Watch The Million Second Quiz

The Million Second Quiz was a live, interactive game show that aired on NBC in 2013. The show was hosted by the famous television personality and radio host, Ryan Seacrest, who was joined by a team of expert commentators including Brandon Blackwell and Dan Dutton.

The premise of the show was simple but challenging. Contestants were pitted against each other in a quiz format that tested their knowledge across a wide range of categories, including pop culture, current events, and general knowledge. The twist, however, was that the contest lasted for a staggering one million seconds - that's 11 days, 13 hours, and 46 minutes!

The game was played in a large glass cube that was set up at a prime location in Manhattan, New York City. The cube was the centerpiece of the show, and it gave passersby and viewers at home a chance to see the contestants in action. The contestants themselves were housed on "Winner's Row" - a platform that overlooked the cube and gave them a bird's-eye view of the action.

In order to qualify to play, contestants had to pass an online trivia test - a daunting task that was designed to weed out all but the most knowledgeable of participants. Once they made it through the test, they were flown in to New York City and put up in a swanky hotel for the duration of the game.

The gameplay was intense and involved a mix of fast-paced quizzes and strategic planning. Each contestant was given a certain amount of time to answer a question, and if they got it right, they earned points. The more questions they answered correctly, the higher their score.

But the game was about more than just answering questions - it was also about strategically challenging other contestants and climbing up the leaderboard. Contestants could "challenge" each other to one-on-one duels, where the winner would receive points and the loser would be eliminated from the game. The contestants who were doing well could also choose to "freeze" their score, which would protect them from being challenged by others.

The final winner of The Million Second Quiz was determined by a combination of factors, including their score, the number of challenges they won, and their overall performance throughout the game. The grand prize for the winner was a whopping $2 million - a truly life-changing sum of money.

The show was groundbreaking for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it was one of the first live, interactive game shows to air on primetime television. Viewers at home could play along with the contestants and earn points of their own, which added an extra layer of excitement to the proceedings.

The show was also notable for its use of social media. Throughout the game, viewers could interact with the show in real-time by tweeting with the hashtag #MSQ. This allowed them to share their thoughts on the game, root for their favorite contestants, and even win prizes of their own.

Overall, The Million Second Quiz was a high-stakes, high-energy game show that kept viewers on the edge of their seats for 11 days straight. With its mix of trivia, strategy, and drama, it was a true test of mental and emotional endurance - for both contestants and viewers alike.