''The Interception'' (; sometimes translated ''The Intercept'') is a Russian

game show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...

which aired between 1997 and 1998. The concept was for the contestant to "steal" (actually, be given the keys to) a car and avoid the police for 35 minutes, who were tracking the car's location via a radio transmitter. If the contestant avoided the police, they won the car. The car chase was done in real

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

streets, and had to obey traffic laws. At its peak, the show had 60 million viewers per episode. The show was created with the cooperation of the

Main Directorate for Traffic Safety The State Automobile Inspectorate (, GAI), formerly known as the Main Directorate for Traffic Safety of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (, GUOBDD, or , ГИБДД, GIBDD) is a federal law enforcement agency of Russia specializing in t ...

(GAI); the officers chasing the "thief" were not actors. With the odds being heavily tilted against the "thieves" winning the car, the show had the aim of discouraging

carjacking Carjacking is a robbery in which a motor vehicle is taken over.Michael Cherbonneau, "Carjacking," in ''Encyclopedia of Social Problems'', Vol. 1 (SAGE, 2008: ed. Vincent N. Parrillo), pp. 110-11. In contrast to car theft, carjacking is usually i ...

, which had become rampant. As the show failed to lower carjacking rates, it was cancelled due to police disinterest. Although its ratings during its run had made it the number one show on

NTV NTV may refer to: Television * NTV (Bangladesh), a Bengali-language satellite television channel in Bangladesh * NTV (India), Telugu regional channel * NTV (Kenya) * NTV (Mongolia), a television channel based in Mongolia * NTV (Newport Televisio ...

, the GAI felt producers made them look like "clowns".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Intercept, The 1997 Russian television series debuts 1998 Russian television series endings Television franchises Russian game shows Motor vehicle theft Works about law enforcement Crime in Russia