Double Dare (franchise) facts for kids
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Logo for the 2018 revival
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| Genre | Game show |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
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| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
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Double Dare is an American television game show in which two teams compete to win cash and prizes by answering trivia questions and completing messy stunts known as physical challenges. It originally ran from 1986 to 1993. A revival ran in 2000, and the most recent revival ran from 2018 to 2019.
Hosted by Marc Summers, the program originally premiered on Nickelodeon on October 6, 1986, as its first game show. The series saw many adjustments in scheduling and titling throughout its run. Almost immediately after its debut, Double Dare had more than tripled viewership for Nickelodeon's afternoon lineup, becoming the most-watched original daily program on cable television. The program was a major success for Nickelodeon, helping to establish the network as a major player in cable television, and to revitalize the genre of game shows for children. Double Dare remains Nickelodeon's longest-running game show. In January 2001, TV Guide ranked the show number 29 on its list of 50 Greatest Game Shows.
A continuation for syndication premiered on February 22, 1988, later revamped as Super Sloppy Double Dare on January 22, 1989. The program also had a short run on Fox as Family Double Dare, airing from April 3 to July 23, 1988. Nickelodeon continued Family Double Dare, premiering a new version on October 6, 1990. The original series ended on February 6, 1993. The series was revived, hosted by Jason Harris, and titled Double Dare 2000; this aired from January 22 to November 10, 2000. A second revival of the series, hosted by Liza Koshy and featuring Marc Summers, aired from June 25, 2018 to December 20, 2019.
Contents
Gameplay
Main game
Each team on the original Double Dare and Super Sloppy Double Dare consisted of two children, while teams on Family Double Dare and Double Dare 2000 included two adults and two children. Originally, both teams wore red uniforms, but after Double Dare entered syndication in 1988, one team wore blue uniforms while the other wore red.
Each round begins with a toss-up physical challenge in which both teams compete, with the winning team receiving both initial control of the round, and money for their score. After the toss-up, the host begins asking trivia questions of the team in control. Each correct answer earns a monetary award, and allows the team to maintain control, while an incorrect answer, or failure to respond within approximately ten seconds turns control over to the opponents. However, the team can dare their opponents to answer the question, doubling its value; in response, the opponents can double dare for quadruple the original value. When the team in control is challenged to a double dare, they have to either answer or compete in a physical challenge. An incorrect answer, or not responding within approximately five seconds on a dare or double dare, awards both control and the appropriate amount of money to the team that issues it. The second round plays the same as the first, with question values doubled. On the original Double Dare and Super Sloppy Double Dare, a question was initially worth $10. On Family Double Dare and Double Dare 2000, a question was initially worth $25. On the 2018 Double Dare, a question was initially worth $50, later 50 points.
After the toss-up at the start of the first round, the host explains the rules as follows:
I'm going to ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, or 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 either have to answer that question or take the physical challenge.
Physical challenges
Physical challenges are often messy stunts that a team has to perform in a specified time, 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. The team wins money and retained control for completing the stunt. Otherwise, the money and control pass to their opponents.
Many challenges have 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 involve catching a specific number of items before time runs out. For example, during "Pies in the Pants," a contestant has to catch a set number of pies in a pair of oversized clown pants within the specified time limit, while their teammate launches the pies from a foot-operated catapult at the opposite end of the stage.
On the original 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 1990–93 version of Family Double Dare and on Double Dare 2000, two members of a team competed in round one, and all four members competed in round two. All members of a team competed in physical challenges in the first season of the 2018 Double Dare, while most challenges in the second season are for two players.
Double Dare 2000 introduced the Triple Dare Challenge. Available only in round two, this allowed a team to make their physical challenge more difficult, increasing its value by $100, and putting a bonus prize at stake. Difficulties included reducing the time limit, adding an extra item to the stunt, or increasing the overall difficulty of the stunt. The actual modifier was not revealed unless the team decided to accept the challenge. If the team did not complete the challenge successfully, the money, prize, and control went to their opponents.
Obstacle course
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The team with the highest score at the end of round two goes on to the bonus round, the obstacle course (renamed the Slopstacle Course for Double Dare 2000). From the original Double Dare through Double Dare 2000 both teams keep all money earned, regardless of the outcome. Only the winning team on the 2018 version gets to keep their money.
The course consists of eight obstacles which have to be completed within 60 seconds. Each obstacle has an orange flag either at its end or hidden within it. One team member runs the first obstacle, then passes its flag to a partner, who then moves on to the next obstacle. The team continues to alternate in this manner until they have completed the course or until time expires. For safety reasons, team members are given helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads to wear while running the course.
Many obstacles have appeared in the course rotation, often based on body parts, food, and enlarged items found in daily life. Popular elements of the obstacle course have included The One-Ton Human Hamster Wheel, an oversized hamster wheel; Pick It, a giant human nose with a flag hidden inside; The Sundae Slide, a chocolate-covered ramp leading to a playground slide with ice cream at the bottom; and Gum Drop, which required contestants to leap into a giant gumball machine filled with plastic balls and slide out through the dispensing hatch at the bottom.
