If you’ve ever dreamed of being picked up by the “Cash Cab,” buckle up and delete that Uber app. Your second chance is here.
Nine years after Cash Cab ended, the beloved game show is being revived in a new form, as Cash Cab Music. The original host, Adam Growe, is back behind the steering wheel of a newly-renovated disco taxi, testing commuters in downtown Toronto on musical trivia. Offer three incorrect answers and you’re out in the cold before you reach your destination.
Accompanying the new musical concept is a new round of play, as well. So long, boring regular bonus round. Now, contestants will have the chance to double their money in a final Carpool Cash Cab Karaoke bonus round, where they have to belt out the right answer or lose all the money they’ve accumulated. No word yet on whether players need to sing on-key.
The original Cash Cab aired on Discovery from 2008 to 2015, and amassed a dedicated cult following for its wry host and easygoing energy. Of course, the contestants — everyday people off the street — were a big part of making the show so charming. Certainly a different flavour than Jeopardy!.
The original show involved Growe picking up passengers in Toronto (though one season was filmed in Vancouver) and asking them a series of increasingly difficult general knowledge questions. Correct answers would earn contestants $25, $50, $75 or $100, depending on the round.
If players got stumped, they could opt to phone a friend or flag down a stranger on the street for help. This time around in Cash Cab Music, contestants will also get the chance to ask the world for help via social media.
“Cash Cab has been incredibly popular since its inception, and we were given the challenge of putting a fun and unique new twist on this iconic format,” executive producer Andrew Burnstein said in a press release announcing the revival.
“Cash Cab Music lets contestants take their music knowledge for a spin with a chance to win big, while serving up a few new twists. We have a lot of exciting things planned for the inaugural season, and we can’t wait to share them all with our viewers.”
As Growe points out on Instagram, a lot has changed since Cash Cab was first on the air, particularly the appearance of Canadian cash.
Growe also appears to be holding much less money than in the promo photo from the original series, so it appears Cash Cab hasn’t been immune to recent inflation and the rising cost of living. (In all seriousness, it’s unclear if more or less money will be handed out — it all depends on the contestants’ performance!)
The Cash Cab itself, a tricked-out Toyota Sienna taxi, has also undergone some major renovations.
“The ceiling lights got a ‘botox’ injection, but everything else has aged naturally from 16 years ago,” Growe captioned a video of him in his new ride.
Cash Cab Music will hit Canadian airwaves on March 4, premiering on GameTV. The show has already begun broadcasting in the U.S. via AXS TV.
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