History Series / TheCube

** The US version is also played in pairs, with Trial Run replaced by "One Shot", where Dwyane Wade steps in rather than the other teammate (in single-player games, he would play the game himself).

* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: When they began straddling games over two episodes, the trailers for the following week's episode often gave away at least some of the contestant's future progress. This has since been subverted; if a player's campaign is interrupted at the end of an episode, they'll go straight to the credits now.

** One of these Olympics specials featured British runner Mo Farrah. With six lives to spare, he became the first and only contestant during the show's original run to beat the final round and win the £250,000 grand prize! He would go on to win gold medals for Britain in the men's 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter events, in both 2012 and 2016.

In 2020, ''The Cube'' was revived as ''The Million Pound Cube''; its top prize was increased to £1,000,000, and the game is now played by two-player teams (with some games played solo, and some played by both). The second series revered back to the original money tree. In 2021, Creator/{{TBS}} picked up a long-awaited U.S. version of ''The Cube'', with Dwyane Wade as host and a $250,000 top prize; in 2022 it was renewed for a second season.

** In the revival, Trial Run is no longer available, and due to the fact the game is now played in pairs, there's a new lifeline, Swap, where one player can trade places with the other (for single-player games only). The US version is also played in pairs, with Trial Run replaced by "One Shot", where Dwyane Wade steps in rather than the other teammate.

* BrokenMasquerade: The original Body's SecretIdentity was finally revealed in 2020: [[https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/12999534/the-cube-the-body-reveals-identity/ Andrianna Christofi]].

* LovelyAssistant: Played with. "The Body" is a woman in a full-body jumpsuit and featureless silver mask who demonstrates each game. She never speaks, and her name is never given. In the revived version, there are now two-player games, and therefore a second Body. The Body's hair is no longer visible, because there's now [[LegacyCharacter a different person under the mask]].[[note]]In October 2020, the original Body was identified as model Andrianna Christofi, who is not involved with the revival.[[/note]]

In 2020, ''The Cube'' was revived as ''The Million Pound Cube''; its top prize was increased to £1,000,000, and the game is now played by two-player teams (with some games played solo, and some played by both). The second season revered back to the original money tree. In 2021, Creator/{{TBS}} picked up a long-awaited U.S. version of ''The Cube'', with Dwyane Wade as host and a $250,000 top prize

The show was quite a hit for ITV, running from 2009-2015. It has also spun off several international versions, all of which are filmed on set of the original in London. Over in America, CBS had greenlit a pilot for an American version not long after the first series wrapped in the UK, but ''Series/MinuteToWinIt'' likely stole their thunder. A second try at a US version began airing in 2021, hosted by Dwyane Wade and featuring a $250,000 top prize. Meanwhile, Spain got their own version in 2012, which can be viewed on Mediaset España's official site [[http://www.mitele.es/programas-tv/el-cubo/ here]] with no regional lockout.

Revived in 2020 with a bigger jackpot, as ''The Million Pound Cube''. Pairs of contestants play in this version, with some games for a solo player and others for both. The 11th season reverted back to the original money tree.

Revived in 2020 with a bigger jackpot, as ''The Million Pound Cube''. Pairs of contestants play in this version, with some games for a solo player and others for both.

* CommercialBreakCliffhanger: Notably averted. Commercial breaks are generally scheduled after a challenge has been presented to the contestant, but before the player decides whether to play on, take the money and quit, or use the Trial Run.

** In the revival, Trial Run is no longer available, and due to the fact the game is now played in pairs, there's a new lifeline, Swap, where one player can trade places with the other (for single-player games only).

* WhoWantsToBeWhoWantsToBeAMillionaire

The show was quite a hit for ITV, running from 2009-2015. It has also spun off several international versions, all of which are filmed on set of the original in London. Over in America, CBS had greenlit a pilot for an American version not long after the first series wrapped in the UK, but ''Series/MinuteToWinIt'' likely stole their thunder. Meanwhile, Spain got their own version in 2012, which can be viewed on Mediaset España's official site [[http://www.mitele.es/programas-tv/el-cubo/ here]] with no regional lockout.

