Game Shows Wiki
Register
Advertisement
The topic of this page has a Wikia of its own: Double Dare Wiki.
Hosts
Marc Summers (1986–1993)
Jim J. Bullock (sub guest host in a 1989 episode)
Bruce Jenner (1987 pilots)
Jason Harris (2000)
Liza Koshy (2018–2019)
Announcers
John Harvey aka Harvey (1986–1992)
Robin Marella & Dave Shikiar (sub guest announcers in a 1989 episode)
Bob Hilton (1987, Celebrity pilots)
Doc Holliday (1992–1993)
Tiffany Phillips (2000)
Marc Summers "Dubbed as The Mayor of Double Dare" (2018–2019)
Broadcast
DD86
Nickelodeon (Daily): 10/6/1986 – 2/19/1988
CDD87
Double Dare Pilot
Unsold Pilots for CBS: 7/29-30/1987
SSDD87
Nickelodeon (Weekly): 8/2/1987 – 1/24/1988
DD88
Syndication (Daily): 2/22/1988 – 8/19/1988
FDD88
FOX Primetime: 4/30/1988 – 7/23/1988
SSDD89
Syndication (Daily): 1/5/1989 – 9/8/1989
FDD90
Nickelodeon: 8/13/1990 – 2/6/1993
DD2k
Nickelodeon: 1/22/2000 – 11/10/2000
Double Dare 2018
Nickelodeon: 6/25/2018 – 12/20/2019
Packagers
Nickelodeon/Games Productions 
Ron Greenberg Productions (1987 pilots)
Fox Television Stations (1988–1989)
FremantleMedia North America (2018–2019)
Distributor
Viacom

This version of Double Dare is Nickelodeon's most popular (and messiest) game show. Being part quiz and part physical challenges, two teams (mainly kids, sometimes celebrities and later families) competed for cash and prizes.

(Keep in mind that this should not be confused with the short-lived 1976-77 CBS daytime game show of the same name.)

It had seven incarnations during its run:
Double Dare – The original
Super Sloppy Double Dare – Extra-messy version that was more, well, sloppy
Super Special Double Dare – Two special episodes
Celebrity Double Dare – Two pilots for a proposed celebrity version, featuring adults competing instead of kids. Still consisting of 2 on 2 teams (one adult contestant and one celebrity per team)
Family Double Dare – Had family teams playing
Double Dare 2000 – A short-lived revival, also with family teams playing
Double Dare (2018) – A second short-lived revival, returning back to the original 2 on 2 kids format, with occasional episodes featuring teams of three and four players on each side.

Gameplay[]

Main Game[]

The show would start each episode with the host saying, "On your mark, get set, go!". The game was played in two rounds, and at the beginning of each one, a toss-up challenge was played by both teams. The team that completed the toss-up earned money and control of the round.

Here are more of the rules the way Marc Summers said it:

"I'm gonna be asking you a question, and if you don't know the answer or you think the other team hasn't got a clue, 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 would either have to answer that question or take the Physical Challenge."

And here's what the rules meant:

The team in control was asked a question and a correct answer won money and kept control, but an incorrect answer forfeited control to the opposing team. Here's where the daring came in - if the team in control did not know the answer or if they thought the opposing team didn't know, all they had to do was "Dare" that opposing team, making the value of the question worth double. But if the opposing team still had no idea or vice versa, they could "Double Dare" the first team for quadruple the cash. On a Dare or Double Dare, if the team controlling the question answered incorrectly, the money went to the daring team; on a Double Dare only, the controlling team could either answer the question or take the physical challenge.

Physical Challenges[]

The physical challenge in question was a stunt (usually messy) that had to be completed within the time limit, usually 20 or 30 seconds, although occasionally 10 or 15 seconds. All physical challenges on Double Dare 2000 were 30 seconds in length, unless a time reduction was in play due to the Triple Dare Challenge. Completing the challenge won the Double Dare amount, but running out of time and not completing the challenge gave the opposing team the money.

Many challenges involved filling a container past a line with one of a variety of substances including water, uncooked rice, green slime, whipped cream, and milk. Others involved catching a specific number of items before time ran out.

On Double Dare and Super Sloppy Double Dare, both contestants on a team competed in all physical challenges. For the 1988 version of Family Double Dare, all four members of a team competed in the challenges. On the 1990–1993 version of Family Double Dare and on Double Dare 2000, two members of a team competed in Round 1, and all four members competed in Round 2.

During the Nickelodeon's Super Sloppy Double Dare era, each time any team took a Physical Challenge, a home viewer's name was drawn out of a special mailbox next to Marc's podium, and then he would announce that viewer's name. If the team playing the Physical Challenge could complete it, the chosen home viewer won an Etch-a-Sketch Animator; if not, then the viewer still won a Double Dare T-shirt.

