The fifth season of the American version of The Mole began airing on ABC on June 2, 2008, after being pushed back a week by ABC. Casting information was announced online.
After the fourth season in 2004, ABC declined to pick up The Mole, and Stone Stanley Entertainment lost the rights to the show from Belgian company TTTI. In August 2007, Scott Stone of Stone & Co. Entertainment (the new name for Stone Stanley Entertainment after David Stanley left in 2004) re-secured the rights to the show, and with ABC in January 2008, announced the show's return to American television.
Show details The show returned to its original civilian format for the fifth season. The winner could win a maximum of $500,000 (compared to $1,000,000 of the first two civilian seasons), and the total offered in all of the missions exceeded $850,000, although the team only earned $420,000.
Jon Kelley was hired as the new host, and filming began the week of March 23, 2008 in Chile.
Contestants Player Age Hometown Occupation Education Game Status Craig Slike30 San Diego, California Graphic designer B.A. Graphic Art, PLNU Mark Lambrecht42 Mukwonago, Wisconsin High school history teacherSoccer coach B.A., University of Wisconsin–Whitewater Nicole Williams33 Chicago, Illinois OBGYN MD, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine Paul Grassi29 Yonkers, New York Utility workerOn-air talent Attended Pace University Clay CauleyClay Cauley - official site32 West Grove / Philadelphia Criminal litigation attorney Law Degree, Howard University Alex Jacobs31 Haverford, Pennsylvania Musician Attended University of Colorado Kristen Willeumier35 Santa Monica, California Neuroscientist, Model, Equestrian PhD, UCLA Victoria Garza26 Bishop, Texas Retail manager B.A., Texas A&M University–Kingsville Bobby O'Donnell25 Manayunk, Philadelphia Restaurant manager B.A., Penn State Ali Sonoma 24 St. Louis, Missouri Spokesmodel/ActressFormer UFC octagon girl A.A., St. Louis Community College Liz Cain60 Whitefish, Montana Retired Associate's degree, New Mexico Tech Marcie Ciscel 31 Corona, California Stay-at-home mom West High School, Torrance, California
Execution chart Color key:
Episode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 7Episode 8Episode 9Episode 11 Quiz123456789Starting value$0$35,000$63,000$129,000$152,000$177,000$251,000$331,000$368,500Money earnedTotal value$35,000$63,000$129,000$152,000$177,000$251,000$331,000$368,500$420,000 Mark Safe Exempt Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Exempt Winner (Episode 11) Craig Safe Safe Safe Safe Exempt Safe Safe Safe The Mole(Episode 11) Nicole Exempt Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Runner-up (Episode 11) Paul Safe Exempt Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 9) Clay Safe Safe Safe Exempt Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 8) Alex Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 7) Kristen Safe Exempt Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 5) Victoria Safe Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 4) Bobby Safe Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 3) Ali Safe Safe Accepted bribe (Episode 3) Liz Safe ExecutedExecuted (Episode 2) MarcieExecutedExecuted (Episode 1)ExemptionsNicoleMark, Paul, KristenClayCraigMarkExecutedMarcie Liz Bobby Victoria Kristen Alex Clay Paul Craig Nicole Mark Notes
Episodes
Episode 1 Episode 1 recap+ Original airdate: June 2, 2008+ Location: Los Ángeles, Chile Mission Money earned Possible earnings Over the Falls $20,000 $60,000 Robinson Crusoe $15,000 $25,000 Current Pot $35,000 $85,000
+ Exemption Nicole Stranded after "Crusoe" mission
+ Execution Marcie 1st player executed
Over the Falls: The players were asked, by secret ballot, who they thought the Mole was based on first impressions. Marcie was chosen and it was revealed that she would have control over the upcoming game. While wearing a safety harness, the remaining players each rode a raft over Laja Falls and had to try to grab a bag hanging over the edge of the falls. Of the eleven bags, six had real money, while the other five had worthless paper. It was Marcie's task to secretly assign which six players would be jumping for real money. Each bag of real money grabbed added $10,000 to the pot. Of the six players who successfully grabbed a bag, only two had real money, so $20,000 was added to the pot. Marcie then had to choose four players to sleep outside, rather than in a cabin with the other eight. Nicole, who was chosen to sleep outside, complained about the decision, and decided to stay awake all night inside the cabin to avoid breaking the rules.
Robinson Crusoe: The players were taken to a beach and told the story of Alexander Selkirk, who was stranded in Chile in 1704, and inspired Robinson Crusoe. The goal of this mission was to find five items that Selkirk had with him. Nicole, who was voted the "whiniest" player, divided the remaining players into three groups: six "scavengers" who searched the beach for as many of 45 hidden items as they could find, a group of three "appraisers" who decided which of the found items were correct, and two "timekeepers" who could give the others more time by refilling a giant hourglass with sand as it ran down; when it was empty, the mission ended. The appraisers were allowed three guesses at the five items, and were told after the first two guesses how many items were correct, but not which ones. For each correct item found, $5,000 was added to the pot. Three correct items were found for a total of $15,000. Nicole, as "whiniest", was then "stranded" on the beach while the remaining contestants went to their hotel. This caused her to be exempt from execution, as she could not take the quiz while she was "stranded".
