What Would You Do? (2008 TV program)

What Would You Do?
GenreHidden camera
Created byChris Whipple
Presented byJohn Quiñones
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons17
No. of episodes149 (+10 specials) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • David Sloan (2008–14, 2020–present)
  • Robert Lange (2009)
  • Chris Whipple (2010)
  • Danielle Rossen (2013–17)
  • Ethan Nelson (2018–present)
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseFebruary 26, 2008 (2008-02-26) –
present
Related
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

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 series that has been broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) since February 26, 2008.[1] Created by Chris Whipple, the show with a social experiment format follows the reactions of passing strangers as they encounter conflict or illegal activity in a public setting, unaware that it is all staged and being recorded with hidden cameras. Throughout all of its seventeen seasons, the show has been hosted by news correspondent John Quiñones.[2]

Appearing periodically on ABC's Primetime from 2005 to 2007, What Would You Do? became an instant success for the ABC network. Following the 2007 writers' strike, ABC ordered the first season of the show.[2] The series was annually renewed for a second,[3] third,[4] fourth,[5] and fifth season.[6] Starting with the sixth season, the show began to feature guest appearances, which included Barbara Corcoran, Howie Mandel, and Meredith Vieira.[7] Following the seventh season, What Would You Do? aired its first Christmas special in its eighth season. This was followed by guest appearances by Daymond John and Pnina Tornai in the show's ninth season, Winnie Harlow in the show's tenth season, and an era without guests in the show's eleventh and twelfth seasons. A 10-year anniversary special was aired in 2017 as the season finale of the thirteenth season, titled "What Would You Do?: Then and Now", featuring scenarios originally aired on Primetime and in season one being remade with the same actors in the same locations.[8] Following the fourteenth and fifteenth seasons of the show, ABC announced that they would air episodes filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the show's sixteenth season, as well as a special hosted by Gio Benitez as part of the sixteenth season's season finale.[9] In May 2023, ABC renewed the series for a seventeenth season after a three-year hiatus.[10]

As of February 25, 2024, 149 episodes of What Would You Do? have aired, including ten specials.

  1. ^ Sorkowitz, Ann (June 20, 2008). "Witness to Discrimination: What Would You Do?". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Weiss, Daniel (February 15, 2008). "What Would You Do? - Columbia Journalism Review". Columbia Journalism Review. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  3. ^ T. Calabria, Rosario (May 14, 2008). "ABC Development Slate for 2008/2009 Season [Continually Updated]". Your Entertainment Now. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  4. ^ "ABC News' "What Would You Do?" with John Quinones Returns for Three Weeks Beginning Friday, May 7th at 9:00pm/Et on ABC". The Futon Critic. April 26, 2010. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  5. ^ ""Primetime: What Would You Do?" Returns for Full Season, New Shows Begin Airing Friday, October 29, 9 PM". The Futon Critic. October 14, 2010. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  6. ^ "ABC Pushes Up "Shark Tank" Return to January 20, Brings Back "Primetime: What Would You Do?"". The Futon Critic. December 15, 2011. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  7. ^ Bernstein, Alyssa (October 4, 2012). ""What Would You Do" Featuring Comedian Howie Mandel Airs Friday, October 5, 9 PM"". ABC News. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  8. ^ Butler, Maya (September 26, 2017). "'What Would You Do?' episode recap: Teens verbally abuse homeless person, thief steals gas out of cars". ABC News. Archived from the original on September 26, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  9. ^ "ABC Presents A Two-Hour What Would You Do? Event With The Season Finale". BroadwayWorld. September 5, 2020. Archived from the original on September 6, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  10. ^ Kimball, Trevor (June 6, 2023). "What Would You Do?: Season 17 Renewal; ABC News Series Returning for Fall 2023". May 16, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.