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Figure It Out

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For the song "Figure It Out" by Lil' Chris, see Figure It Out (song). For the song "Figure It Out" by VersaEmerge, see Figure It Out (VersaEmerge song).
Figure It Out
Created byKevin Kay
Magda Liolis
Presented bySummer Sanders (1997-2000)
Jeff Sutphen (2012-2013)
Narrated byJeffrey "J" Dumas (1997-2000)
Elle Young (2012-2013)
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes218
Production
Production locationsUniversal Studios
Orlando, Florida (1997-2000)
Paramount Studios
Los Angeles, California (2012-2013)
Running time24 minutes
Original release
NetworkNickelodeon
ReleaseOriginal Series
July 7, 1997 (1997-07-07) –
January 12, 2000 (2000-01-12)
Revived Series
June 11, 2012 – July 16, 2013

Figure It Out is an American children's game show that airs on Nickelodeon. The original series, hosted by Summer Sanders, ran for four seasons from July 7, 1997 to January 12, 2000; the revival of the show began running on June 11, 2012 and is hosted by Jeff Sutphen.

Kids with special skills or unique achievements compete as contestants on the show while a panel of four Nick celebrities try to guess the predetermined phrase that describes the contestant's talent. The series is a loose adaptation of What's My Line? and I've Got a Secret, both established panel shows created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman.

Shortly after the series aired its last first-run episode, Figure It Out began airing repeats on Nick GAS until the network ceased at the end of 2007 (2009 on Dish Network). Its tagline is That Strain on the Brain. The series was originally recorded at Nickelodeon Studios at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. The revival episodes are filmed on stage 19 at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles.[1]

Reruns of the Sanders-hosted series were among the shows carried on the now-defunct cable channel Nickelodeon Games and Sports for Kids; and also several episodes of the Sanders-hosted series have also aired as part of The '90s Are All That, a 1990s-oriented rerun block that airs on TeenNick, as the series aired on the block from August 3, 2012, to August 5, 2012.

Jeff Sutphen confirmed via Twitter that no new episodes of the revival of Figure It Out will be produced.[2] He also confirmed in another tweet that there are no more unaired episodes either.[3]

Gameplay

Each episode has two sets of three timed rounds (originally all 60 seconds in length; currently, rounds 2 and 3 are 45 seconds long), in which the panel takes turns asking yes-or-no questions to try to guess the contestant's talent. Each time a panelist mentions a word that is part of the phrase that describes the secret talent, the word is turned over on a game board displaying the puzzle. This game board was referred to as Billy the Answer Head during the original series run and is known simply as the "It" Board in the show's current adaptation.

This game board shows which words of the phrase are guessed, along with blanks denoting words that the panel didn't solve. Prepositions and articles, such as "of" and "an," are provided automatically. During the very early episodes of the show, synonyms of words that were on the board were accepted by the judges (e.g.: A panelist revealing the word "song" by saying the word "carol"). This was quickly changed with panelist having to say the exact word in a contestant's talent in order for that word to be revealed on the board.

The contestant wins a prize after each round that his or her talent remains unguessed; the prize for winning the third round is a trip. In Season 1 prizes consisted mainly of leftover props from then-defunct Nickelodeon shows such as All That, Legends of the Hidden Temple, and Global Guts. Merchandise prizes (such as a Nintendo 64) and gift cards for stores including Kids Foot Locker, Toys 'R' Us, and Loew's began to appear as prizes during later seasons. If Round 3 ends with at least one word left unrevealed, each panelist takes one final guess as to what the contestant's talent is (any correct words given during the final guess are revealed, as during the game). The game ends when a panelist guesses the secret talent or if no panelist guesses the secret talent correctly after the "last guess" stage.

During each Round, the panelists receive one clue as a hint to one of the words of the secret phrase. The clue usually takes the form of physical objects – such as dates to indicate a clue about calendars – sounds (rarely used), or pantomime (the "Charade Brigade" (Season 1-4), "Clue Force 3" (Season 5)), usually two or three cast members that act out a word from the phrase during Round 3) with "Clue Force 3" pictionary was sometimes use instead of pantomime.