Through January 2019, the team would win a prize for each obstacle completed, escalating in value up to a grand prize for completing the entire course. Two-person teams split cash earnings from the front game, and both contestants receive the same physical prize for each obstacle. Prizes have included televisions, concert tickets, encyclopedias, electronics, gift certificates, non-motorized modes of transportation and, on the Fox Family Double Dare, cash. On the original and Super Sloppy versions, the grand prize was usually a vacation or an experience at Space Camp. All eight prizes were usually worth a total of between $3,000 and $4,000, with some episodes featuring a prize package nearing $10,000. On the Fox Family Double Dare, as well as the first season of the Nickelodeon run, the grand prize was a vehicle, making all eight prizes worth between $15,000 and $25,000. Once again, the grand prize was typically a vacation for the second season of Nickelodeon's Family Double Dare, Double Dare 2000 and the first season of the 2018 Double Dare, with grand prize packages on the 2018 version having a value of more than $6,000. With the premiere of the second season of the 2018 revival, the obstacle course is now played for $500 cash for each obstacle completed, with a total jackpot of $5,000 for successfully completing the course. Cash values were doubled for the finals game of a tournament series.
Other media
Merchandise and promotions
Reebok has been a major sponsor of Double Dare throughout its run. Every contestant and stage crew member wore a pair of the company's shoes. Additional corporate sponsorships and tie-ins were proposed, including Casio putting their logo on the stage clock, and a Double Dare-branded breakfast cereal, but Nickelodeon declined the offers.
From 1987 to 1995, various Double Dare live tours visited venues around the United States. Featuring a format similar to the TV show wherein members of a live local audience could participate, the tour would later incorporate aspects of What Would You Do?, another show hosted by Marc Summers for Nickelodeon. Some events in these tours sold-out arenas they were held in, with attendance of more than 20,000 spectators. The tours and events resumed in 2000 to promote Double Dare 2000. Beginning October 30, 2018, a version of Double Dare once again began touring nationwide. Marc Summers serves as host, with previous Double Dare personality Robin Russo appearing as well. The tour ran through the end of 2019.
Double Dare's lasting popularity has led to a variety of products being made available. Pressman Toy Corporation released two traditional board games based on the show: The Double Dare home game was released in September 1987 and Wet 'N Wild Double Dare was released in March 1989. Another board game titled Double Dare: The Game was manufactured by Mattel in 2001. GameTek published a PC game in 1988, and a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990 based on the program. Containing facts about the show, along with trivia and activities to host a home version of the game, two editions of The Double Dare Game Book were released by Parachute Press in 1988 and 1989. Based on substances referenced on Double Dare and Double Dare 2000, Mattel and Jakks Pacific manufactured a series of toy slimes called Gak and Goooze. Other toys, apparel, lunchboxes, and school supplies have been sold featuring the show's logo and art.
Double Dare was heavily featured in the summer 2016 "Remember When" promotion at New York concept store STORY. Their partnership with Nickelodeon offered exclusive in-store products like Double Dare T-shirts and other goods designed in the style of the program's themes. Patrons at STORY could also participate in Double Dare experiences, like running the One-Ton Human Hamster Wheel obstacle. As well, other Double Dare-inspired products available in-store, including Keds shoes and Stance socks, were offered online through retail partner Neiman Marcus.
Four collections of Double Dare highlights and special features were released on home video by Kids Klassics on October 1, 1988,— Double Dare: The Inside Scoop and Double Dare: The Messiest Moments. On October 17, 1989, a home party guide titled How to Throw a Double Dare Party was released by Elektra Video. Sony Wonder released Double Dare: Super Sloppiest Moments on May 31, 1994.
Collections of episodes of the original Super Sloppy Double Dare and versions of Family Double Dare were made available for purchase via digital distribution on Amazon Prime Video and the iTunes Store throughout 2013. A DVD titled Nickelodeon Games and Sports: All-Star Collection, released by Nickelodeon for Amazon.com on April 27, 2015, features an episode of the original Super Sloppy Double Dare and Family Double Dare. Added at launch in August 2018, select episodes of Double Dare 2000 were available to view on the now defunct NickSplat channel on Otter Media's VRV streaming service. 246 episodes from the first three years of the original Double Dare were added to the NickHits channel, available on Prime Video and Apple TV, in December 2019, and later added to Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) in January 2021. Recent versions were added to ViacomCBS’ over-the-top internet television service Pluto TV, originally on the now defunct NickGames channel, and later Pluto TV Kids and Pluto TV Tween.
Episodes of the 2018 version of Double Dare are available for purchase through many online video retailers, sold individually and in multi-episode volumes. The first season of the 2018 version was added to Paramount+ in March 2021. In August 2018, a Double Dare game was released on Facebook Messenger, allowing users to play against friends or other Messenger users in a turn-based version of the program.
Images for kids
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Marc Summers hosted Double Dare from 1986 to 1993.
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A contestant, dressed in a "hot dog bun", is covered in "mustard" and has completed a 1990 Family Double Dare physical challenge.
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Liza Koshy hosted Double Dare from 2018 to 2019.
