I'm Rob Lowe, and this is "The Floor,"
the Battle of the States.
Welcome back to the season finale.
Playing for the pride of your state,
and, oh, yes, $250,000.
I don't know about you, but I'm feeling the pressure big time.
From 100 down to 8.
All of these weeks have come down to this.
There are six duels left until the best of three finale.
And one of you is winning
a quarter of a million dollars tonight.
Jacob, you have emerged as our biggest whale.
It's a big decision.
Stay and play or go back to the Floor.
What are you thinking?
Seven categories out there
for your to choose from.
There are three people out on the Floor yet to be Randomized.
They are Arctic Circle, American Revolution,
- and Sportscasters. - Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.
The stage is horrifying. My legs are shaking.
Rob Lowe's eyes are piercing.
I can't say I'm exactly confident either way.
If I have to come back after another Randomizer,
I'm going to have to just go. There's not gonna be another--
This is the only opportunity I'm going to have to sit back down for a second,
so I'm going to go back to the Floor.
- Okay. All right. - This is it.
You may be right back like you were last time. - Yeah.
- But it worked out for you. - We'll see.
We will see. That means we need a new contestant.
- Let's activate the Randomizer. -
I hope to God it's Arctic Circle, man.
Rob: There are only three left to be Randomized.
Let's see who it picks.
I'm banking on him being less good at geometry. That's all I got.
- Ah. - Rob: American Revolution.
- I knew it. - Well, you have two options.
Geometry, which is inherited, and Arctic Circle,
where you have been standing for weeks
- and weeks and weeks. - Yeah.
Um, man, I'm not going to go after Geometry.
If I go after Geometry, I'm going to get laughed at around the nation.
Rob: So you're giving him the rest that he wanted.
Sydney: Yeah, I'm going to give it to you, man.
Arctic Circle, come on up.
At least I got the battle I wanted.
- That's right. - I got this. I've been studying.
Sydney: I love Austin, but I'm really excited to go for him.
He's been behind me the entire time,
and his category is really fun to study for.
Studying is your main strategy other than speed.
Austin: The strategy's gone exactly as planned.
I didn't want to play until the last day. Here we are.
I like Sydney. She's one of my great friends.
But it's the finale. It's $250,000.
I'm taking her down.
- It's you and me. - Wow.
You've got your own secret handshake and everything.
Amazing. You both are finally up here after all of this time.
By the way, you are literally from the North Pole?
And she wants to challenge me? Can you believe this?
I've got to ask, is Santa Claus a cool guy? - Santa Claus is very nice.
He went to the same grocery store I did,
so we'd run into each other a lot. - Did he? I love it.
All right, well, let's get at it.
You are the challenger. You're gonna go first.
The category is Arctic Circle.
Name the thing associated with the region.
It could be an animal or even a country's flag.
Let's duel.
All right.
Hmm.
No. No.
- You all right? - Not ideal.
No. No, not at all.
There's just one last duel I have to do.
That's it.
Puffin.
Igloo.
Snowshoes.
Iceberg.
Beluga.
Canada.
Aurora Borealis.
Walrus.
Snow Owl.
Thermos.
Night vision.
Arctic fox.
Icicles.
Harpoon.
Arctic Ocean.
Oh, shoot. Pass.
That's where you are, man.
Snowmobile.
Submarine.
Finland. Uh, Sweden. Yeah!
Glacier.
Caribou. Reindeer.
Dog sled.
Borneo Snow Camp.
Pass.
- Well, I tried. - Austin: You got it.
Um, tent. Snow tent.
Seal.
Pass.
Aww, Syd.
- Oh, man. - Austin, you did it.
- I'm so glad you won. - Good job.
Austin, you are on your way. Let's light up the Floor.
Never has two little pieces meant so much.
- Thank you, Sydney. - Both: Thank you.
And that is also the end of the road
for the great state of Wyoming.
You've inherited American Revolution now.
You know, Rob, I'm a French historian.
We have a lot of overlap with the American Revolution.
- I would say so. - They really kind of go hand in hand.
Rob: For sure. All right.
There are five duels between you and the final showdown tonight.
Let's look at your options.
Yep, Geometry. That's it. That's all you got.
And remember, if you do go back,
it will be Tim who will come up. -
Either way, one of you is playing Jacob in Geometry,
but the decision is yours.