** There have been quite a few celebrity editions, though they've [[ProductPlacement frequently involved]] actors from ''Series/CoronationStreet''. A few specials also featured British athletes in honor of the upcoming Olympic Games in London.
** One of these Olympics specials featured British runner Mo Farrah. With six lives to spare, he became the first and only contestant during the show's original run to beat the final round and win the £250,000 grand prize! Then he went on to win Britain's first gold medal in the Men's 10,000 meter race.

** One of these Olympics specials featured British runner Mo Farah; who with 6 lives to spare, became the first ever contestant to beat the final round and win the £250,000 grand prize! Then he went on to win Britain's first gold medal in the Men's 10,000m.

* LovelyAssistant: Played with. "The Body" is a woman in a full-body jumpsuit and featureless silver mask who demonstrates each game. She never speaks, and her name is never given. In the revived version, there are now two-player games, and therefore a second Body. The Body's hair is no longer visible, probably because she's now [[LegacyCharacter a different person under the mask]].

** In the revival, Trial Run is no longer available, and due to the fact the game is now played in pairs, there's a new lifeline, Swap, where one player can swap places with the other.

An Creator/{{ITV}} GameShow where players try to perform various physical and mental challenges. Completing a challenge allows the player to go on to the next level (and increases their potential winnings), or else they lose one of their nine lives. Completing all 7 challenges earns the player a grand prize of £250,000, while losing all nine lives ends the game. Players also have chances to [[{{Lifelines}} simplify a task or practice it beforehand]]

Revived in 2020 with a bigger jackpot, as ''The Million Pound Cube''.

!!GameShowTropes in use:

* CelebrityEdition: There have been quite a few celebrity editions, though they've [[ProductPlacement frequently involved]] actors from ''Series/CoronationStreet''. A few specials also featured British athletes in honor of the upcoming Olympic Games in London.

* {{Lifelines}}: "Simplify" (makes the stunt easier in some way) and "Trial Run" (allows the player to practice the stunt once before deciding to play on or not). While initially believed to be removed on the last level, yes, you can still use any remaining helps on it.

* Personnel:
** TheAnnouncer: Colin [=McFarlane=], personified as the voice of the Cube itself.
** GameShowHost: Philip Schofield. Justin Lee Collins hosted a pilot for Channel 4, and Creator/NeilPatrickHarris hosted the CBS pilot.
** LovelyAssistant: Played with. "The Body" is a woman in a full-body jumpsuit and featureless silver mask who demonstrates each game. She never speaks, and her name is never given. In the revived version, there are now two-player games, and therefore a second Body. The Body's hair is no longer visible, probably because she's now [[LegacyCharacter a different person under the mask]].
*** BrokenMasquerade: The original Body's SecretIdentity was finally revealed in 2020: [[https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/12999534/the-cube-the-body-reveals-identity/ Andrianna Christofi]].
----
!!This show provides examples of:
* ArtMajorPhysics: One contestant, Nicky (series 6, episode 2), playing Pendulum for £2,000, had her boyfriend telling her to throw the ball hard. She did, and it went way over the target ball. Then both she and her boyfriend kept talking about whether to start the swing higher or lower, resulting in her sending the ball way over the top of the target ball repeatedly. Anyone who's taken an introductory-level physics course would know that the harder you throw the ball, the higher up it's going to go.
* CameraTricks: This show is probably the only excuse to use advanced camera trickery outside of ''Film/TheMatrix''. And yes, they can do BulletTime too.
* CommercialBreakCliffhanger: Notably averted. Commercial breaks are generally scheduled after a challenge has been presented to the contestant, but before the player decides whether to play on, take the money and quit, or use the Trial Run.
* DuelingShows / FollowTheLeader: ''Series/MinuteToWinIt'' started out in early development as an attempt by Creator/{{NBC}} to rip off ''The Cube'' using items you can find around your home for the stunts, although it later evolved into something more like ''Series/BeatTheClock'' shortly before its premiere. Ironically, ITV picked up ''Minute'' for its digital channel [=ITV2=], but it faced AdaptationDistillation and turned into something that some people think came out ''better'' than the US version.
* TheFaceless[=/=]TheVoiceless: The Body, a woman wearing a silver mask who demonstrates the tasks in clips, allowing the contestants to judge if they will go on or not. However, she has revealed her mouth once - to demonstrate a stunt involving blowing a ball into a glass of water - so she's not ''that'' shy, maybe.
** [[EverybodyCallsHimBarkeep Everybody Calls Her Barkeep]]: The Body's real name has never been stated on camera or listed in the credits.
* GameOver: When a contestant runs out of lives, the Cube announces, "Contestant defeated!" (As you lose your lives, the Cube announces how many lives you have left.)
* HardModeFiller: The final level will always end up being the game you had the most trouble with. To make it worse, it's a tougher version too.