At the end of the game, after the secret talent is revealed, the contestant demonstrates or displays his or her skill and discusses it with the host and panel.

Secret Slime Action

In each game, from the start of round 2, a randomly selected member of the studio audience plays for a prize (a merchandise prize, such as a Nintendo 64 or a mountain bike in season 1. A Figure It Out-branded article of clothing in seasons 2-6) if at least one or more panelists perform the action, those panelists will be slimed by the end of round 3.

The action designated as the Secret Slime Action is typically simple and almost guaranteed: touching a clue, looking to the left (which was reflexive, as clues were commonly wheeled out on a small track from a tunnel to the panel's left), using the phrase "Are you..." or "Is it...," looking to the audience behind the panel (who was sometimes used for clues), saying "I don't know," having a certain name, and even being a panelist were all used as actions. For example, Steve Burns (from Blue's Clues) was slimed because the Secret Slime Action was "having a blue dog", Alex Heartman (from Power Rangers Samurai) was slimed because the Secret Slime Action was "wearing a red unatar to work", and Jade Ramsey (from House of Anubis) was slimed because the Secret Slime Action was "having an identical twin sister." Despite this, and contrary to popular belief, the Secret Slime Action was not always performed in the original series. In the new version, Secret Slime Actions are almost impossible to miss and so far, there has not been a single show in which it was not performed during both halves of gameplay. In episode 14 of season six, there was finally an instance where it was not performed. The Secret Slime Action was Saying "Wait" for the first segment, and it was not performed.

Some Actions are logically unenforceable, such as "thinking about coconuts" or "thinking about mushroom soup." Especially in the latter seasons, a successful Action has mostly been a foregone conclusion – the variables have only been when it will be triggered, and by whom (not necessarily a panelist).

When the Secret Slime Action is triggered, all play stops (including the clock) while the panelist is slimed and the action revealed, after which gameplay resumes. The host knows of the action and sometimes tricks the panelists into performing it by making them say or touch something (in one episode, the action was "touching your head." Sanders touched her head and said, "Have you done something with your hair?," which caused the panel to touch their heads in reaction). In an episode, the Secret Slime Action was "Looking at Lori Beth." Moira Quirk, Amanda Bynes, and Danny Tamberelli were not looking at Lori Beth, and they mistakenly got slimed.

Word of Honor

In the 2012 revival, prior to each game, one word of the contestant's secrets may be designated as the "Word of Honor." Should the panel guess this word, the contestant is slimed.[4] As the contestant is slimed, gameplay and the clock are paused.

Panelists

Either three or all four panelists are taken from Nickelodeon shows airing at the time. Regulars during the original run included All That cast members Amanda Bynes, Lori Beth Denberg (who left after Season 3), Kevin Kopelow, and Danny Tamberelli (who also starred in the Nick show The Adventures of Pete and Pete).

The first seat on the panel was usually reserved for an older-aged panelist, either an older actor from Nick (usually Kevin Kopelow of All That) or a non-Nickelodeon celebrity (such as Taran Noah Smith of Home Improvement). In several episodes, CatDog, rendered in CGI, and Cousin Skeeter, a puppet character, were panelists, but never at the same time. In Seasons 5 & 6, the first seat can be for anyone, but it's normally reserved for Matt Bennett or Ciara Bravo.

Other guest panelists included Coolio (semi-regular on the 1998 Match Game); Mike O'Malley (host of Nick's Get the Picture and GUTS from 1991–1995); Colin Mochrie (regular on Whose Line Is It Anyway?), who, along with Kevin Kopelow, was notably slimed for "having a shiny head"; Paul Wight (WWE's "The Big Show", then known as "The Giant"); Chris Jericho also from WWE; "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan (WWE Hall of Famer); and Rondell Sheridan (regular on the 1998 Match Game).

There was also an episode where Lori Beth and Summer switched roles for half of an episode. Summer took Lori Beth's seat as a panelist, and Lori Beth took Summer's role as the host for Game 1.

