The first season of The Mole aired on ABC in 2001. It was produced by Stone Stanley Entertainment and was released to DVD by Eagle Rock Entertainment on March 8, 2005. The season was hosted by news reporter Anderson Cooper and featured American contestants; it was filmed mainly in France, Monaco, and Spain. Adapting the format of Belgian reality game show De Mol (The Mole), many challenges and locations were inspired by their counterparts from De Mol's second season in Spain.
Show details Airdates January 9, 2001 – February 28, 2001
Locations California, United States (Mojave Desert) France (Paris, Cannes) Monaco (Monte Carlo) Spain (Seville, Jerez)
Rules summary Ten players, all strangers. Nine contestants, and one "Mole" (whose identity is kept secret from all the other players and the viewing audience). The players participate in various tests (games, physical challenges, puzzles, etc.) to try to earn money to a cash pot, up to a maximum of $1,000,000. The mole's duty is to sabotage the games, and prevent money from being added to the pot, while avoiding, or deflecting suspicion. Each episode, the players take a 20-question quiz about the identity of the mole. The player who answers the fewest questions correctly (or in case of a tie, finishes the test the slowest), is "executed" and must leave the game immediately. Each episode, one player is executed; the game continues until only three players remain. Two contestants, and the mole. The contestant who scores the highest on the final quiz wins the game, and the entire accumulated cash pot.
Details Casting for the first season of The Mole was held in late August 2000. Filming was done over 28 days from September 22-October 19, 2000. In late December 2000, ABC announced the contestants. The ten players and 176 crew members traveled to 34 cities in four countries, and stayed at 65 hotels.
Unlike other similar reality shows, contestants on The Mole were ordinarily treated to full course dinners, sit-down breakfasts, and fine wines at supper, while staying some nights at fancy hotels in exotic locations. Often travel was done in nice cars, or comfortable trains. It contrasted sharply with other reality shows of the time, such as Survivor, that saw players in wilderness locations eating meager meals. However, as part of the gameplay, some night stays were less comfortable.
GSN acquired the rights to the program in early 2004. Season 1 was shown in its entirety at varying timeslots. However, after low ratings and changes at the network, it was pulled. In March 2005, the entire season 1 was released on DVD by Eagle Vision USA. In the summer of 2007, Fox Reality acquired the rights to all four Mole seasons, and showed season one the first week of July. It was aired again as a marathon on January 20, 2008. Another marathon of the show was broadcast on June 1, 2008. Netflix began airing seasons 1 and 2 in June 2021.
Contestants Player Age Hometown Occupation Finish Steven Cowles 30 Denver, Colorado Undercover cop Kathryn Price 28 Chicago, Illinois Law school lecturer Jim Morrison 29 Newton, New Jersey Helicopter pilot, lawyer Charlie McGowan 63 New York City, New York Retired police detective Kathleen "Kate" Pahls 55 Cincinnati, Ohio Real estate investor Jennifer Biondi 35 San Jose, California Communications manager Henry Wintz 23 Miami, Florida Bartender Wendi Wendt 29 Cedar Rapids, Iowa Visual display artist Afi Ekulona 23 Colorado Springs, Colorado Medical school applicant Manuel Herrera 42 Oxnard, California Events coordinator
† Charlie died on April 30, 2018, at the age of 81.
Execution chart Color key:
Episode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6Episode 7Episode 9 Quiz 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Starting value$0$115,000$135,000$250,000$310,000$370,000$410,000$490,000Money earnedPenaltiescolspan="4" colspan="2 Total value$115,000$135,000$250,000$310,000$370,000$410,000$490,000$510,000 Steven Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Exempt Winner (Episode 9) Kathryn Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe The Mole (Episode 9) Jim Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Runner-up (Episode 9) Charlie Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 7) Kate Safe Safe Exempt Safe SafeExecutedExecuted (Episode 6) Jennifer Safe Safe Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 5) Henry Safe Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 4) Wendi Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 3) Afi SafeExecutedExecuted (Episode 2) ManuelExecutedExecuted (Episode 1)Exemptionscolspan="2"Katecolspan="3"StevenExecutedManuel Afi Wendy Henry Jennifer Kate Charlie Kathryn Jim Steven
Episodes Episode Airdate Amount in Pot Location DaysEliminated 1 $0 → $115,000 Mojave Desert.,California, USA & Paris, France 1-3 colspan="2" 2 $115,000 → $135,000 Monte Carlo, Monaco, Cannes & Crest, France 4-6 colspan="2" 3 $135,000 → $250,000 Medina-Sidonia & Seville, Spain 7-9 colspan="2" 4 $250,000 → $310,000 Seville, Spain 10-12 colspan="2" 5 $310,000 → $370,000 Paterna de Rivera, El Puerto de Santa María, Jerez, Spain 13-15 colspan="2" 6 $370,000 → $410,000 San Lúcar & Jerez, Spain 16-18 colspan="2" 7 $410,000 → $490,000 Montejaque & Ronda, Spain 19-21 colspan="2" Finale & $490,000 → $510,000 Montejaque & Ronda, Spain 22-24 Runner-UpJim WinnerSteven The MoleKathryn
Notes
Episode 1 Episode 1 recap+ Original airdate: January 9, 2001+ Location: California, USA & Paris, France Mission Money earned Possible earnings Skydiving $75,000 $75,000 Night out in Paris $0 $0 ATM $50,000 $50,000 1 penalty incurred $125,000
+ Execution Manuel 1st player executed
Skydiving: All ten players arrived at a remote location in the California Mojave Desert. Two helicopters took them to a landing strip where they boarded a plane to skydive from 10,000 feet. If all ten players agreed to skydive tandem, the group pot would earn $75,000. If any one player chose not to jump, no money would be added to the pot. According to clues in episode 8, this test marked the first time the players met, and occurred on September 22, 2000. The players were successful, and earned the full value.
