History Series / RussianRoulette

* SelfDeprecation: One contestant from [[CanadaEh north of the border]] admitted to being very fond of maple syrup.

* AprilFoolsDay: As a part of GSN's host switcharound in 2003, Todd Newton from ''Series/{{Whammy}}!'' took the helm, still addressing himself as Mark. In the audience sat the real Mark next to Kennedy (from ''Series/FriendOrFoe'')... as well as [[TheCameo the Whammy]].

--> '''Mark:''' He did absolutely nothing...except fall! He came all this way here just to drop through a hole, and we thank him for it!

* AprilFoolsDay: As a part of GSN's host switcharound in 2003, Todd Newton from ''Series/{{Whammy}}'' took the helm, still addressing himself as Mark. In the audience sat the real Mark next to Kennedy (from ''Series/FriendOrFoe'')... as well as [[TheCameo the Whammy]].

* TheCameo: [[Series/PressYourLuck The Whammy]] was in the StudioAudience during the April Fool's 2003 show.
** With Todd Newton of ''Series/{{Whammy}}!'' hosting. Mark L. Walberg and Kennedy from [[Series/FriendOrFoe Friend Or Foe]] were in the audience as well.

* AprilFoolsDay: As a part of GSN's host switcharound in 2003, Todd Newton from ''Series/{{Whammy}}'' took the helm, still addressing himself as Mark. In the audience sat the real Mark next to Kennedy (''Series/FriendOrFoe'')... as well as the Whammy.

* YankTheDogsChain: One contestant managed to survive a round 3 spin with all five Drop Zones; the most difficult in the entire game, with only a 1-in-6 chance of beating it. She happily celebrated her lucky spin...and then the "time's up" signal immediately sounded. Since it was the final round and she had just lost all her money, she was dropping anyway.

* BonusRound: A bit different, depending on the season. In either case, the player had 60 seconds to complete the round, with a drop zone opening every ten seconds. Victory awarded $10,000 and a chance to play another game of Russian Roulette to turn it into $100,000.

** With Todd Newton of Series/{{Whammy}}! hosting. Mark L. Walberg and Kennedy from [[Series/FriendOrFoe Friend Or Foe]] were in the audience as well.

* TheAnnouncer: [[Series/TheArsenioHallShow Burton]] [[Series/FamilyFeud Richardson]].

* VoiceOfDramatic: This is arguably Burton Richardson's most awesome (and low-key) announcing work.

* TheAnnouncer: Burton Richardson. Yes, really.

* BonusRound: A bit different, depending on the season. In either case, the player had 60 seconds to complete the round, with a drop zone opening every ten seconds, and victory awarding $10,000.

--> ''Until next time...watch your step!''

** Season 2. Ten multiple-choice questions (each with three choices), worth $300 apiece. The player no longer had to say "My answer is..." before each answer, and the timer started after Mark read the first question. Also see ObviousRulePatch.

* BonusRound: A bit different, depending on the season. In either case, the player had :60 to complete the round, with a drop zone opening every ten seconds, and victory awarding $10,000.

** Season 2. Ten multiple-choice questions (each with three choices), worth $300 apiece. The player no longer had to say "My answer is..." before each answer. Also see ObviousRulePatch.

The first question had one Drop Zone, indicated by a red border; each question after that added a Drop Zone until five were in play. If time ran out during the first two rounds, a randomly selected contestant would be dropped. (The leading player, if any, was safe from dropping.) If it happened during the third round, the trailing contestant is immediately eliminated. Any contestant standing in a Drop Zone fell three feet (six feet in season 1) through the floor and out of the game. The last contestant in the game advanced to the BonusRound for a chance to win up to $100,000.

* UnwinnableByDesign: It was very possible for a contestant to never get a single question in round 1, then get eliminated through a sudden death drop, losing without ever getting the opportunity to play. This happened a couple times, and Mark never wasted an opportunity to joke about it.

----

The first question had one Drop Zone, indicated by a red border; each question after that added a Drop Zone until five were in play. Any contestant standing in a Drop Zone fell three feet (six feet in season 1) through the floor and out of the game. The last contestant in the game advanced to the BonusRound for a chance to win up to $100,000.

* UnwinnableByDesign: There have been several instances where the contestant eliminated first drops without ever getting the opportunity to play.

The first question had one Drop Zone, indicated by a red border; each question after that added a Drop Zone until five were in play. Any contestant standing in a Drop Zone fell three feet (five feet in season 1) through the floor and out of the game. The last contestant in the game advanced to the BonusRound for a chance to win up to $100,000.

!!GameShowTropes in use:

* Personnel:
** TheAnnouncer: Burton Richardson. Yes, really.
** GameShowHost: Mark L. Walberg. Todd Newton hosted on April Fool's Day 2003, which was one of the series’ last first-run episodes. The show bowed shortly after its first anniversary.
** StudioAudience
----
!!This show provides examples of:
* AnyLastWords: Upon answering a question incorrectly, the player has a chance to say these before playing Russian Roulette.
* BornLucky: Ned "[[TooDumbToLive Car Wax and Shark]]" Peterson.
* CatchPhrase: "Watch your step."
* TheCameo: [[Series/PressYourLuck The Whammy]] was in the StudioAudience during the April Fool's 2003 show.
** With Todd Newton of Series/{{Whammy}}! hosting. Mark L. Walberg and Kennedy from [[Series/FriendOrFoe Friend Or Foe]] were in the audience as well.
* DeadpanSnarker: Mark. L. Walberg.

[[quoteright:334:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Russian_Roulette_TV_Tropes_9759.jpg]]

* PyrrhicVictory: A contestant named Karen had control of a question about sclerotherapy and admitted that she knew the answer before the choices were given. She assumed that another female contestant, Jennifer, didn't know that it was used to treat varicose veins. Jennifer answered the question incorrectly. Then, she admitted that she doesn't have varicose veins before nonchalantly implying that Karen's had them before.

** GameShowHost: Mark L. Walberg. Todd Newton hosted on April Fool's Day 2003, which ''also'' happened to be the last first-run episode.

A {{GSN}} GameShow in which four contestants competed in a last-player-standing quiz contest. Each player stands on one of the six trap doors on the circular floor. A player who misses a multiple-choice question must play RussianRoulette, by pulling a lever to spin the "Drop Zones", to stay in the game.

* TheCameo: [[PressYourLuck The Whammy]] was in the StudioAudience during the April Fool's 2003 show.

* DeadpanSnarker. Mark. L. Walberg.
* ObviousRulePatch: The bonus round changed from answering five "killer" questions to answering ten multiple-choice questions, with the timer starting after Mark read the first question.

* AndIMustScream: Some of the contestants on this show were downright terrified of dropping, even when they knew exactly what they were in for.
--> '''Male Contestant:''' ''(pulls handle)'' ''[[LargeHam Nooo!]]'' [[BrokenRecord No, no,]] [[MostAnnoyingSound no, no,]] [[MadnessMantra NO, no, no, no, no,]] [[OverlyLongGag no, no, no...]] ''(hits drop zone)'' [[BigNo NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!]] ''(drops)''
-->''*Beat*''
--> '''Mark:''' [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Yes.]]