So you want a break or you down?
My high school math teacher
would not want me to go up there and play Geometry,
I can tell you that much.
Shout out, North Pole High School.
How many students in the North Pole High School?
800. We're big.
Is there an actual, like, a pole?
Is there, like, a barbershop pole in the middle of--
- There is, yeah. - There is?
Candy cane light poles. We got the works up there.
- Sick. - So obviously I'm going back to the Floor.
- I'm not playing Geometry. - All right, he's going back.
All right, I will see you very soon. - Thank you.
Tim, your moment has arrived.
Welcome to "Tim-may Island,"
the sexiest castaway since Tom Hanks, baby.
I am very confident that I can take down Jacob.
Let's go!
We are definitely in game face mode now.
Tim, you finally made it up here into the bright lights
in the most high pressure situation.
Very happy to be here.
You won't feel like that after this one. - I know.
This is-- he downplays it, but he gives me, like,
the sort of sad sack energy before every battle.
And then he just turns around and ruckuses people.
- Yeah. - I know what you're up to.
- I got you. - I've been called an Eeyore before.
- Yeah, all right. - Well, there you go.
All right, the category is Geometry.
You are the challenger. You will go first.
Name the shape, formula, or item you see.
Let's duel.
- What do you think? - Jacob's so freaking smart.
He's so smart. Did you see him doing the Roman numerals?
Yeah.
- Nicole: He's smart. - He's gonna know it.
Circle.
Triangle.
Line.
Pencil.
Square.
Grid paper.
Protractor.
Cube.
Rectangle.
Sphere.
Formula.
Pass.
Uh, pentagon.
Rays?
Oh, pass.
Oh, duh. Okay.
Cylinder.
Pass.
Ruler.
Hexagon.
Oval.
Compass.
Pass.
Wow.
90 degrees? Uh, pass.
Rob: Jacob!
Eeyore?
Eeyore's turning into Winnie the Pooh!
You're getting that honey pot! I love it!
Let's light up your Floor.
86 pieces. Tim, thank you.
We really appreciate you playing.
- Absolutely. - Bye, Tim.
That is also a goodbye to the state of Maine.
As they say in Maine, adios.
Um, all right, four more duels tonight.
Yeah, I know. My God.
And then we get to our best of three showdown. -
Rob: You've inherited Sportscasters. - Yeah, I have.
Between you and me, audience,
I don't know a single sportscaster.
I'm praying that I can get to the end of this game
with Sportscasters as my category
against someone who knows even less than me.
That is my entire strategy at this point.
It's all I have.
So from this point on,
whether I like it or not,
I have to go for it every single time.
Jacob, it is decision time.
Let's see what your options are.
There are five options.
American Revolution,
Biology, Bones,
Ancient Greece,
and Paleontology.
And, Ashley--
Ashley, way back when, so many weeks ago,
you played and fought for the Time Boost.
You cannot use it in the final duel.
Ashley: My strategy for the finale
is to hold on to my category as long as possible
and keep people from playing me.
Honestly, to be honest, I got the Time Boost not really for myself,
but because Josh here next to me is really quick.
So on the off chance I had to play him at Bones, I needed that five seconds.
For what that's worth.
Jacob: Oh, boy. Okay.
At this point, it's not even about the categories.
- It's about the people. - Rob: In what sense?
You get the sense of who's gonna be tough,
who's going to wilt under the pressure tonight? - They're all tough.
I mean, I know a decent amount about all this stuff.
I've worked really hard to gather as much as I can
in a very short period of time about subjects
that were nowhere close to me at the beginning of this game.
God, I think I have to stay and play.
Rob: All right, he's gonna stay and play.
All right. Staying in control.
Forgive me. Let's go American Revolution.
Rob: American Revolution, come on up.
Oh, my God.
This sucks.
I have to go the hard way.
I have to fight my entire way through now.
I like the slow, "slew" walk.
Yeah, I want to make sure I savor the moment.
That's very smart. 45 seconds is on the clock.
Jacob, you're the challenger. You're gonna be first.
Category is the American Revolution.
Name the things and people that honored
or played a part in this historic event.
- Are you ready? - Ready as I'll ever be.
- You ready? Let's duel. - Ready.
