This document outlines the rules and structure of a proposed game show called "My Gameshow" about television and film trivia. It would feature 8 initial contestants competing in a bracket-style quiz until 2 finalists remain, who would then face off for a £1,000 cash prize and Netflix subscription. Narrative theory concepts like equilibrium, disruption, and resolution are discussed in relation to the show's linear start-to-finish structure and determination of a clear winner.

1. TV ADDICT?
MY GAMESHOW
By Sophia Charalambous

2. THE RULES
 Contestants must be of 18 years of age and have interest in television and Hollywood.
 There will be 8 contestants which, eventually will be eliminated down to 2 final contestants.
 The 6 contestants are split into 4 pairs which will go head to head in individual sets of rounds where
there is a multiple choice quiz (about a genre out of a selection which the contestants will vote for)
which each will have to buzz their ways through the round to qualify for the semi final then the final.
The first person to get 3 correct answers will qualify to the next round and the person they were
against is sent home with nothing.
 After one person out of each pair has won the multiple choice round. The four people left are split into
2 teams, both teams will fight to get to the final where the two participants of the team face off to see
who is the “Real TV Addict”. To win the round the teams will have to answer a series of questions from a
genre of TV or Film, there will be 15 questions and by the end whoever has the most will win.
 After they finish that round, the victorious team will face each other in a deal-breaker final where there
is 5 questions and whoever gets the most points (by answering the most questions correctly) will take
home a cash prize of £1,000 and a lifetime Netflix subscription courtesy of ITV.

3. Torodov – Narrative Theory
 Gameshows don’t really have what is called a “narrative” this is because the content is explained, and
relies on contestant or audience interaction and observation. However they can have a “linear structure”
Start – Middle – End, This applies to a TV game show, as the programme is linear, in that it starts and
ends.
 An example of a gameshow which has a “non linear structure” would be “Celebrity Juice” which never
has a set structure, things always change.
 You can apply the endings of gameshows to the narrative theory as there is always the part where for
the winner everything is resolved, they complete the tasks and have all come through.
 You could say the narrative of my gameshow is that the questions and tasks are explained then they
complete them just like equilibrium – where nothing happens, being faced with the questions
(disruption) and then an attempt to resolve the disruption (questions) then finally a return to the
equilibrium, end of the show.

4. Barthes – Narrative Codes
ACTION ENIGMA
A question is asked or an activity commences.
This helps to build audience interest, as they may
know the answer or might feel suspense as a
contestant completes an activity.
This applies to more visual gameshows than
mine but it is, where the answer may not be
immediately obvious and both the contestants
and audience may be intrigued to know the
answer. Or the audience may see the answer on
the screen, and the contestants have no
knowledge of this. However you can apply this to
my gameshow as if the audience and the
contestant do not know the answer the suspense
factor of guessing may be appealing to them as
entertainment until they find out the answers.

5. Strauss - Binary Opposites
 These are the different types of weights on a subject or within an event, these are essentially two
different opposites.
 In my gameshow you will find the binary opposites of Right and Wrong (Answers),
Knowledgeable and Intellectual vs guessing and ignorance, you will also find Win vs Lose, Team A
vs Team B or Contestant vs Host as well.
 Here are some general examples:
 Contestant vs Host  Strong vs Weak
 Team A vs Team B  Elation vs Sorrow
 Win vs Lose  Knowledge vs Ignorance

6. Exposition
 Setting up the game, the game will open with a 30 second intro and title sequence which will
feature a lot of film scrolls, question marks and confused silhouettes running towards different
parts of the film scrolls all jumping in until the final scene of the sequence appears with the title
of the show and all the silhouettes standing confused.
 Then the host will walk in, all the audience will clap and then he will introduce the contestants. He
will then explain the instructions, ask if they understand and then proceed with the game.

7. Conflict and Build-Up
 The conflict and build-up will be towards the end as we edge towards the final and resolution
(who wins).
 The question rounds will get longer and longer which will make the audience long for the final
solution even more, it will make it more suspenseful as there is much more of a chance for the
audience to get to know how well the contestants know their knowledge.

8. Jeopardy and Resolution
 Jeopardy is where there is something at stake for the contestants during the show, in the case of
my show it is a Netflix subscription and £1,000 (a fairly large sum of money) also their reputation
as a TV addict. This makes it more stressful for the contestants in the show, or more determined
depending on what affects their performance. The resolution would be whoever wins the game
and whomever this is will have become somebody that the audience identify with and they can
express whether they are happy with the winner or not. Essentially whether they deserve to win
or not.