On Double Dare 2000, in the second round, all physical challenges came with what was known as the "Triple Dare Challenge.” The team playing that challenge could decide to either take the "Triple Dare Challenge" or go for the normal one. When playing the "Triple Dare Challenge,” if the team completed it in time, they won triple the dare value and a prize; otherwise the opposing team got the prize and the money.

Scoring[]

Here how the players scored for success:

  • Round 1
    • Question – $10
    • Dare – $20
    • Double Dare/Physical Challenge – $40
  • Round 2
    • Question – $20
    • Dare – $40
    • Double Dare/Physical Challenge – $80

Here how the players scored in the Family Double Dare and Double Dare 2000 era:

  • Round 1
    • Question – $25
    • Dare – $50
    • Double Dare/Physical Challenge – $100
  • Round 2
    • Question – $50
    • Dare – $100
    • Double Dare/Physical Challenge – $200

The Triple Dare Challenge on Double Dare 2000 (exclusive to this version) was worth $300.

In the 2018 revival, players score as follows:

  • Round 1
    • Question – $50
    • Dare – $100
    • Double Dare/Physical Challenge – $200
  • Round 2
    • Question – $100
    • Dare – $200
    • Double Dare/Physical Challenge – $400

In regular Double Dare and FOX's Family Double Dare, the toss-ups were worth the dare value, but in the Nickelodeon version of Family Double Dare, Double Dare 2000, and the 2018 revival, the toss-ups were worth the normal value of the question.


The rounds were played in an unmentioned time limit, and the round(s) ended with the sound of a buzz (an air horn in the 2018 revival). The team with the most money at the end of Round 2 won the game (although until 2018, both teams got to keep the cash with a house-minimum guarantee of $100 ($50 in earlier Season 1 episodes, $200 in Double Dare 2000, $500 in FOX's Family Double Dare); in the first season of the 2018 revival, only the winning team kept the money, while the runners-up got a consolation prize package).

The winning team would also earn the right to run the Double Dare Obstacle Course. If the game ended in a tie, both teams would run the course.

Obstacle Course[]

The winning team had 60 seconds to run through eight obstacles. On each obstacle, the goal was to perform a certain task/run through something, then grab an orange flag from a pole or attached to the obstacle or simply finding that flag. Once the player doing that obstacle got the flag, he/she had to then pass it to his/her partner. For each obstacle completed the team won a prize, and clearing the entire course (all eight obstacles) also won a grand prize (a new car in the FOX version as well as the 1990 season of Family Double Dare, a trip in all other versions). For safety reasons, team members were given helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads to wear while running the course.

On FOX's Family Double Dare, the seventh obstacle was the cash obstacle, which was worth between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the episode.

On Double Dare 2000, the Obstacle Course was called the "Slopstacle Course.” The 2018 revival reverted back to the original "Double Dare Obstacle Course" name.

2018 Revival Changes[]

When Season 2 of the most-recent version premiered on March 11, 2019, it premiered a completely new format. While the overall front game and Obstacle Course structures remained intact, each week was a four-show tournament. Monday was a two four-person team game, with the winning team members being paired with celebrity partners and pitted against each other for the Tuesday and Wednesday shows. The two winners faced off on the Thursday show with new celebrity partners to determine the winner of the week.

For the front game, points were used, and in the Obstacle Course, each obstacle was worth $500, while clearing the course won $5,000. On Thursday, the money was doubled, meaning the maximum amount possible for one player was $16,250. The final obstacle was always "Mt. St. Double Dare" and stayed the same throughout the show's run.

1987 Double Dare Pilots[]

At least two pilots were made to sell a grown-up version of Double Dare to CBS. Unfortunately, neither of them sold. One pilot was played with civilian couples, and the other saw celebrities play with civilian contestants. The game was played the same way except that there were differences between these pilots & the other versions of Double Dare:

  • The amounts were double of FOX's Family Double Dare amounts.
  • Only one toss-up challenge was played (in the first round).
  • All questions were two-parters and each player had to answer half in order to score.
  • Teams always took turns answering questions regardless of who answered the question or not.
  • In the Obstacle Course, there were seven obstacles instead of the usual eight. The time to run the Obstacle Course was not 60 seconds, but 90 seconds. The contestant did two of the obstacles (2 and 4) while the celebrity partner did four (1, 3, 5, and 6), both players did the final obstacle (7). Instead of grabbing or finding flags, the player performing the obstacle had to hit a button by the obstacle after finishing it. The grand prize was a new car, which carried over into the Family shows.
  • The Double Dare (part of the) logo would later find its way into the 1988 syndicated version.

