versions of the board game.

Round 2 also included three special questions known as "Bonus Questions" hidden behind three of the categories--one in one half of the round, and two in the other. When chosen, the player who answered the question correctly had an opportunity to answer a follow-up question which awarded the player a $100 bonus and another half-wedge in the color of their choice.

Round Three (Usually Round Four)
Round three (or usually Round four) again used the traditional basic categories as in Round 1, but the round was played in a different manner. The round started with a toss-up question, and the first player to buzz-in and answer correctly controlled the round. The player in control kept choosing categories and answering questions until he/she either filled his or her pie (thereby winning the game), or missed a question, at which point the other two players could steal control and the wedge. If nobody answered the question another toss-up was played. The first player to completely light up the entire pie (or the player with the most lit wedges when time ran out) won the game, $500, an additional prize, and played the bonus round.

The Trivial Pursuit Challenge Round
The winning player had 45 seconds to answer six questions (again from the six basic categories) in order to fill up a pie shown on a monitor. Each correct answer lit a color in the pie. A wrong answer or a pass automatically moved to the next category. After the first six questions the player went back to questions from the categories missed as time permitted (although in some episodes, it was observed that the categories continued in sequence even if a question was already answered in that category). The winning player received $100 for each wedge lit and if they lit up all six wedges before the 45 seconds expired, he/she won $1,000 and a trip.

Audience Game
If there was extra time at the end of the show, an audience member was called on stage and given the opportunity to answer five multiple-choice questions (much like the "Interactive" portion of the show) at $20 apiece, for a maximum payoff of $100.

Interactive Component

 * The show premiered a series of "interactive" games called playbreaks, all produced by Martindale and his associates. Originally, 10 "Trivial Pursuit" playbreaks were interspersed throughout FAM's game show block (three of them were during Trivial Pursuit: Interactive Game.) A question would be shown on the screen, along with four choices, and the answer would be revealed 10 seconds later.
 * There were no playbreaks in the original version of Trivial Pursuit, possibly because Martindale didn't want viewers to be distracted from the game. Home viewers were given an opportunity to call a special 1-900 # ($4.98 per call) and play a "TP: Interactive Game" typed, using a slightly modified scoring system, and players answer by using their touch-tone telephone. The winner of each "playbreak" wins a prize and compete on Friday in a playoff game against the other winners for a vacation. The ad would last about 100 seconds, as seen by an on-screen clock (even though the clock read ":99" as it faded in).
 * Other interactive games premiered on the network, one was another board game adaptation Boggle, another was the list-oriented Shuffle, and one more was Jumble, a newspaper game adaptation. The Trivial Pursuit interactive version was cancelled to make way for Boggle and Shuffle, only to return months later.

Trivia

 * The show spawned a board game of the show itself like Scrabble did, with some questions from the show. The box cover featured Wink and a shot from the aforementioned unsold syndicated version's pilot.

Merchandise
A board game called Trivial Pursuit: Game Show was released by Parker Brothers in 1993, featuring host Wink Martindale on the cover. and just like TV Scrabble it was originally a board game itself.

Spin-Offs
ESPN Trivial Pursuit - Sports themed version aired on ESPN in 2004

Trivial Pursuit: America Plays - Interactive version aired on MNT from 2008-2009

Inventor
Based on the board game of the same name by Parker Brothers.

Links
The Trivial Pursuit Rules Page

YouTube Video
Interactive Game Promo

The Games on FAM Block Intro

Trivial Pursuit Playbreak

Interactive Game
Contestant David Dickstein

Trivial Pursuit closing

Premiere Episode (with Playbreak Included)

Part 1

Part 2

Classic Game
Mark vs. Scott vs. Ron (with Playbreak included)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

'''Regina vs. Joe. vs. Cheryl'''

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Patty vs. Julie vs. Michael

Part 1

Part 2

Colleen vs. Paris Themmen vs. Steve

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Fred vs. Alice vs. Pat