What Would You Do? (season 5)

The fifth season of the American situational hidden camera television series What Would You Do?, originally titled Primetime: What Would You Do?, premiered on January 20, 2012, and concluded on May 18, 2012. The seventeen episode season, presented by news correspondent John Quiñones, was broadcast on Friday nights in the United States on ABC.

What Would You Do?
Season 5
Presented by	John Quiñones
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	17
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	January 20 – May 18, 2012
Season chronology

Executive produced by David Sloan, the fifth season of the show gained an average viewership of 4.88 million viewers per episode, up from the 4.56 average from season 4. On May 15, 2012, ABC renewed the show for a sixth season.[1][2][3]

Production

Development

On December 15, 2011, ABC renewed the show for a fifth season.[4]

Filming

Most of the scenarios presented in the season were filmed in New Jersey and New York.[5][6][7][8] Additionally, the "Kid Driver" scenario from the premiere episode was filmed in Greenwich, Connecticut, while the "Sloppy Spring Breaker" scenario from episode 13 was filmed in South Padre Island, Texas.[9]

Episodes

No. overall	Title	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
44	"Episode 1"	January 20, 2012	5.86[10]
At a make-up counter, a woman is advised to buy make-up to cover up a birthmark. Two men attempt to scam a restaurant for a free meal by putting a bug in their soup. A drunk dad tells his underage son to drive him home. At a diner, a woman meets with her husband, who kisses another man while she's in the bathroom.
45	"Episode 2"	January 27, 2012	5.17[11]
A man attempts to lure two teenage girls into going home with him. After a man proposes to his boyfriend, a fellow diner voices his disgust and disapproval. A couple attempts to adopt a dog for underground dog fights. At a cafe, a thief steals a laptop.
46	"Episode 3"	February 3, 2012	5.02[12]
A thief steals from a homeless man. A bride-to-be buying a wedding dress is rude to the salesperson. A young child hits his mom.
47	"Episode 4"	February 10, 2012	4.62[13]
A mother asks customers to listen to her baby via her baby monitor while she takes a break. Two vegetarians are told to eat meat. At a make-up counter, a woman is advised to buy make-up to cover up a port-wine stain birthmark on her face. A therapist attempts to "pray away the gay" off a teen.
48	"Episode 5"	February 24, 2012	4.63[14]
A pregnant woman tells her boyfriend that the baby isn't his. A woman carrying an infant smokes a cigarette. A guy peer pressures his girlfriend into getting a tattoo. A nanny belittles the kids she's supposed to be taking care of. A customer over-indulges in free samples.
49	"Episode 6"	March 2, 2012	5.86[15]
A Mormon couple break up when the woman reveals she's not a virgin. A woman shows signs that she's being abused, both verbally and physically, by her boyfriend. A father reacts to his son coming out as gay. A woman steals from a store.
50	"Episode 7"	March 9, 2012	4.21[16]
A young girl is peer pressured into losing her virginity. Two teenage boys discuss drugging their girlfriends to have sex with them. A mother's son tells her he wants to be trans.
51	"Episode 8"	March 16, 2012	5.56[17]
A young woman is yelled at by her boss. A young adult with albinism is bullied. A size 14 woman is rudely told by a sales clerk that the store does not have clothes that large.
52	"Episode 9"	March 23, 2012	5.19[18]
Would you tell a woman with a bad haircut at a hair salon that her barber messed up her hair? A sales clerk refuses to sell a wedding dress to a lesbian. Would you pick up a $50 dropped on the ground, or would you return it to its rightful owner?
53	"Episode 10"	March 30, 2012	5.02[19]
A "pageant mom" reveals her young daughter's sexy outfit for an upcoming show. A kid is taunted for having two dads. A child speaks profanity at a store.
54	"Episode 11"	April 6, 2012	4.87[20]
A man needs help changing a tire. At an ice cream shop, a teen has trouble ordering because she stutters.
55	"Episode 12"	April 13, 2012	4.76[21]
Two school students discuss a plan to cheat on the SAT. An autistic child has a meltdown at a restaurant. At a pawn shop, a seller plans to sell a fake item.
56	"Episode 13"	April 20, 2012	4.38[22]
A photographer attempts to lure strangers into his hotel room. Beachgoers are asked to look over an ice chest, only for a thief to attempt to steal its contents. A man attempts to take a drunk girl home with him. A young girl is criticized for not being able to fit in her bikini. Another young girl is peer pressured into drinking.
57	"Episode 14"	April 27, 2012	4.03[23]
A teenage girl is about to send a revealing photo of herself by text to her boyfriend. At a gallery, a woman spills coffee on an expensive painting.
58	"Episode 15"	May 4, 2012	4.69[24]
A father flirts with his son's girlfriend. Two girls are denied admission to a nightclub for being overweight. A customer harasses a waitress who happens to be transgender. A woman plans to skip her birth control pills so she can become pregnant.
59	"Episode 16"	May 11, 2012	4.79[25]
How Would You Do It? Contest:[lower-alpha 1] A shopper brings out an excessive amount of coupons at the register. A waitress harasses a mother of eight. A woman's fiance is having an affair with her maid of honor. A pharmacist loudly discloses a customer's private information. A worker at a mail center drops a package, breaking the contents within.
60	"Episode 17"	May 18, 2012	4.33[28]
A mother leaves her children in a store. A lawyer advises his client to "cheat the system."

Reception

Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of What Would You Do?

