The Challengers (1990)

Three players, including a returning champion, competed in this current events quiz that served as a revival of the 1969 NBC quiz show, "The Who, What or Where Game." Each show was introduced by the announcer giving the date (e.g., "Today is Monday, Sept. 3, 1990") and began with a 60-second rapid-fire current events question round called the "Challengers Sprint," with $100 per correct guess and $100 deducted for an incorrect guess. The contestant with the most money after the "Challengers Sprint" gets to select from a board of questions. Each round has six categories of three questions, all about current events and popular culture and each question worth $150, $200 and $250. The contestants secretly chose which question they want to answer. If a question was chosen by one player, he/she was read the question, with cash added or subtracted depending on if a right answer was given. If two players selected the same question, Clark read it toss-up style, with the first to buzz in getting to answer. If all three contestants chose the same question, then the values doubled, with the player answering correctly first getting to answer one or both remaining questions for extra cash. Two rounds of six categories were played, with second round values worth $300, $400 and $500. All players with positive scores after two rounds played the "Final Challenge," based on one category and three as-of-yet announced questions, each rated by difficulty (e.g., the easy question paid even odds, while the most difficult had 3:1 odds). The contestants secretly chose which question they chose to answer and how much of their current winnings (up to all they had) to bet. If two or all three contestants chose the same question, the player with the highest wager got to answer. All three contestants kept their winnings, paid on a Citibank VISA card, with the high scorer returning the next day. Champions who won three games got to play "The Ultimate Challenge" for $25,000 plus $1,000 per show unclaimed. Clark announced a category, from which all questions were taken; if the contestant answered all three questions correctly, he/she won the cash jackpot and retired undefeated, otherwise they returned to the next show to try again.