List of panelists

1997-2000

3

2012-2013

Format changes

1997-2000 logo.

For Season 3 (Fall 1998), the series became Figure It Out: Family Style, featuring two or three contestants who were related, typically parent-child or siblings. Sometimes on the 2nd half, the panel can have a family member of the contestant. Sometimes, the Charade Brigade can have family members of the panelists and the host. Figure It Out: Family Style also features Little Billy. If the panelists figured out the contestants' secret, then Little Billy (a miniature version of Billy the Answer Head with hair and on wheels) would come out. Summer reads a question about the family's talent and then each panelist will try to guess one (almost impossible) answer. If they can't figure it out (no panel ever did since they simply treated it as a free-for-all most times by guessing answers intended for comedic response), then the answer in Little Billy would reveal and which gives the family another chance to win a prize (usually the Figure It Out apparel used for the Secret Slime Action Rounds).

  • Season 4 - Fall 1999: The show was retitled Figure It Out: Wild Style and focused solely on talents involving animals; in addition, Billy the Answer Head was reshaped into various animals. During these episodes, the panelists went wild with hair, wigs, and make-up, sporting a different, distinctive look. This is the only Figure It Out season without Lori Beth Denberg. The reason why is because she left both All That and Nickelodeon and went on to The Steve Harvey Show. During these episodes, seven different panelists such as Steve Burns, Shane Sweet, Erin J. Dean, Christy Knowings, Irene Ng, Kevin Kopelow and Kareem Blackwell permanently replaced Lori Beth in the chair that she always sits.
  • Season 5 - Summer 2012: The show was retitled once more to "Figure It Out," and Jeff Sutphen took over as host. The set, host, panelists, theme music, and logo were all modified to serve Nickelodeon's contemporary audience. Gameplay was also slightly modified to include the Word of Honor component and to shorten the lengths of rounds two and three (originally, all rounds were 60 seconds; in the newer version, rounds two and three are 45 seconds). Also, Billy the Answer Head was changed to the "It Board", the Clue Express was renamed the "Clue Coaster," and the Charade Brigade was changed to "Clue Force III" featuring Lorenz Arnell, Gevorg Manoukian, and Julia Srednicki.
  • Season 6 - Fall 2012/Summer 2013: The show was brought back after the long gap in the summer. The style of the show stays the same, but with some changes, such as a fifth seat and slime spewer added to the panel desk for the kid panelist who won a summer contest to appear for one whole episode. (the fifth panel desk is gone before and after the winning kid's episode) Now, the slime is greener than ever. Some of the panelists from the fifth season have not yet appeared in this season (such as the three main characters from Supah Ninjas, Stephen Glickman from Big Time Rush, Jade Ramsey from Anubis, & Victorious's Victoria Justice & Eric Lange)

Later in this season, one or two episodes will have celebrities from the recently new show Marvin Marvin. The panelists are Lucas Cruikshank from his other show Fred, along with special guests Victory Van Tuyl from her other show Supah Ninjas, Camille Spirlin, & Jacob Bertrand.

Cardinal Games released a board game based on the series in 1998. Cardinal games included "Name That Thingy", "Name That Critter", "The Drench Bench", "The Last Laugh" "Lightning Letters", "Little Billy" and "The Secret Panel Match Up."

Famous contestants

On April 7, 1998, future country music singer/songwriter Hunter Hayes was a contestant on Figure It Out when he was six years old. His talent was playing the accordion.[5]

Sam Roberts (Opie and Anthony), host of After Opie and Anthony Live on Sirius/XM appeared on an episode in season 2. His talent was flipping quarters off of his ankle.

References

  1. ^ "Nickelodeon Figure It Out: Figure This Out". cattlecallauditions.com. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  2. ^ https://twitter.com/thousand3eighty/status/385176342678867968
  3. ^ https://twitter.com/thousand3eighty/status/408002773020446720
  4. ^ "Ready, Set, Slime! Nickelodeon Premieres Figure It Out on Monday, June 11, at 7 P.M. (ET/PT)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  5. ^ Video on YouTube

Template:Nickelodeon original series and Nicktoons

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