Bill Wright
Director
Mastermind (1972)
2021/22
Mastermind is a British quiz show, well known for its challenging questions, intimidating setting and air of seriousness. Devised by Bill Wright, the basic format of Mastermind has never changed — four and in later contests five contestants face two rounds, one on a specialised subject of the contestant's choice, the other a general knowledge round. Wright drew inspiration from his experiences of being interrogated by the Gestapo during World War II. The atmosphere is helped by Mastermind's famously ominous theme music, "Approaching Menace" by the British composer Neil Richardson. The quiz programme originated and was recorded in Manchester at studios such as New Broadcasting House and Granada Studios, before permanently moving to MediaCityUK in 2011.
Released Sept. 11, 1972
Episode 30 min
None+
Genres: Game Show, Talk, Talk Show
Keywords: tmdb.quiz, imdb.quiz-show, mdblist.has-trailer, imdb.general-knowledge, imdb.contestant, imdb.famous-opening-theme, imdb.long-running-tv + 12 more, imdb.one-word-title, imdb.spotlight, imdb.chair, imdb.question, imdb.non-fiction, tmdb.knowledge, imdb.game-show-host, imdb.1970s, imdb.1980s, imdb.1990s, imdb.british, imdb.quiz
Production Companies: Hat Trick Productions, Hindsight Productions
Network: BBC Two
Country: United Kingdom
Languages:
English
S48E1 - Episode 1
In the first heat, Clive Myrie puts four contenders to the test as they answer questions on specialist subjects including Bruce Springsteen, Switzerland and Sir Roger Moore.
Aug. 23, 2021, midnight
S48E2 - Episode 2
Clive Myrie hosts the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair. Subjects include PG Wodehouse’s Blandings stories, the listed buildings of Liverpool and Beyonce.
Aug. 30, 2021, midnight
S48E3 - Episode 3
Clive Myrie hosts the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair. Specialist subjects include John Cleese, the Alnwick Garden and Marvel's Avengers films.
Sept. 20, 2021, midnight
S48E4 - Episode 4
Clive Myrie hosts the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair. Specialist subjects include Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, Margaret of Anjou and The Simpsons.
Sept. 27, 2021, midnight
S48E5 - Episode 5
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as Clive Myrie tests four more contenders on their specialist subjects and general knowledge. Tonight's subjects are James Bond villains, the life of Lord Byron, JRR Tolkien’s Middle-earth and the castles of Northumberland.
Oct. 4, 2021, midnight
S48E6 - Episode 6
Clive Myrie asks the questions in another heat where the contenders answer questions on the Giza necropolis, Martin Luther, and Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.
Oct. 11, 2021, midnight
S48E7 - Episode 7
Clive Myrie hosts another heat of the classic quiz where contenders take to the black chair. Tonight's subjects include Margaret Thatcher, the saxophone and venomous snakes.
Oct. 18, 2021, midnight
S48E8 - Episode 8
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as Clive Myrie tests four more contenders on their specialist subjects and general knowledge. Tonight's subjects are the fauna of the Galapagos Islands, The Mighty Boosh, Uefa Champions League finals and Catherine de’ Medici.
Oct. 25, 2021, midnight
S48E9 - Episode 9
Clive Myrie hosts the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair. Specialist subjects include the novels of Alan Hollinghurst, The Vicar of Dibley and Edouard Manet.
Nov. 1, 2021, midnight
S48E10 - Episode 10
Clive Myrie tests four more contenders on their specialist subjects and general knowledge in the tenth heat of a new series of the classic quiz. Tonight's specialist subjects are the Inspector Morse novels, King William IV, the films of Richard Curtis and Joseph Rowntree.
Nov. 8, 2021, midnight
S48E11 - Episode 11
Clive Myrie hosts as another four contenders take to the black chair, answering questions on their chosen specialist subjects to earn a place in the semi-finals. On tonight's episode, the specialist subjects are British butterflies, the Cornetto Trilogy, Tutankhamun and Kate Bush.
Nov. 15, 2021, midnight
S48E12 - Episode 12
Clive Myrie hosts another heat, with the contenders answering questions on Great Britain at the Winter Olympics, Goodness Gracious Me and High School Musical.
Nov. 22, 2021, midnight
S48E13 - Episode 13
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as Clive Myrie tests four more contenders on their specialist subjects and general knowledge under the glare of the spotlight and the ticking clock. Tonight's subjects are Nell Gwyn, Sylvia Plath, Still Game and the island of Sicily.
