Pass the Buck

A game show where players are given a category and have to list as many possible answers that fit.

Main Game

Four players competed in this game. A category is revealed (e.g., "Food eaten at a fast food restaurant") and it is the job of the contestants to give answers that fit into to that category. The order of contestants giving answers goes down the line from left to right. The bank for each game starts at $100, and each correct answer adds $25 more to the bank. The most money ever accumulated in the bank was $1,400.

If at any point an answer is repeated or the judges think an answer is incorrect, the next player in line can give one correct answer and knock that person out of the game, with the eliminated player going to the "bullpen" to sit out the rest of the game. If that person misses in any way, the next person in line can knock out both contestants who answered wrong. If all the players alive during a question give consecutive incorrect answers for a question, that question is thrown out and play resumes with a new question. A new round begins after a player (or players) are eliminated from the game played under the same process.

Play continues until one player is left, with that last player winning the contents of the bank and going onto the "Fast Bucks" bonus round.

Fast Bucks

The Fast Bucks round is played on a triangular board with four different levels - one box on the top level, two on the second, three on the third, and four on the bottom.

The winning player begins on the bottom level and is given a category with more defined answers (e.g., people from Happy Days, U.S. States). The winner's job is to reveal as many of the four hidden answers on the bottom level in 15 seconds.

If the contestant reveals at least one answer on a level, he or she moves up to the next level. The process is the same for the remaining levels. If at any time the player does not reveal any answers on any level when time expires, the bonus round ends and the player receives $100 for each revealed answer on the board. However, if the player reveals all answers on one level OR at least one answer on each of the four levels, they win $5,000.

The same four players stay on the show until one of them wins the $5,000, at which point the other three players leave the show (but they keep any money won up to that point). The $5,000 winner faces three new challengers.

Broadcast
CBS 1978

Host
Bill Cullen

Music
Frank Talley

The music would later be reused on the unsold pilot Caught in the Act (2).