- Good luck to you. - Thank you.
- This will be a fun one. - This sucks.
Yeah.
Washington.
Liberty Bell.
Betsy Ross.
Constitution.
Declaration of Independence.
Franklin.
Jefferson.
Redcoats.
Pass.
Jefferson. Jackson.
Pass.
Hamilton.
Pass.
Don't tread on me.
Crossing the Delaware.
Washington crossing the Delaware.
Hat.
General's hat. Pass.
Cannon.
Oh, pass.
Oh, shoot. Okay.
Quill pen?
Wig.
Oh, Adams.
Declaration of Independence.
Rob: Jacob, you hang on!
- Good job. - Love you, buddy.
Man, that was strategy paying off.
Let's light up the Floor for you.
Congratulations.
Four duels tonight.
Austin, very tough luck, but thank you so much for playing.
Appreciate it. Bye, guys.
- Bye, Austin. - Yeah!
And goodbye to the great state of Alaska.
Oof. You're wearing me out, man.
How do you think I feel?
I know!
There are three more duels,
and then we will have the best of three finale
for the big showdown.
Here we go. It's a big decision.
Stay and play or go back to the Floor.
Let's look at your possibilities.
You have to choose from
Paleontology, Biology,
Bones, and Ancient Greece,
who has a Time Boost.
You won two duels in a row. You win this third one--
if you elect to play-- Time Boost.
- No. Yeah. - You could Category Steal on somebody.
Time Boost though, you cannot take
- to the final duel. - Finale.
What are you thinking?
The frustrating part is the one I'm best at has a Time Boost,
and I just don't want to do that without my own Time Boost.
I know my gods, man.
You could play one more, get the Time Boost,
and take her with a Time Boost.
Or win it and steal her category.
- You guys like sports? - Yeah.
- Yeah? Yeah. - Hockey, baseball, basketball.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- She could be completely... - That's so cool.
...putting on a facade for you. -
I honestly don't know. I don't know.
It just doesn't feel-- I was not calm out there,
if that makes you feel better.
Uh...
Paleontology, let's go.
- Rob: Come on up! - Okay.
Good luck.
Jacob: I think I know a decent amount about Molly's topic,
but the truth of the matter is I'm more scared of the other players than I am of her.
I think she is. It's been her category this whole time.
- The whole time. - Molly: Let's do this.
I know dinosaurs. I've studied them. I've taught them.
Jacob, are you ready to be extinct?
We are back on "The Floor."
Molly, it's been weeks. When you first came up here,
you played it correctly 'cause you're still here.
What would you do if you make it all the way tonight and come home with 250k?
We would invest in a new house for our son
so that he has a bigger yard to play in.
He's why I picked Paleontology. He loves dinosaurs,
and I wanted to pick something that he could play along with
- and would be proud of. - Aww!
Rob: All right, Jacob is gonna go first. He's the challenger.
Category is Paleontology.
Name the fossil, item, or location you see.
- Let's duel. - All right.
Location? I can think of two. This is torture.
He's gonna play me in Ancient Greece, I think,
'cause he thinks it's gonna be a bunch of gods.
Oh, T-Rex.
Pterodactyl.
Skulls?
Chisel. Hammer chisel. Hammer.
Pass.
Aww, that's rough.
Fish.
Footprint.
Oh. Pass?
Okay.
Brush.
Velociraptor.
Stegosaurus.
Amber.
Mammoth.
"Mastiodon." Pass.
Oh, location.
Uh, bone reader. Bone measurement.
Pass.
This is going poorly.
Dinosaur eggs?
Starfish.
Pass.
Dinosaur tooth.
Oh, chisel.
Pass.
Trowel. The bowel trowel.
Mammoth.
Stingray. Pass.
Redwood. Redwood oak trees. Red trees. Yeah.
Molly's done it.
- Killed it. - Oh!
And that is why we have expert categories.
Because you knew it. Let's light up your Floor.
- 90 pieces of the Floor. - Wow!
Jacob, you crushed it. Thank you.
- Good job. - Thank you. Okay.
Goodbye to my home state of Ohio.
But we were well represented. Very well represented.
All right, this is your moment. How you feeling?
Excited.
Your little boy is out there.
He just watched you crush dinosaurs.