Night out in Paris: The players were flown to Paris, France for their next test. After dinner, the players were allowed to spend the night out in Paris, with a catch - the entire group must stay together, and had to be back to the hotel before midnight (approximately two hours). If the team was not back in time, a $10,000 penalty would be assessed from the pot. The players were successful, and no money was deducted. However, during the test, Manuel insisted on purposely failing the test to spend more time out in Paris. His decision was unanimously overruled.
ATM: The players are shown ten screens which display personal information about their fellow competitors. Two players with the best memories are then chosen from the group. The two have to solve puzzles using the information from the screens to come up with a 4-digit ATM PIN. The PIN is then used to withdraw ₣500 at an ATM somewhere in the town of Draguigan, France. If the team is successful, $50,000 is added to the pot.
Penalty: The remaining players wait during ATM test, and are told not to discuss the information from the screens. Although the players succeeded at the ATM test, Wendi became angry at Charlie and asked how many times his heart has been broken (he is one of two contestants, the other being Kate, to never have had their heart broken), which he responded to. The players were fined $10,000.
At the elimination, Anderson entered the player's names in alphabetical order. After green screens appeared for Afi, Charlie, Henry, Jim, Jennifer, Kate and Kathryn, the screen turned red when Manuel's name was typed in. Kathryn said she felt sad for Manuel and Kate said she expected to be eliminated first. He thought either Charlie, Jim, Kathryn or Steven (who would become the final four) was the mole.
Episode 2 Episode 2 recap+ Original airdate: January 16, 2001+ Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco & Cannes & Crest, France Mission Money earned Possible earnings Hostage Rescue $0 $50,000 Cartier $20,000 $20,000 Cornfield Maze $0 $60,000 $255,000
+ Execution Afi 2nd player executed
Hostage Rescue: The players move on to Monte Carlo, Monaco. One of the players, Steven, is kidnapped from his hotel room in the middle of the night. He is transported to a prison cell and placed in shackles and an iron mask. When the other players arrive for breakfast, they realize he is missing. The other players split into three groups to search for him (by helicopter, boat, and van), and are given clues to his whereabouts. If all eight players find and arrive at his secret location (Cannes, France) in less than two hours with three keys, they will add $50,000 to the pot. The players failed to pass the test in time.
Cartier: Three players are selected who have "Good Eyes" (Henry, Kate, and Kathryn). They are shown two watches, an authentic Cartier, and a fake. They are to determine which is real, and which is the phony, and the phony will be destroyed. If they are correct, $20,000 is added to the pot; if they are wrong, $20,000 is deducted from the pot. The players succeeded at this test.
Production vans test: During the Cartier test, production vans were parked outside the Chateau de Rochegude, where the other players wait for their next mission. The vans were purposely left unlocked and the crew was secretly filming on the rooftop to see if anyone would look into the vans. No penalties were at stake. Afi, Jennifer, Jim, Steven, and Wendi did not bother to look in the vans. However, Charlie was caught snooping, raising suspicion.
Cornfield maze: The other six players ("leaders" and "followers") are brought to a cornfield maze late at night. The three "leaders" are to guide three "followers" through the maze, and avoid two maze guards. Each team that completed the maze added $20,000 to the pot. All three teams failed at this test.
At the elimination, after green screens appeared for Henry, Jennifer, Steven and Kathryn, the screen turned red when Afi's name was typed in. Wendy said that she felt another one of her allies was eliminated. Jim said he didn't expect her to be eliminated. She thought Henry tried to make himself look like the mole.
Episode 3 Episode 3 recap+ Original airdate: January 23, 2001+ Location: Medina-Sidonia & Seville, Spain Mission Money earned Possible earnings Bullfight $65,000 $75,000 Dirty Laundry $10,000 $10,000 Dice Game $40,000 $80,000 $420,000
+ Exemption Kate Completed 4 tasks in Dice Game
+ Execution Wendi 3rd player executed
Bullfight: The eight players traveled to Seville, Spain. They arrived at a bullring, where the next test involved bullfighting. If all eight players faced a charging bull two times, the group pot would earn $50,000. For each player (up to five) that performed a tienta (pulling the bull's tail down to the ground), a bonus $5,000 would be added. The players completed the test successfully, and three of them managed to perform the tienta as well.
Dirty Laundry: Three players were chosen to do the contestants' laundry. They were taken to a village where they had to find places to wash all eight loads, but only one load per location. If successful, $10,000 would be added to the pot. The players were successful.
Dice Game: The five other players each rolled a die. Depending on what was rolled, a rather unsavory task or a rather simple task had to be completed by that player (e.g., draw a nude or be drawn naked, dye one's hair or shave their head, wear a cast on one or both legs, etc.) If three players completed their task, $40,000 would be added to the pot. The final player to roll was offered a special twist. Roll the die four times and complete all four tasks, to earn an additional $40,000, and an exemption for his/her self.
1A. 1,2 or 3 - Paint a nude portrait 1B. - Pose nude ()
2A. 1,2 or 3 - Cast one leg 2B. - Cast both legs ()
3A. 1,2 or 3 - Dye your hair 3B. - Shave your head ()
4A. 1,2 or 3 - Wear a ball and chain