Freeze Out (game show)

Gameplay

Contestants took it in turns to fire sliders and answer questions. If there was a dispute, the so-called "Ice Judge" would rule.

Smash Out

In the first round, players take turns to clear seven blue sliders out of a circle of ice; Durden-Smith asks quick-fire questions, and each question gives the contestant an orange slider which they can use to shove the blue sliders out of the center circle. A correct answer and Durden-Smith says "Slide on", which allows the contestant to fire an orange slider at the blue sliders. They have 90 seconds to play with each. The contestant who does this in the slowest time is eliminated.

Centre Slide

In the second round, players take it in turns to push a slider. There are six zones: 10 points; 20 points; 30 points; 40 points; 50 points; 100 points. Once they've all shoved, they answer a question for the number of points their slider has landed in. This process repeats itself four times, and at the end of the round the player with the fewest number of points goes home. If a slider lands in more than 1 zone, the zone which contains the majority of the slider will be the number of points that the contestant is playing for. The judge has been asked to rule in some close calls.

Ice Breaker

In the third round, the players sit opposite their third of the game board, and must slide into their third. Each third contains eight shards, and it is the quickest two contestants to clear all eight shards that go through. Wrong answers mean that every contestant except that contestant may fire a shard, and the sliders act in ignorance of whoever fired them - a slider fired by one contestant may clear any contestant's shard.

Face Off

In the fourth round, Durden-Smith fires quick-fire questions, and the contestants endeavour to get counters in to the centre circle. Whichever contestant has the most counters in the center circle at the end of two minutes goes through. The counter must be completely inside the centre circle for it to count.

The Final

In the final round, Durden-Smith asks sixty seconds-worth of general knowledge questions. Correct answers win sliders. These are to be used once the 60 seconds is up. The table then shows prize zones: £500, £1,000, £2,000, £4,000 and £10,000. The contestant must fire their sliders in these in order, and must be entirely in the zone for it to qualify. If the slider doesn't end up in the correct zone, it is wasted; if it lands in the correct zone, it may be reused.

Tie-breakers

In the case of a tie-break between 2 persons, a tie-break round is played - Super Slide Off. Durden-Smith asks on-the-buzzer questions. Whichever contestant buzzes and answers correctly gets to choose who goes first; however, if the contestant that buzzes answers wrongly, the other contestant gets to choose who goes first. After both have shot their counters, the contestant who lands his or her counter closest to the middle wins the tie-break. Tie-breaks involving more than two people are simply called "Slide Off", in which players simply slide on in the order they played in the first round, and whichever player is furthest away goes home.

Critical reception

Joel Golby of The Guardian stated that Durden-Smith's "genuine lack of personality makes him the perfect understated companion to [ice judge Rennie] ... whose thousand-yard stare and body language add to the growing feeling that you are actually watching an incredibly elaborate hostage video", though did comment that it was "not a viable game show concept".