History Series / Duel

''Duel'' is a GameShow created in France, originally running on Creator/{{ABC}} in the United States (from December 2007 to July 2008) and Creator/{{ITV}} in the United Kingdom (from February to April 2008). The French version premiered on France 2 several months later, and aired in that country until 2013. It has spun off versions in [[MultiNationalShows several other countries]] as well, usually most closely resembling the UK and French versions. In particular, Spain had its own version which was able to be viewed internationally via [[http://www.canalsuralacarta.es/television/video/el-duelo--programa-1/20073/29 here]].

** On the UK version, constestants must lock in their answers before Accelerating; doing so before locking in would essentially ''waste'' the Accelerator (with the sounding of a short harsh error-tone played twice). On the US and French versions, Pressing automatically locks in the answers.

--->'''Greenberg:''' Just for that...''(cue commercial)''

* WhoWantsToBeWhoWantsToBeAMillionaire: The top prize of the show was a jackpot valued at $1,000,000 or more in the U.S. version's first season. This was partially averted for the U.S. version's second season, where the top prize was decreased to $500,000.

** On the UK version, constestants must lock in their answers before Accelerating; doing so beforehand would essentially ''waste'' the Accelerator (with the sounding of a short harsh error-tone played twice). On the US and French versions, Pressing automatically locks in the answers.

* ActionCommands: Twice per game (once in the second US season), both contestants can "Press"/"Accelerate" their opponent after locking their answers in, giving the opponent a sudden 7 second time limit to answer themselves. This effectively turns what should be a thoughtful decision-making process into a extremely short TimedMission.

** On the UK version, constestants must lock down their answers before Accelerating; doing so beforehand would essentially ''waste'' the Accelerator (with the sounding of a short harsh error-tone played twice). On the US and French versions, Pressing automatically locks down the answers.

* ActionCommands: Once per game, both contestants can "Press" their opponent after locking their answers in, giving the opponent a sudden 7 second time limit to answer themselves. This effectively turns what should be a thoughtful decision-making process into a extremely short TimedMission.

[[caption-width-right:350:The logo of the show's American version]]

** Season 2: Erin Elizabeth & Anastacia McPherson.

!!GameShow Tropes in use:
* AllOrNothing: Initially on the UK version, contestants who answered a single question incorrectly went home empty-handed. After 4 episodes of ''every'' winner bailing out at the first opportunity, this was changed so that there was no risk at all in playing on (and thus no bailout option). Strangely, the U.S. version changed ''from'' the no-risk format in Season 1 to the AllOrNothing format in Season 2.

* Personnel:
** GameShowHost: Mike Greenberg on the U.S. version, Nick Hancock on the UK version. In the French version, there were three hosts: Tania Young (2008), Julien Courbet (2009 to 2012), and Bruno Guillon (2013).
** LovelyAssistant: The "chip girls" were exclusive to the U.S. version. This was averted in all other versions, which used a mechanized podium to automatically collect and distribute the chips.
** StudioAudience

----
!!This show provides examples of:
* ActionCommands: Once per game, both contestants can "Press" their opponent after locking their answers in, giving the opponent a sudden 7 second time limit to answer themselves. This effectively turns what should be a thoughtful decision-making process into a extremely short TimedMission.
* CatchPhrase:
** "Let's Duel!", said by the host at the start of each Duel.
** And "You're watching Duel on ABC," to an extent.
* CommercialBreakCliffhanger: Like many game shows of the time, this was used quite liberally.
** It even played with it one time; after the contestants had locked in their choices for one question:
--->'''Contestant:''' Of course, now we'll have to wait until after the commercial.
--->''({{Beat}})''
--->'''Greenberg:''' Just for that...''(cue commercial)''
* EnforcedPlug: For Pepsi Max in both seasons of the U.S. version.

Chips lost to incorrect answers were initially added to a progressive jackpot; beginning in the U.S. version's second season, the value of a Duel was determined based on how many questions were played or via a bonus round. In the UK version and the French version, players who won four Duels in a row won the jackpot (which was worth €100,000 in the French version and later reduced to €50,000) and retired undefeated, while the U.S. version's second season required five wins (this convention was also used in the Hungarian version); accomplishing this feat increased the champion's winnings to $500,000. In the first season of the U.S. version, the four players with the longest consecutive win streaks (with ties broken by the amounts of money they won) returned on the season finale to play a single-elimination tournament for the jackpot.