Team Uniforms[]

When the show started, both teams wore red outfits despite the fact that one of the teams stood in front of a blue background. Starting in 1988, to avoid confusion, only one team was dressed in red and the other team was dressed in blue; plus, both teams stood in front of their appropriate backgrounds except in FOX’s Family Double Dare, where the background colors took turns.

Host Assistants[]

(Super Sloppy/Family) Double Dare[]

Robin Marella
Dave Shikiar (1986–1990)
Jaime Bojanowski (Family Double Dare from 1990–1991 and Super Special Double Dare in 1992)
Chris Miles (Family Double Dare from 1992-1993)

Double Dare 2000[]

Will Finley
Jeffrey Lamar
Tia Marie Schroeder

Rating[]

72px-TV-G icon svg

Music[]

Main 1986/2018 – "On Your Marc" by Edd Kalehoff
Celebrity Double Dare Pilot 1987 – Unknown
2000 – Rick Witkowski (based on "On Your Marc" by Edd Kalehoff)

Inventors[]

Geoffrey Darby
Michael Klinghoffer
Dee LaDuke
Bob Mittenthal

International Versions[]

Double Dare has also aired in these countries:

  • United Kingdom – 1987–1992 as a segment of Going Live Before revived on CBBC
  • Australia – 1989–1992 - one of wich is a Kangaroo Cup (US Vs AU) and Ashes Special (UK Vs AU)
  • Brazil – 1987–2000 as Passa ou Repassa (Pass or Repass)
  • Canada (French) – 1989–1991 as Double Défi (Double Challenge)
  • France – 2012—Present
  • Germany – 1991–1994 as Drops!
  • India – 2004 as Nick Dum Duma Dum
  • Netherlands – 1989–1990 as DD Show

Double Dare Live Tour[]

While Double Dare was still going on, the show did a live tour and was shown in many cities across the United States. Both Marc Summers and Robin Marella made live appearances and the game was played like the show. However, there were some differences compared to the television version. There were no buzzers to signify that the round was over. Marc told the teams that he ran out of questions for the round. There was also no time's up buzzer when doing physical stunts, Marc called time for the teams. There was also no winning bells to signify the team had won the stunt or completed the obstacle course, Marc determined which team had won. Summers also encouraged the audience to cheer on their teams before the game started, but he had one very important rule; not to shout any answers out after questions were read. If anyone shouted out the answers, questions would be dropped. Summers would also tell the audience to be quiet during the game to remind them not to help. If this continued, the teams would be disqualified. Sometimes before the show, Marc would go out into the audience and talk with them. The obstacle course was the same, however the obstacles were downsized so that they could fit onto the stage. There was also a live version of Family Double Dare as well.

When Double Dare was revived in 2018, it was announced that the live stage show would return, with Summers along with Robin Russo, hosting the shows. The tour will begin October 30, 2018 in Fayetteville, NC, with the fall 2018 tour stops focusing on the east coast of the United States. The spring 2019 tour stops will focus more on the west coast of the United States.

See Also[]

The Making of Super Sloppy Double Dare
Salute to Double Dare
Super Special Double Dare
NBA All-Star Double Dare
Double Dare Reunion Special
Double Dare at Super Bowl

Additional Pages[]

Double Dare (2)/DD In Popular Culture
Double Dare (2)/Quotes & Catchphrases
Double Dare (2)/Merchandise
Double Dare (2)/Gallery
Double Dare (2)/Video Gallery
Double Dare (2)/Episode Guide

Trivia[]

Double Dare returned as a stage show at the Nickelodeon Suites Hotel in Orlando, Florida in 2012, but it ceased in 2016 due to the reformation of the hotel simply being a Holiday Inn. Shortly after, the stage show moved to Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota under the new name, Double Dare Challenge! 

Carmen Sandiego host Greg Lee was originally a contestant coordinator and audience warmup on the show.

After much speculation, Double Dare made its comeback to Nickelodeon on June 25, 2018.[1] YouTube star & TV personality Liza Koshy became the new host, and Marc Summers was the announcer/co-host who also helped describe the physical challenges and reveal answers to questions before going into the physical challenge if teams didn't know the answer. It lasted until December 20, 2019.

An episode from the short-lived Koshy era aired on December 27, 2018 featured a family of two same-sex male contestants named Liberty and Bryan[2]along with their adopted kids named Oscar and Marcos under the name "Team Double Dads". Although they have lost, this was the first time in the show 32 year history to have a same-sex couple along with their kids.

Reference[]

Links[]

Advertisement