Babushka (game show)

Babushka was a daytime game show that aired on NBC from April 7, 2003, to September 26, 2003. The show was hosted by Jeff Probst.

The game revolved around a giant wall containing 10 oversized babushka dolls (matryoshka dolls). Each doll contained a varying amount of money, ranging from $1 to $10,000. A pair of contestants competed to win the money hidden within the dolls.

Gameplay:

The show featured three main rounds.

• Round 1: The contestants answered trivia questions. Correct answers allowed them to select a babushka doll to open. The money found inside was added to their team's total. Certain dolls also contained "Russian Roulette" chips.

• Round 2: This round was similar to the first, with potentially more difficult trivia questions. The value of the money hidden in the dolls also generally increased.

• Russian Roulette: In both rounds, teams could acquire "Russian Roulette" chips. At the end of each round, the team with the most chips had to participate in a Russian Roulette game. They selected one of six smaller babushka dolls. Five of the dolls contained nothing, while one doll contained a "bomb." If the team selected the doll with the bomb, they lost all of the money they had accumulated in that round. If they avoided the bomb, they kept their money.

• Bonus Round (The Grand Babushka): The team with the most money after the first two rounds advanced to the bonus round, "The Grand Babushka." In this round, they had the chance to win a progressive jackpot that started at $100,000. The jackpot increased each day it was not won. The team selected a final babushka doll, "The Grand Babushka," which revealed either the jackpot or a consolation prize.

Cancellation:

Despite Jeff Probst's popularity as the host of Survivor, Babushka received low ratings and was quickly cancelled after less than six months on the air. It was replaced by The Jane Pauley Show.