- Whoo! - Yes. He's gonna be so excited.
Okay. Here we go. Decision time.
Two more duels and then we get to our best of three showdown.
You've inherited Sportscasters. - Okay.
- You have a big decision. - Yes.
You have three options.
I sat on my two-piece island back in that corner...
- You did. Yep. - ...for a very long time. For many weeks.
And so I think I want to know what it feels like to have a big piece,
even just for a little bit.
So I'm gonna go back to the Floor.
- All right. - Going back to the Floor.
I have a feeling you might be right back up here.
All right, I have a question
for our remaining people on the Floor.
Do you want to get Randomized right now
or do you hope the Randomizer avoids you? - Yes.
Yes, Rob.
Molly: I'm so excited that Jacob's gone.
I knew he was a real threat.
So I feel like I'm in a really good position
to play whatever comes my way.
I really think it could be my game.
All right. Well, you know what?
I'll put you out of your misery.
Let's activate the Randomizer.
- - Everyone's in the mix.
Who is gonna win a quarter of a million dollars tonight?
The road begins right now.
- It's you. - Rob: Oh, no!
- Ha! You're back. - What the heck?
- Oh. - That was quicker than even I thought.
All right, so who are you gonna pick to join you?
You could play Biology, Bones, or Ancient Greece.
So I think my best bet for me is gonna have to be Biology.
Rob: Let's go! Let's make it happen.
Either one of them would want to play Bones, right?
Biologists, paleontology.
I think you just secured your spot.
- That's great for me. - I am so happy for you.
To be honest, I did not expect to get this far, but here I am.
I am so confident in this category.
I know biology. I went to school for biology.
I've got this in the bag.
And we are back.
Nicole, welcome back. It's been a minute.
- Yes, it has, Rob. - Here we go.
Molly, you're the challenger. You get to go first.
Subject is Biology.
Name the item associated
with this branch of science.
- You guys ready? Let's duel. - Yes.
Uh, skeleton.
Microscope.
Leaf.
Brain.
Eggs.
Scalpel.
Uh, pass.
Mold?
Fingerprint.
Evolution.
Lungs.
Bee.
Cells, blood cells. Smear.
Cocoon.
Roots.
Kidneys.
Petri dish.
Frog.
Intestines, small intestine, large intestine.
Microorganisms.
Pass.
Moss. Tree.
Magnifying glass.
Acorns.
Microscope slide.
Uh, tadpoles.
Forceps.
Reef, coral reef.
Stomach.
Flies, fruit flies.
Liver.
Heart.
Grub. Pass.
What?
Nebula. Atom.
Wow!
- Nicole! - Good job.
You defended your category and you survived.
- Now what? - She doesn't want Sportscasters,
so she's gonna come for one of us.
Let's light up your Floor.
92 pieces of the Floor.
Molly, I'm afraid you're going home,
but thank you so much for playing. Appreciate it.
And that is goodbye to the great state of Kentucky.
Okay, you're a very cool customer.
You seem, like, perfectly chill, which is-- - I'm here to have fun.
Well, you've inherited Sportscasters. How does that feel?
- Not fun. - And this is the last duel
before we get into our best of three showdown.
- It sure is, Rob. - This means that you will decide
who will be in the final duel.
So far, this is the biggest decision of the season.
- Mm-hmm. - Stay and play or go back to the Floor?
Look at these two. Bones and Ancient Greece.
- Let's do Bones. - All right, Bones, come on up.
- Oh, my God. - Okay. Okay.
Please kill it. Please kill it. Please kill it.
I do not want to go against Ashley at all.
She is so stinking smart, and she's got a Time Boost.
- I'm so ready. So ready. - You are ready.
I have no one else to high-five.
Nicole: I know Josh has been studying,
but I'm a nurse practitioner, so Bones was my best bet.
Josh: I'm an accountant, I don't work with bones,
but I have to commit a lot of things to memory.
I know all 206 bones from my head to my toes,
and I do have the speed needed to win.
- Welcome back, Josh. - Thank you.
Ashley, this means that you will be
playing the winner in the final battle
for a quarter of a million dollars.
That's crazy.
Rob: Let's see how it works out.
But first, how are you feeling, my friend?
- I mean-- - I'm good. Yeah.
