Bill Wright
Director
Mastermind (1972)
2019/20
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
S46E1 - Episode 1
John Humphrys presents the first heat of the relaunched series 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.
Tonight’s specialist subjects are the Lake District, Sue Townsend novels, Stephen King and Dorothy Hodgkin.
Aug. 9, 2019, midnight
S46E2 - Episode 2
John Humphrys presents heat two of the classic quiz where contenders take the black chair. Tonight’s specialist subjects are the Mughal Empire, the life and legacy of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Charles Dickens's Female Characters and Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone.
Aug. 16, 2019, midnight
S46E3 - Episode 3
Four more 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. John Humphrys presents the quiz. The specialist subjects are the Thirty Years' War, the members and music of Genesis, Shakespeare's Elizabethan tragedies and Firefly and Serenity.
Aug. 23, 2019, midnight
S46E4 - Episode 4
John Humphrys presents the fourth 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 national flags, the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, The Chronicles of Narnia and the life and career of Andre Agassi.
Aug. 30, 2019, midnight
S46E5 - Episode 5
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys tests four more contenders on their specialist subjects and general knowledge. Tonight’s subjects are the islands of Great Britain, the Pop Larkin Chronicles by HE Bates, The League of Gentlemen and Doctor Who.
Sept. 6, 2019, midnight
S46E6 - Episode 6
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys grills four more contenders on their chosen subjects and general knowledge. The specialist subjects in this episode are the history of the London Underground, the 1969 Woodstock festival, the industrialist William Armstrong and the life and films of Al Pacino.
Sept. 20, 2019, midnight
S46E7 - Episode 7
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz where contenders take on the famous black chair under the glare of the spotlight in an attempt to become the next Mastermind.
The specialist subjects are the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the life and career of Sir Kenny Dalglish, the novels and novellas of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the films of Christopher Nolan.
Sept. 27, 2019, midnight
S46E8 - Episode 8
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys grills four more contenders on their specialist subjects and general knowledge. The subjects in this episode are Plantagenet Queens Consort 1154 – 1485, members of the Weasel family, Eurovision in the 21st century and Birmingham City FC.
Oct. 11, 2019, midnight
S46E9 - Episode 9
John Humphrys hosts the classic quiz where contenders take to the famous black chair under the glare of the spotlight hoping to become the next Mastermind champion.
In this programme, the specialist subjects are the Mabinogion, the life of Jacqueline du Pre, Emily Temple and the life and works of William Gibson.
Oct. 18, 2019, midnight
S46E10 - Episode 10
John Humphrys hosts another heat of the classic quiz, where four contenders take to the black chair. Under the glare of the spotlight and the ticking clock, the contenders answer questions on their specialist subjects, which are the Pax Britannica trilogy, the musical Les Miserables, UK number one singles of the 1960s and The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice.
Oct. 25, 2019, midnight
S46E11 - Episode 11
John Humphrys presents another heat of the relaunched series of the classic quiz where contenders take to the famous black chair under the glare of the spotlight and the ticking clock in an attempt to become the next Mastermind champion.
The subjects in this episode are Greek mythology, Manchester City FC, the Mapp and Lucia novels by EF Benson and the life and written works of Harper Lee.
Nov. 1, 2019, midnight
S46E12 - Episode 12
The relaunched series continues with another four contenders taking to the black chair, answering questions on their chosen specialist subjects to earn a place in the semi-finals.
John Humphrys hosts tonight’s episode, where the specialist subjects are the Cunard shipping line, the members and music of The Manic Street Preachers, the life and films of Ingrid Bergman and Strictly Come Dancing.
Nov. 15, 2019, midnight
S46E13 - Episode 13
Four more contenders take to the black chair under the spotlight and the ticking clock to answer questions on their specialist subjects and general knowledge.
John Humphrys asks the questions, which tonight are on the Gospel of Matthew, the novel and musical Wicked, Johannes Brahms and the history of Ireland during the 1920s and 1930s.
Nov. 22, 2019, midnight
S46E14 - Episode 14
Four more contenders face the black chair under the spotlight and the ticking clock in an attempt to become the next Mastermind champion. John Humphrys hosts and asks the questions on the contenders’ specialist subjects, which are the history of medicine, the life and works of Taylor Swift, the films of Michelangelo Antonioni and the first 50 years of the Super Bowl.