No.	Title	Air date	Rating/share (18–49)	Viewers (millions)
1	"Episode 1"	January 20, 2012	1.6/5	5.86[10]
2	"Episode 2"	January 27, 2012	1.7/5	5.17[11]
3	"Episode 3"	February 3, 2012	1.4/4	5.02[12]
4	"Episode 4"	February 10, 2012	1.5/4	4.62[13]
5	"Episode 5"	February 24, 2012	1.4/4	4.63[14]
6	"Episode 6"	March 2, 2012	1.7/5	5.86[15]
7	"Episode 7"	March 9, 2012	1.2/4	4.21[16]
8	"Episode 8"	March 16, 2012	1.5/5	5.56[17]
9	"Episode 9"	March 23, 2012	1.6/5	5.19[18]
10	"Episode 10"	March 30, 2012	1.5/5	5.02[19]
11	"Episode 11"	April 6, 2012	1.6/5	4.87[20]
12	"Episode 12"	April 13, 2012	1.4/4	4.76[21]
13	"Episode 13"	April 20, 2012	1.3/4	4.38[22]
14	"Episode 14"	April 27, 2012	1.1/4	4.03[23]
15	"Episode 15"	May 4, 2012	1.4/5	4.69[24]
16	"Episode 16"	May 11, 2012	1.6/5	4.79[25]
17	"Episode 17"	May 18, 2012	1.2/4	4.33[28]

Notes

1. In 2012, ABC News announced their second annual How Would You Do It? contest, allowing viewers to come up with their own ideas for WWYD? scenarios, for the chance of having them made and presented on the show, and for a paid roundtrip airfare for two to New York.[26] Two contestants (Douglas Roberts and Trena Shines) won the grand prize trip, while three contestants (Patricia Robinson, Melissa Derryberry, and Christina Hauck) only won the small prize of having their scenario featured on the show.[27]

References

1. Trevor Kimball (May 15, 2012). "ABC Announces 2012-13 Primetime Schedule". TV Series Finale. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
2. Rosario T. Calabria (May 16, 2012). "ABC unveils 2012-13 primetime schedule". Your Entertainment Now. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
3. Trevor Kimball (July 26, 2012). "ABC Announces Fall 2012 Premieres". TV Series Finale. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
4. "ABC Pushes Up "Shark Tank" Return to January 20, Brings Back "Primetime: What Would You Do?"". The Futon Critic. December 15, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
5. Bob Henault (February 2, 2012). "Stealing From the Homeless: 'Are You For Real?'". ABC News. Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
6. Tami Sheheri (February 8, 2012). "Is It 'Un-American' to Avoid Meat? WWYD Tackles Vegan-Bashing". ABC News. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
7. Tami Sheheri (April 5, 2012). "Ice Cream Parlor Patrons Defend Stutterer Against Bullies". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
8. Ali Galante (May 18, 2012). "Lawyer Advises Client to Lie?". ABC News. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
9. Ali Galante (April 18, 2012). "'Get Your Hands Off Her': Customer Defends Drunken Girl". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
10. "Friday Final TV Ratings: 'Kitchen Nightmares,' 'Supernatural' Repeat Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. January 23, 2012. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
11. "Friday Final TV Ratings: 'Dateline' Adjusted Up; 'Shark Tank' Adjusted Down; No Adjustments For 'Chuck' Finale Or 'Fringe'". TV by the Numbers. January 30, 2012. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
12. "TV Ratings: Friday February 3, 2012 (FRINGE Falters)". The TV Addict. February 4, 2012. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
13. "TV Ratings: Friday February 10, 2012 (Good News for GRIMM)". The TV Addict. February 11, 2012. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
14. "TV Ratings: Friday February 24, 2012 (FRINGE Inches Upwards in Viewership)". The TV Addict. February 25, 2012. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
15. "TV Ratings: Friday March 2, 2012 (A GIFTED MAN and GRIMM Benefit From FRINGE-less Friday)". The TV Addict. March 3, 2012. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
16. "TV Ratings: Friday March 9, 2012 (THE MENTALIST Fails to Impress on Friday)". The TV Addict. March 10, 2012. Archived from the original on September 25, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
17. "TV Ratings: Friday March 16, 2012 (March Madness Tops an Uneventful Night of TV)". The TV Addict. March 17, 2012. Archived from the original on July 5, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
18. "TV Ratings: Friday March 23, 2012 (Stick a Fork in FRINGE?)". The TV Addict. March 24, 2012. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
19. "TV Ratings: Friday March 30, 2012 (FRINGE Bounces Back)". The TV Addict. March 31, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
20. "TV Ratings: Friday April 6, 2012 (Bad Friday for THE FINDER and FRINGE)". The TV Addict. April 7, 2012. Archived from the original on April 10, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
21. "TV Ratings: Friday April 13, 2012 (An Very Unlucky Day for FINDER and FRINGE Fans)". The TV Addict. April 14, 2012. Archived from the original on August 25, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
22. "TV Ratings: Friday April 20, 2012 (FOX and Friends Benefit From CBS Repeats)". The TV Addict. April 22, 2012. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
23. "TV Ratings: Friday April 27, 2012 (FRINGE Delivers… Once the Pressure is Off!)". The TV Addict. April 28, 2012. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
24. "TV Ratings: Friday May 4, 2012 (AVENGERS Take a Bite Out of Genre Ratings)". The TV Addict. May 5, 2012. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
25. "TV Ratings: Friday May 11, 2012 (FRINGE Closes Out the Season on a High Note)". The TV Addict. May 12, 2012. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
26. "Enter the 'What Would You Do?' 'How Would You Do It?' Contest!". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
27. "(#W516) "WHAT WOULD YOU DO?"". The Futon Critic. May 11, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
28. "TV Ratings: Friday May 18, 2012 (Fairytale End to First Season for GRIMM)". The TV Addict. May 19, 2012. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.

External links

• What Would You Do? – official site
• What Would You Do? at TV Guide
• What Would You Do? – list of episodes at IMDb