Catch 21
| Catch 21 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Game show |
| Created by | Merrill Heatter |
| Presented by | Alfonso Ribeiro |
| Starring | Mikki Padilla |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 300 |
| Production | |
| Location(s) |
Hollywood Center Studios Hollywood, California |
| Running time | 22–26 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Merrill Heatter Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | Game Show Network |
| Original release | July 21, 2008 – July 1, 2011 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Gambit |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Catch 21 is an American game show broadcast by Game Show Network (GSN). Created by Merrill Heatter (who also produced the show's predecessor Gambit), the series followed three contestants as they play a card game centered on blackjack and trivia. The show is based on a popular online game from GSN's website and aired for four seasons from 2008–11. It was hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro, with actress Mikki Padilla serving as the card dealer.
The show received positive critical reception as a whole; the series itself was hailed as "a fun game with a solid concept" while Ribeiro was praised as "hands-down, one of the best game show hosts out there." Additionally, the series was acquired by Bounce TV in 2013, with the network hopeful it could "add fuel" to the channel's growing momentum.
Three contestants are each given a card to start a blackjack hand from a standard 52-card deck shuffled prior to taping. Ribeiro reads multiple-choice questions and the first contestant to answer correctly earns 100 points. The contestant who answered correctly can freeze their hand, preventing them from receiving additional cards or reveal the next card from the top of the deck. After revealing the card, the contestant can either accept it for themselves or pass it to one of their opponents who has not yet frozen. If keeping a card, the contestant in control is given another chance to freeze. However, once a contestant has frozen, the remaining contestants must freeze at a score higher than that contestant; ties are not permitted. A contestant is eliminated from the round if their hand exceeds 21. The process is repeated with additional questions and cards until two contestants have frozen or bust. A contestant whose score reaches 21 exactly instantly wins the round and, beginning in season two, a bonus prize which is given to the contestant regardless of the outcome of the game. If two contestants bust, the remaining contestant automatically wins the round. If only one contestant has not yet frozen or busted, no additional questions are asked; the remaining contestant simply continues drawing cards until either beating the highest frozen hand or busting. The winner of this round receives 500 points and a power chip to use in the bonus round, assuming that contestant gets that far. After two rounds, the contestant with the lowest score is eliminated. The two remaining contestants play one more round involving the same toss-up question format, but point scores are not kept. The contestant who wins the round receives $1,000 and two additional power chips (originally one), then moves on to the bonus round.
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