The Computer Chronicles: MIDI Music (1986)

Early PBS series about computers; this episode is about MIDI, computers, and the music production software available at the time .

Curated by Jason Forrest

Total Runtime: 0:29:17

Computers and music, MIDI machines and interfaces, and music composition software.

Guests: Chris French, Music Software; Bob Moore, Hybrid Arts; David Schwartz, Compusonics; Chris Potter, Mimetics; Curtis Sasaki, Apple; Gary Kildall, Digital Research; Gary Leuenberger, Midi Revolution

Products/Demos: Casio SK-1 Synthesizer, Atari ST, Activision's Music Studio, ADAP Sampler, DSP-1000, Apple II GS, Ensoniq Sound Chip, Soundscape, Commodore AmigaEZ Track, Kidnotes

The Computer Chronicles was a US television series, broadcast during 1981-2002 on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) public television, which documented the rise of the personal computer from its infancy to the immense market at the turn of the 21st century. The series was created in the Fall of 1981, by Stewart Cheifet (later co-host), then the station manager of the College of San Mateo's KCSM-TV (which co-produced the show with Harrisburg, PA's WITF-TV), initially broadcast as a local weekly series. Jim Warren was its founding host for its 1981-1982 season. It aired continuously from 1981 to 2002 with Cheifet co-hosting most of its later seasons. Gary Kildall served as co-host for six years (1983 to 1990) providing insights and commentary on products as well as discussions on the future of the ever-expanding personal computer sphere.

During the 1980s, the show had many supporting presenters including:

George Morrow: Presenter and commentator who for a time headed the Morrow Design company, Morrow was a well known face on the Chronicles until the 1990s. Morrow died in 2003.
Paul Schindler: Featured predominantly in software reviews, Schindler contributed to the series until the early 1990s.
Wendy Woods: Provided reports for many software and hardware products, as well as talking with the main presenters in the studio about specific topics.

The Computer Chronicles format remained relatively unchanged throughout its run, except perhaps with the noticeable difference in presenting style; originally formal it evolved into a more relaxed, casual style. From 1984 onward the last five minutes or so featured Random Access, a section which gave the viewer the latest computer news from the home and business markets. Stewart Chiefet, Janelle Stelson and various other individuals presented the segment. Random Access was discontinued in 1997.

Double Dare - Raiders vs. Mets (1986)

Watch two teams square off on a garish soundstage in Philly, supervised by long-suffering host Marc Summers, who really wasn't meant for a career covered in slime and ice cream.

Curated by Whitney Weiss

Total Runtime: 0:23:54

1980sexcessgame showsmarc summersnickelodeon

One of the most classic game shows in the history of Nickelodeon, Double Dare was a testamant to all things 1980s. Overt corporate sponsorship (Reebok! Reebok!), a frenetic race towards material possessions, demographic-specific excess (just watch those kids' eyes light up when they get to slide down a conveyer belt of icing and ice cream), and the end goal of winning a trip to Space Camp or Disney. Oh, and that kind dark-haired man who doesn't seem creepy? The one plodding through piles of dog food and pizzas? His name is Marc Summers and you can literally watch him working through his crippling OCD if you pay close enough attention.

From Wikipedia:

Double Dare is a children's game show, originally hosted by Marc Summers, that aired on Nickelodeon. The show combines trivia questions with occasionally messy "physical challenges". It is often credited with putting the then-fledgling network on the map, and ranked #29 in TV Guide's list of the 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time.

The show originated from the WHYY-TV studios in Philadelphia in 1986. In 1987, the show temporarily moved to New York City for a special weekend edition called Super Sloppy Double Dare. The show returned to Philadelphia in 1988; by then, Viacomsyndicated the show to independent stations & affiliates of the young Fox network. Beginning in January 1989, more episodes of Super Sloppy Double Dare were produced (during which time Nickelodeon began airing reruns of the previous year's syndicated episodes). Tapings began in Philadelphia, but later that year was moved to Universal Studios in Orlando. The show moved to Nickelodeon Studios in 1990, where it then became Family Double Dare, and it remained that until its cancellation in 1992. The final episodes aired in 1993.

Reebok was a major sponsor of the show throughout its run, and every contestant and stage crew member (including Summers) wore a pair of the company's shoes.

