What Would You Do? (2008 TV program)

What Would You Do? (commonly abbreviated as WWYD, and formerly known as Primetime: What Would You Do? through the program's fifth season), is an American situational hidden camera television program that has been broadcast on ABC since February 26, 2008. It is hosted by news correspondent John Quiñones and was created by Chris Whipple.

What Would You Do?
GenreHidden camera
Presented byJohn Quiñones
StarringVarious actors
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons16
No. of episodes143 (list of episodes)
Production
Production location(s)New York metropolitan area (various locations)
(most episodes; some episodes filmed on-location in U.S. states not within the area)
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time60 minutes
Production company(s)ABC News Productions
YouTube
DistributorDisney–ABC Domestic Television
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseFebruary 26, 2008 (2008-02-26) –
present (present)
Chronology
Preceded byPrimetime
External links
Website

The program was conceived as a format-based series for ABC's newsmagazine Primetime, however all on-air references to the parent program were removed from What Would You Do? following the discontinuation of Primetime as a standalone program by the network in 2010, with subject-based formats of the program, such as Primetime: Family Secrets, airing thereafter during the summer months or as a temporary replacement for entertainment programs cancelled during the fall-to-spring television season.

In June 2020, the series was renewed for a sixteenth season, which premiered in the United States on July 7, 2020.[1]

Format

The program features actors acting out scenes of conflict or illegal activity in public settings while hidden cameras record the scene, and the focus is on whether or not bystanders intervene, and how. Variations are also usually included, such as changing the genders, the races or the clothing of the actors performing the scene, to see if bystanders react differently. Many of the scenarios take place in dining locations. The situations often pertain to prejudice with race, sex, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical and mental disabilities, obesity and weight, sexual harassment, vandalism, theft, physical appearance, homelessness, financial trouble, parenting, and social status being common themes. Quiñones appears at the end of each scenario to interview bystanders and witnesses about their reactions.

As the experiment goes on, psychology professors, teachers, or club members watch and discuss the video with Quiñones, explaining and making inferences on the bystanders' reactions.

Many of the scenario actors appear in only one or two episodes. Several, however, have become staples of the program, including Yuval David, Diana Henry, Vince August, Jeremy Holm, Michael J. Lyons and Traci Hovel.

Episodes
Main article: List of What Would You Do? episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedAverage viewership
(in millions)
First airedLast aired
14February 26, 2008 (2008-02-26)March 25, 2008 (2008-03-25)7.99
29January 6, 2009 (2009-01-06)March 24, 2009 (2009-03-24)6.57
34May 7, 2010 (2010-05-07)May 21, 2010 (2010-05-21)5.59
425 (+1)October 22, 2010 (2010-10-22)May 20, 2011 (2011-05-20)4.56
517January 20, 2012 (2012-01-20)May 18, 2012 (2012-05-18)4.88
65September 14, 2012 (2012-09-14)October 19, 2012 (2012-10-19)4.72
77May 31, 2013 (2013-05-31)July 19, 2013 (2013-07-19)3.91
82 (+1)December 3, 2013 (2013-12-03)December 17, 2013 (2013-12-17)2.95
910May 23, 2014 (2014-05-23)August 8, 2014 (2014-08-08)4.21
1012May 29, 2015 (2015-05-29)August 28, 2015 (2015-08-28)4.13
113January 26, 2016 (2016-01-26)February 9, 2016 (2016-02-09)2.33
127 (+1)June 17, 2016 (2016-06-17)December 15, 2016 (2016-12-15)3.35
1311June 23, 2017 (2017-06-23)September 22, 2017 (2017-09-22)3.25
1413May 17, 2018 (2018-05-17)September 7, 2018 (2018-09-07)2.69
155August 9, 2019 (2019-08-09)September 6, 2019 (2019-09-06)2.49
16TBAJuly 7, 2020 (2020-07-07)TBATBA

Syndication

Reruns of older What Would You Do? episodes began airing on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) on February 15, 2011, under the title What Would You Do?: OWN Edition. Reruns of the program began airing on HLN in 2013, as part of the cable news channel's primetime schedule.[2][3] In the United States, the show has been broadcast on A&E since 2015.

Ratings
Main article: List of What Would You Do? episodes § Ratings
What Would You Do? : U.S. viewers per episode (millions)
Audience measurement performed by Nielsen Media Research.[4]

References
  1. Regina Avalos (July 2, 2020). "What Would You Do?: Season 16; ABC News Series Renewed, Returns in July (Updated)". TV Series Finale.
  2. "Cable News Ratings for Thursday, December 26, 2013". 27 December 2013.
  3. "Primetime: What Would You Do? Ratings – TV By The Numbers by zap2it.com". tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com.
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