Japanese Game Show 'Under Pressure' Coming to the U.S.

[Brian Damage]

Hell's Kitchen" producer A. Smith and Co. has picked up the U.S. rights to hit Japanese gamer "Pressure Study."
Retitled "Under Pressure" for American auds, show is being pitched to networks. Arthur Smith and Kent Weed are exec producers.

"Under Pressure" revolves around seven contestants who must work together to complete seven rounds of questions that test their knowledge on a variety of topics.

Questions and challenges grow tougher each round as the amount of money the group can earn increases. The group can stop the clock if they don't want to move forward; if the clock runs out without all questions answered in a round, then the teammates will wind up with nothing.

Show runs on TV Asahi in Japan. A. Smith is no stranger to Japan TV; it produces "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" for ABC.

Japanese imports have been a hot commodity lately. Earlier this week, Lighthearted Ent. announced a programming partnership it had struck with Tokyo's Nippon broadcaster.

A. Smith and Co.'s credits also include "Kitchen Nightmares," "Crash Course" and "American Gangster."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=14&cs=1