Broadcast history

The show was so popular that it caught the eyes of Fox network executives, who, in 1988, partnered with Viacom to pick up the distribution rights to the program. As the very first cable game show to enter first-run syndication, new episodes aired on independent stations and affiliates of the young Fox network from February 22, 1988-September 8, 1989. Fox initially ordered 130 episodes, the first 65 aired in early 1988, and the second 65 aired later that same year. Because of its instant popularity in syndication, Fox produced a 13-episode nighttime edition called Family Double Dare that aired from April 3, 1988-July 23, 1988. These nighttime episodes were taped in between both sets of the initial syndicated episodes that Fox ordered. On January 23, 1989, following a sneak preview episode that aired on Super Bowl weekend, a new version of Super Sloppy Double Dare premiered, with the first half originating from Philadelphia and the second half originating from the new Nickelodeon Studios attraction at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. While new episodes were airing in first-run syndication, reruns of the kids-only version of the show continued to air on Nickelodeon until March 15, 1991. Typically, after a new set of syndicated episodes began airing on local stations, Nickelodeon would then air reruns of an older set.

On August 13, 1990, Nickelodeon began airing Family Double Dare. The original broadcasts were reruns of the Fox series, and the network launched its own version of Family Double Dare on weekends in September 1990. This series taped at Nickelodeon Studios and ended its run on February 6, 1993 with a one-hour Tournament of Champions episode. Reruns continued to air on Nickelodeon until 1999.

Gameplay

Main game

The show typically begins as a cold open with Marc Summers saying, "On your mark, get set, GO!" As the teams raced to complete a toss-up challenge, the announcer would quickly explain the challenge, then introduce the show. Only when one team completed it would the announcer then introduce Marc Summers.

Two teams of two kids each competed for cash and prizes. Originally, both teams wore red uniforms, but after Double Dare entered syndication in 1988 one team wore blue uniforms while the other wore red. In each version of the show, each team received a unique name, although they would often be referred to as simply "The Red Team" and "The Blue Team."

Summers typically explained the rules of the game as follows:

I'm going to ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, or think the other team hasn't got a clue, you can dare them to answer it for double the dollars. But be careful, because they can always double dare you back for four times the amount, and then you'll either have to answer the question or take the physical challenge.

Each round began with an untimed toss-up challenge in which both teams competed. The winner received $20 USD and control of the round. Summers would begin the round by asking trivia questions to the team that won control in the toss-up challenge. A correct answer would earn money and maintain control of the round; an incorrect response or running out of time would give the other team control, as well as the appropriate money if a Dare or Double Dare was in play at the time.

Summers' phrase "or think the other team hasn't got a clue" was intended as a strategy suggestion. If the team in control knew the answer but believed that their opponents did not, they could Dare in hopes of having the opponents Double Dare them in response. A correct answer would then earn the first team four times the original question value. In practice, this strategy was rarely used.

Physical challenges

Physical challenges were stunts, usually messy, that a team had to perform in a specified time, usually 20 or 30 seconds, although occasionally 10 or 15 seconds. All physical challenges on Double Dare 2000 were 30 seconds in length, unless a time reduction was in play due to the Triple Dare Challenge.

Most challenges involved filling a container past a line with one of a variety of substances: water, uncooked rice, green slime, whipped cream, and "a milk-like substance", to name a few. Others involved catching a certain number of items before time ran out. For example, during "Pie in the Pants," a contestant had to catch 3 or 4 pies in a pair of oversized clown pants within the specified time limit, while his/her teammate launched them from a foot-operated seesaw at the opposite end of the stage.

Completing the stunt won the team money and control of the game; otherwise the money and control went to the opposing team.

Obstacle Course

The team with the highest score at the end of round two went on to the final challenge of the game, the obstacle course. Regardless of the outcome, both teams kept the money they had obtained, with $100 as the house minimum ($200 on Double Dare 2000 and $500 on the Fox version of Family Double Dare). If a tie occurred at the end of the game, both teams advanced to the obstacle course.

The course consisted of eight obstacles which had to be completed within 60 seconds. Each obstacle had an orange flag either at the end of or hidden within it. One team member started at the first obstacle and upon completion, passed its flag to his/her partner (or the next team member in line on Family Double Dare and Double Dare 2000), who then moved on to the second obstacle. The team continued to alternate like this until they completed the course or until time ran out, whichever came first. For safety reasons, team members were given helmets and elbow/knee pads to wear while running the course.

The team won a prize for each obstacle completed, escalating in value up to a grand prize for completing the entire course. In the original and Super Sloppy versions, the grand prize was usually a vacation or a scholarship to United States Space Camp, and each member of the team received identical prizes. In Fox Family Double Dare, as well as the first season of the Nickelodeon run, the grand prize was a car. In 1992, the prize was changed back to a vacation; however, the family that won the tournament held that season had the chance to run the Obstacle Course for a car.

In the Fox run of Family Double Dare, the prize for the seventh obstacle was a cash jackpot that began at $2,000 and increased by $500 for each consecutive episode it was not claimed.

The Computer Chronicles: MIDI Music (1986)

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