Escape the Complex 1

Escape the Complex 1 is the first edition of the American reality competition show Escape the Complex. The show brings together a group of sixteen contestants, known as Escapists, battling each other to complete various missions to egress an otherworldly complex. The inaugural season premiered with a 1-hour episode on March 8, 2016 and concluded with two 2-hour episodes on May 24, 2016, when Shania Bissinger was pronounced the winner over Luke Baccarin by a jury vote of 7-2.

The Complex
In mid-2015, production selected an abandoned 80,000 sq. ft. garment factory outside of Victorville, California for filming to take place. Crews arrived about a month before the first day of filming to prepare the premises and create any necessary props for the show.

The themed rooms this season were based on the historical working conditions documented in the The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and the lavish societies of the Roaring Twenties:
 * Chambers/Guest Rooms
 * Chamber I: Warehouse
 * Chamber II: Speakeasy wine cellar
 * Chamber III: Meat packing factory
 * Chamber IV (Concourse): Distribution center
 * Penthouse: Classic penthouse
 * Ejection Hall: The Great Gatsby mansion

Casting
Auditions were unavailable in Canada and only open to American citizens due to visa complications. Deadline for auditions was September 28, 2015.

Sponsors
Two companies wrote off on a programming sponsorship for season one, Credit Karma and HelloFresh. The latter made meal deliveries to Escapists who won Penthouse status on the first flight of each Chamber.

Twists

 * Chamber I
 * Plus One: After completing a flight, Penthouse winners had to grant one other Escapist access into the living space. In doing so, the awarded Escapists would also be deemed safe from the immediate shortlist of that flight. Winners of The Committee were ineligible for choice.
 * Chamber II
 * Potent Elixir: Before flights 5 to 8, Escapists encountered a wheel of 42 elixir tubes of various flavors, some tasteful and some repulsive. They were required to take a shot and replace the empty spot with a name chip. The tray remained in the same position and pieces of the wheel (found during the flights) were added until the start of the eighth flight. Shortly after all 42 tubes had been taken, a screen asked for a volunteer Escapist to spin the wheel. After the wheel stops, the Escapist would pull a tab to drop 22 of the spots into the barrel underneath. It was revealed the Escapist with the most chips on the wheel would advance into the third Chamber without competing in the flight or voting in the next ejection ceremony. The Escapist(s) with zero chips left on the tray had to wear drunk goggles during the eighth flight.

Alliances conceived

 * Donkey Kong Krew (dissolved) - Brian, Hayden, Kandace, Kirk, Laurett, Luke, and Veronica
 * La Chopper - Brian, Kandace, and Luke
 * Last Chance Alliance (dissolved) - Indri, Seder, and Veronica
 * The Moms - Lindsey and Veronica
 * Stars Alignance - Becka, Duggarti, and Taurus
 * Tomahawk Trio - Hayden, Kirk, and Tommy

Game and voting history
Notes:
 * 1) For the first Chamber, winners of Penthouse access had to summon one other Escapist to join them. The selected Escapist would also be deemed safe from ejection during the flight.

Episode summary
A completion of a flight spanned two episodes and aired on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Episodic text below are official descriptions used for televised broadcast purposes. "The 16 Escapists enter The Complex and meet each other. One already soils the competition."

"The first Escapist is ejected. Closer bonds begin to sparkle." "Boxes give Escapists a tough time. An alliance shows signs of resistance." "Massive drama ensues as one Escapist is cornered." "A warehouse puzzle leaves Escapists stumped." "Escapists dive deeper into the crosshairs of relationships."