Nov. 29, 2021, midnight
S48E14 - Episode 14
Clive Myrie hosts as four more contenders answer questions on specialist subjects including the John Rebus novels, Hamilton and Louis Theroux documentaries.
Dec. 6, 2021, midnight
S48E15 - Episode 15
Four more contenders brave the black chair in another heat of the classic quiz and answer questions on All Blacks test matches, His Dark Materials, MGM musicals and John Clare.
Dec. 13, 2021, midnight
S48E16 - Episode 16
Clive Myrie hosts the classic quiz where contenders take to the black chair. Tonight's subjects are Eric Cantona, Black Mirror, Rocky Horror and the novels of John Steinbeck.
Dec. 20, 2021, midnight
S48E17 - Episode 17
Clive Myrie presents another heat of the classic quiz, with four contenders answering questions on the Gurkhas, Fernando Torres, Pam Ayres and Alfred Hitchcock films of the 1950s.
Jan. 3, 2022, midnight
S48E18 - Episode 18
Clive Myrie hosts the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair. Subjects include Lee Miller and the history of the Green Party of England and Wales.
Jan. 10, 2022, midnight
S48E19 - Episode 19
Clive Myrie presents another heat of the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair under the glare of the spotlight and the ticking clock in an attempt to become the next Mastermind champion. Tonight's specialist subjects are Line of Duty, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, the Rebecca Riots and gin.
Jan. 17, 2022, midnight
S48E20 - Episode 20
Four more contenders face the black chair under the spotlight and the ticking clock in an attempt to become the next Mastermind champion. Clive Myrie hosts and asks the questions on specialist subjects, which this week are the films of Tom Hanks, Sir Edward Elgar, Bess of Hardwick and Björk.
Jan. 24, 2022, midnight
S48E21 - Episode 21
Clive Myrie hosts another heat of the classic quiz, with contenders answering questions on British and Irish women astronomers, White House pets, Edith Cavell and La Vuelta a España.
Jan. 31, 2022, midnight
S48E22 - Episode 22
Clive Myrie hosts the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair. Subjects are Madonna, the ER character Doug Ross, the rivers of Yorkshire and the NHL.
Feb. 7, 2022, midnight
S48E23 - Episode 23
Clive Myrie hosts as four more contenders answer questions on specialist subjects including Joni Mitchell, the wives of Henry VIII and the films of Tom Cruise.
Feb. 14, 2022, midnight
S48E24 - Episode 24
Clive Myrie hosts as contenders take to the famous black chair to answer questions on their chosen specialist subjects for a place in the semi-finals. This week's topics are Grace Kelly, the Cadfael novels and The Beatles' recording sessions.
Feb. 21, 2022, midnight
S48E25 - Episode 25
Clive Myrie asks the questions in the first semi-final. The specialist subjects are the short stories of Daphne du Maurier, the films of Studio Ghibli, Scott Pilgrim and Formula One.
Feb. 28, 2022, midnight
S48E26 - Episode 26
Clive Myrie asks the questions in another semi-final. Specialist subjects are Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, the Bill & Ted films, drum and bass music and Julia Margaret Cameron.
March 7, 2022, midnight
S48E27 - Episode 27
Clive Myrie asks the questions in another semi-final. The specialist subjects are the X-Files, the history of York Minster, England at the Cricket World Cup and the Brooklyn Bridge.
March 14, 2022, midnight
S48E28 - Episode 28
Clive Myrie presents the fourth semi-final of the classic quiz where contenders return to the black chair under the glare of the spotlight and the ticking clock to win a place in the grand final. The specialist subjects are Wilfred Owen, 20th-century boxing, Frasier and African World Heritage Sites.
March 21, 2022, midnight
S48E29 - Episode 29
Clive Myrie asks the questions in another semi-final. The specialist subjects are Irish involvement in the Spanish Civil War, Pulp, Brian Clough and the Harry Potter novels.
March 28, 2022, midnight
S48E30 - Episode 30
Clive Myrie asks the questions in another semi-final. The specialist subjects are Jean Harlow, Porridge, Alexander the Great and the World Snooker Championship.
April 4, 2022, midnight
S48E31 - Final
Clive Myrie asks the questions in the grand final. Specialist subjects include Sir Steve McQueen’s film and TV works, the Peak District, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Open All Hours.
April 11, 2022, midnight
Network: BBC Two
Episode Runtime: 30 min.
Season Runtime: 33810 min.
Released: Sept. 11, 1972
Last Air Date: Nov. 24, 2025, midnight
Status: Returning Series
Certification: NR
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