Dec. 13, 2019, midnight
S46E15 - Episode 15
John Humphrys presents another heat of the relaunched series 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 particle physics, the life and works of Douglas Adams, California and Carry On films.
Dec. 30, 2019, midnight
S46E16 - Episode 16
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair under the glare of the spotlight and the ticking clock.
The specialist subjects are the Gordon Riots of 1780, the history of Marvel Comics, Franklin D Roosevelt and FE McWilliam.
Jan. 6, 2020, midnight
S46E17 - Episode 17
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz where contenders take to 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 the gardener Margery Fish, Downton Abbey, Louis Pasteur and the films of Edgar Wright.
Jan. 13, 2020, midnight
S46E18 - Episode 18
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair under the glare of the spotlight and the ticking clock as they each attempt to become the next Mastermind champion.
The specialist subjects are The Book of Mormon, the fiction of Franz Kafka, Durham County Cricket Club and The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
Jan. 20, 2020, midnight
S46E19 - Episode 19
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys 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 the Romanov Dynasty, the life and works of Frederick Douglass, Harpo Marx and Otis Redding.
Feb. 3, 2020, midnight
S46E20 - Episode 20
John Humphrys tests four more contenders on their specialist subjects and general knowledge. On tonight’s episode, the subjects are: the life and poems of WH Auden, UK rap music, Louis Braille and 1970s and 80s British sitcoms.
Feb. 10, 2020, midnight
S46E21 - Episode 21
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz where contenders take to the famous black chair under the glare of the spotlight and the ticking clock in an attempt to become the next Mastermind champion.
The specialist subjects tonight are the Munros of Scotland, the music and members of Steely Dan, the life and works of Adam Smith and the films of Pixar Animation Studios.
Feb. 17, 2020, midnight
S46E22 - Episode 22
John Humphrys hosts the classic quiz where contenders take to the famous black chair under the glare of the spotlight, hoping to become the next Mastermind champion.
In tonight’s programme, the specialist subjects are The Undertones, Dad’s Army, Genghis Khan and Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes films.
Feb. 24, 2020, midnight
S46E23 - Episode 23
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys tests four more contenders on their specialist subjects and general knowledge. On tonight’s episode, the subjects are British breweries, the life and works of John Lennon, Lorenzo de’ Medici and the Back to the Future trilogy.
March 2, 2020, midnight
S46E24 - Episode 24
John Humphrys hosts the classic quiz show where four contenders answer questions on their specialist subjects and general knowledge.
Tonight’s subjects are the life and written works of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Star Trek: The Original Series, the life and career of Jenson Button and Mary, Queen of Scots.
March 9, 2020, midnight
S46E25 - Semi-Final 1
John Humphrys presents the first semi-final of the classic quiz.
The specialist subjects tonight are the suffragette movement, Cab Calloway, the Giro d’Italia and the life and career of Robin Williams.
March 16, 2020, midnight
S46E26 - Semi-Final 2
John Humphrys presents another 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 tonight are The Canterbury Tales, the Liverpool music scene of the 1970s and 80s, Gregory Peck and Pokémon.
March 23, 2020, midnight
S46E27 - Semi-Final 3
John Humphrys presents the third semi-final of the classic quiz. The specialist subjects tonight are Queens Consort of England from 939-1154, Flight of the Conchords, Richard Wagner and Caravaggio.
April 6, 2020, midnight
S46E28 - Semi-Final 4
John Humphrys presents the fourth semi-final of the classic quiz. The specialist subjects are the Apollo space program, the Pitch Perfect films, the Appalachian Trail and Talking Heads.
April 13, 2020, midnight
S46E29 - Semi-Final 5
John Humphrys presents the fifth semi-final of the classic quiz. The specialist subjects are the Trans-Siberian Railway, Dusty Springfield, Monty Python films and Grayson Perry.
April 20, 2020, midnight
S46E30 - Semi-Final 6
John Humphrys presents the last semi-final of the classic quiz. The specialist subjects are Teotihuacan, Derry Girls, the Silk Road and Olympic fencing.
April 27, 2020, midnight
S46E31 - Grand Final
John Humphrys presents the grand final of the classic quiz. Tonight’s specialist subjects are the Stonewall riots, the ancient universities of Scotland, the Wars of the Roses, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Johannes Vermeer and the View Askewniverse films of Kevin Smith.
May 4, 2020, 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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