I had so much time to just chill and collect myself.
All right, this duel will decide which one of you plays for all of it.
There's 45 seconds.
The winner will be in the battle for the $250,000 grand prize.
Nicole, you are the challenger. You're gonna go first.
The category is Bones.
Name the human bone that you see.
Arkansas versus Missouri, let's battle.
Ribs.
Clavicle.
Mandible.
Pelvis.
Radial. Ulna.
Clavicles. Scapula.
Femur.
Patella.
Phalanges.
Sternum.
Coccyx. Sacrum.
Fe-- uh, tibia.
Spinal cord.
Uh, pass.
Metacarpal.
Tibula, fibula.
Pelvis, pubis. Coccyx, sacrum.
Maxilla.
Uh, pass.
Humerus.
Ulna.
Metatarsals, tarsals.
Occipital? Parietal, temporal.
Metacar-- metatarsals.
Occipital.
Frontal bone.
Parietal, temporal bone.
Pass.
- Josh! You play! - Congrats.
Josh! Oh, my God.
- Thanks, Nicole. - Josh, you're playing for
a quarter of a million dollars.
Let's light up your Floor.
94 pieces,
and you go to the finals.
Nicole, thank you so much. You were so close.
You should be very proud. Thank you very much.
- It was so fun. - Thank you.
- Bye. It was nice meeting you. - Congratulations.
Nice to meet you.
We also need to say goodbye to the great state of Missouri.
Buh-bye.
You've inherited Sportscasters.
You are taking that to the final showdown.
- Ashley! - What did we say?
I said I wanted it to be you and me.
- Look at us. - Rob: Unbelievable.
- Ashley, come on up. - Josh: All right.
I can smell it, I can taste it,
and I feel like the money is at my fingertips.
Yeah, I can't wait to play.
Welcome back to the season finale.
- All right. - Only two players are in play
for a quarter of a million dollars.
At the beginning of this year, my best friend and I
decided that it was gonna be our year of yes.
- Witchcraft. - Are you very witchy?
Rob, I get into a little toil and trouble now and again.
I will not judge a book by its cover.
- You're witchy. - I'm witchy.
I've always wanted to play a trivia game show
and see how far I could go.
Crystal ball. Potions.
Pass.
After I won the Witchcraft duel...
I love you so, so much. I'm gonna miss you so much.
...I was excited because my only goal was to make it past episode one.
You've inherited Ancient Greece.
- I love it, Rob. - Oh, yes!
My game has turned out exactly as I wanted it to.
I'm gonna have to do Country Music.
Willie Nelson, Tim McGraw, Lady A.
I could not wait to play for the Time Boost.
I would love to play. I'm going with Canadian Icons. - All right, let's do it.
- That's the smart play. - Eugene Levy. Sandra Oh. Rachel McAdams.
Once I had a Time Boost, I knew Ancient Greece
was gonna make me the strongest opponent on the Floor.
I'm gonna go back to the Floor.
All right. I do not want to tangle with her.
♪ No, I don't
I've been hiding in plain sight for three weeks.
No one wanted to play me, but I'm ready.
Josh is a phenomenal player.
He's been flying under the radar.
- We're very good friends. - It could really be us.
And I can't believe it came down to me and him in the end,
- but winner takes all. - Oh, my God.
- We did it. - Go, Ashley!
- Whoo! - Or go, Josh!
- I'm so happy for you both. - Thank you.
100 players started on this journey.
- Ashley: Yeah. - And it's just the two of you now.
Ashley, what would you do with a quarter million dollars?
I would go to Greece, for one.
And I work at a non-profit,
so my boss would really like me to say
that I would donate some money to where I work,
so we can continue doing some good work.
Rob: So sweet. You guys have been neighbors and friends.
- I know. We have. - For so long.
- I know. - How does it feel to be together in this situation?
I couldn't have written the script, Rob. It's a perfect moment.
I'm so glad that Josh is here.
We kept saying, "If it wasn't me..."
Both: "I wanted it to be you."
Yeah. Before we start this duel, can I say hi to my wife?
- Rob: Of course. - The love of my life.
Joanna, I miss you. I can't wait to see you.
I cannot believe I am in the final with my corner buddy.
Never in my wildest dreams
did I think that I would be here.