Episode 2 Episode 2 recap+ Original airdate: June 9, 2008+ Location: Santiago & Pomaire, Chile Mission Money earned Possible earnings Race to the Summit $0 $35,000 When Pigs Fly $28,000 $50,000 Current Pot $63,000 $170,000
+ Exemptions Mark & Kristen Won the "Summit" mission Paul Exemption found in "Pigs" mission
+ Execution Liz 2nd player executed
Race to the Summit: The players were asked to split themselves into groups of nine "goal-oriented" people, and two who see life as an "uphill battle" (Mark and Kristen were chosen as the latter). The two teams had to race to the top of Cerro San Cristóbal: The "uphill battle" team were given a tandem bicycle to ride, while the "goal-oriented" team were to ride up by gondola lift, but had to first score a goal in a soccer match against a children's team to earn their tickets. After twenty minutes of play, the team was allowed penalty kicks to score. They would then have to travel on foot to the lift. If they beat the "uphill battle" team to the summit, the team would add $35,000 to the pot. If they did not, the "uphill battle" team would earn exemptions from the quiz.
The bike's chain slipped off its gears several times, causing Mark to decide to walk the bike for part of the trip. Jon Kelley waited partway up the hill with pisco sours for Mark and Kristen, and offered them the opportunity to take a taxicab for a $5,000 deduction from the pot, which Mark quickly refused.
The "goal-oriented" team finally scored with penalty kicks, and made their way to the gondolas. The faster players raced ahead and took the first gondola, while several slower players lagged behind and took a second gondola. Upon arrival at the top of the hill, they found that Mark and Kristen had beaten them.
When Pigs Fly: The players split into three groups of three and one group of two. The groups of three had to search the town for 50 hidden clay pigs with a Mole thumbprint on them. They then had to return to an outdoor arena with the pigs and use a large slingshot to launch the fragile pigs towards the two-player team, who had to catch the pigs with a blanket without damaging them. For each unbroken pig returned, $1,000 was added to the pot. Jon Kelley started the group off by leaving one free pig on the scoring table, worth $1,000. The time limit was set by two local potters creating clay pigs at the arena. Once they had finished 12 new pigs (a timeframe of roughly an hour), the mission ended. An additional exemption was also announced, but was left for the players to figure out.
Liz and Paul were the group of two. While waiting for the others to return, Paul smashed open the one free pig, forfeiting $1,000. Inside he found a chip which earned him an exemption. Two of the groups brought back 18 and 26 pigs respectively. Bobby could not run and was carried in his team's wheelbarrow for the entire task; his team did not recover any pigs. Twenty-eight pigs were successfully launched and caught, for a total of $28,000 added to the pot.
Episode 3 Episode 3 recap+ Original airdate: June 16, 2008+ Location: Santiago, Chile Mission Money earned Possible earnings Fruit of the Luge $26,000 $70,000 Dress Code $40,000 $50,000 Current Pot $129,000 $290,000
+ Bribe Ali $20,000 (declined), $30,000 (accepted)
+ Execution Bobby 3rd player executed
Fruit of the Luge: The players were asked to split themselves into two groups of five who "can't trust anyone" (Paul, Victoria, Kristen, Clay, Alex) and five who "trust blindly" (Bobby, Ali, Craig, Nicole, Mark); then they were asked to get into pairs of one player from each group. Each pair would two-person luge down a steel luge course. The "can't trust anyone" player would be in front, controlling the braking lever blindfolded, and the "trust blindly" player would be in back, telling their partner when to slow down. In addition, seven drawings of different fruits were arranged along the course. The "trust blindly" player had to relay each fruit to their partner, before the finish line. After the finish line, the teams couldn't talk. After the luge, the "can't trust anyone" player had to arrange actual fruits in the same order as the images, choosing from a table full of fruit. Each fruit in the correct position added $2,000 to the pot.
Clay got 5/7 correct, only flipping the order of two fruits despite Bobby's failure to relay the color of several fruits, and mistaking an avocado for a pear; Paul got 5/7 correct from Ali, also flipping the order of two fruits; Victoria got 7/7 from Craig; Kristen got 7/7 from Mark; Alex got 1/7 by placing the first fruit twice, having heard Nicole repeat it, thus pushing all the remaining fruits back one spot. The team totaled 25/35 and would have added $50,000 to the pot; however, both Clay and Bobby, and Victoria and Craig discussed the fruits after crossing the finish line and the $24,000 they earned was negated. The team ultimately added $26,000 to the pot.
Dress Code: The team was brought to a spa to relax. While they were enjoying the services, Kelley took their clothes other than their shoes to be dry cleaned. The team was told to split into two groups of three and two groups of two. The groups were then given the address of a restaurant across town and informed they had less than two and a half hours to get there. Players, dressed only in underwear, also had to meet the restaurant's dress code of a dress shirt, tie, and pants for men, and two shirt layers with a skirt or pants for women. The team had to get clothes from locals en route to the restaurant. Each player that arrived properly dressed added $5,000 to the pot.