- Josh? Let's dance. - Yeah?
Oh, my gosh!
It was exhilarating to win my first duel.
Two of hearts. Jack of spades.
- Five hearts. - Six spades.
Rob: Josh did it.
Honestly my inherited category was my shield.
You've inherited the category of Bones.
I know from head to toe.
- Do you? - Oh, yeah.
No one wanted to challenge me.
- Welcome back, bud. - Yes!
Even though we're friends,
I would love to take Ashley down.
I'm secretly hoping that she is bluffing
on Ancient Greece and Sportscasters.
But what I've learned is you have to be aggressive.
It'll be close whatever happens, I'm sure.
But I am so ready.
Now it all comes down to this.
$250,000 on the line. Let's get to it.
Our final battle is the best of three.
If each of you win one duel, then you will play a third.
Josh, you're in control.
You get to choose which category you play first.
You both inherited your categories,
Sportscasters and Ancient Greece.
What's it gonna be?
I know she's really good at this category.
She's good at both categories, honestly.
We're gonna start with Ancient Greece.
All right, the battle is set,
and the battle of the states has come down to this,
Arkansas versus Illinois.
Josh, you're the challenger. You're gonna go first.
Name the items, places,
or real or mythological figures
associated with this historic civilization.
- Let's duel. - All right.
Medusa.
Trojan horse.
Cyclops.
Omega.
Centaur.
Athena.
Pegasus.
Poseidon.
Minotaur.
Acropolis. Parthenon. Temple.
Lyre.
Zeus. Hephaestus.
Oh, pass.
Whoa.
Delta.
Hercules? Pass.
Achilles. My Achilles' tendon.
Zeus.
Cerberus.
Laurel wreath.
Odysseus.
Dionysus.
Pi.
Pass.
Wow.
Pass.
Discus thrower. Olympic--
Apollo.
Acropolis. Parthenon.
Pass?
That's not a shoe.
Alpha.
Hercules. Pass.
Parthenon, the--
- That's right! - Oh!
You did so good. Oh, my God.
Wow.
That was a great battle.
- Ah, that was close. - Wow, you guys.
That was impressive, but that is just one down.
- Wow. - As impressive as it was, you're not there yet.
You can still do this.
Josh: What is going through my mind right now?
The $250,000, it's still right within reach, and I can take it.
Welcome back to the season finale.
A quarter of a million dollars on the line.
Josh, you have to win this duel to tie this game.
If you do, we will go to a final winner take all duel.
We have just one last category to play.
It is Sportscasters. Let's get to it.
- You've been wanting this one. - I have.
You each have 45 seconds.
When the clock runs out, we will have either a playoff
or we will be celebrating
a new $250,000 winner.
Ashley, you won the last duel. You get to go first.
The category is Sportscasters.
Name the sports personality you see. You ready?
- I'm ready. - Ready.
You ready? Let's duel.
- We'll see. - Yeah.
Charles Barkley.
Brady?
Shaq.
Ooh, pass.
Madden. Pass.
Who's that?
Pass.
- That's it. That's it. - That's baseball, I think.
- He did. - Um, he looks familiar.
Yep. Uh, Tony Romo.
Pass.
Oh, Gronk.
Pass.
Michael Strahan!
Ah, dang it!
- Congratulations! - Rob: Ashley!
Good job, Ashley!
- Ashley from Illinois! - You did it! You did it!
- Yay! - You have conquered the Floor.
Oh, my--
Whoo!
- Let's light it up! - Josh: Light it up!
You have done it!
$250,000.
- Josh, thank you for playing. - Thank you.
I feel like I've done Arkansas so proud.
I'm very, very happy with how far I came.
Woohoo!
I hope Ashley buys me something nice.
Rob: Illinois, here is your champion!
Ashley: I honestly don't even feel like
I'm living real life right now.
$250,000.
Yeah!
It doesn't feel real at all. Like, at all.
But, yes, I just won $250,000.
- Yeah! - Way to go, Ash!
Congrats! Congrats! Congrats!
It feels very much like the stars have aligned for me.
I'm gonna keep on saying yes if this is what happens.
- Whew! - Take a breath.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Take a breath.
- You killed it! - Good job!
And we will see you next season right here on "The Floor."
Whoo-hoo-hoo!