** LovelyAssistant: Played with. "The Body" is a woman in a full-body jumpsuit and featureless silver mask who demonstrates each game. She never speaks, and her name is never given.

* HomeGame: There's a "[[http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3905212.htm Family Electronic Game]]" as well as an [=iOS=] version.

The show has been quite a hit for ITV, currently airing for its eighth series as of 2014. It has also spun off several international versions, all of which are filmed on set of the original in London. Over in America, CBS had greenlit a pilot for an American version not long after the first series wrapped in the UK, but ''Series/MinuteToWinIt'' likely stole their thunder. Meanwhile, Spain got their own version in 2012, which can be viewed on Mediaset España's official site [[http://www.mitele.es/programas-tv/el-cubo/ here]] with no regional lockout.

The Cube (2009-) is an ITV GameShow where players try to perform various physical and mental challenges. Completing a challenge allows the player to go on to the next level (and increases their potential winnings), and completing all 7 levels earns the player a grand prize of £250,000. You only get 9 lives to use in your game.

But hold on, before you begin jumping to conclusions and saying that this show is basically ''Series/WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire'' meets ''Series/TheKryptonFactor'', there's just one more thing that should be noted: you have to do all the tasks within a giant four metre wide acrylic glass cube, with a limited number of lives, and chances to [[{{Lifelines}} simplify a task or practice it beforehand]]. Oh, and unlike most game shows [[WhoWantsToBeWhoWantsToBeAMillionaire patterned off of]] ''Millionaire'', every level is AllOrNothing, there are in fact ''no'' safe points at all (unless you bail out before you commit yourself to the next game, which is the only time you're actually allowed to quit by the way).

For what this show may or may not lack in originality (stunt game shows are not a new idea; see ''Series/BeatTheClock''), it truly is better than it sounds once you actually notice all the VisualEffectsOfAwesome (which are the result of this show's biggest draw aside from the game itself: its innovative camerawork and clever use of [=CGI=]) And a lot of the challenges on this show ''are'' quite ingenious at times too.

The show has been quite a hit for ITV 1, currently airing for its eighth series as of 2014. It has also spun off several international versions, all of which are filmed on set of the original in London. Over in America, CBS had greenlit a pilot for an American version not long after the first series wrapped in the UK, but ''Series/MinuteToWinIt'' likely stole their thunder. Meanwhile, Spain got their own version in 2012, which can be viewed on Mediaset España's official site [[http://www.mitele.es/programas-tv/el-cubo/ here]] with no regional lockout.

** GameShowHost: Philip Schofield. Justin Lee Collins hosted a pilot for Channel 4.

!!GameShow Tropes in use:

* CelebrityEdition: There have been quite a few celebrity editions, though they've [[ProductPlacement frequently involved]] actors from ''CoronationStreet''. A few specials also featured British athletes in honor of the upcoming Olympic Games in London.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: NeilPatrickHarris is a self-proclaimed fanboy of the series, and even offered to host an American version of it ''for free''.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: NeilPatrickHarris is a self-proclaimed fanboy of the series, and even offered to hose an American version of it ''for free''.

* WhatCouldHaaveBeen: NeilPatrickHarris is a self-proclaimed fanboy of the series, and even offered to hose an American version of it ''for free''.

The Cube (2009-) is an ITV GameShow where players try to perform various physical and mental challenges. Completing a challenge allows the player to go on to the next level (and increases their potential winnings), and completing all 7 levels earns the player a grand prize of £250,000. You only get 9 lives to use in your game

But hold on, before you begin jumping to conclusions and saying that this show is basically ''Series/WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire'' meets ''TheKryptonFactor'', there's just one more thing that should be noted: you have to do all the tasks within a giant four metre wide acrylic glass cube, with a limited number of lives, and chances to [[{{Lifelines}} simplify a task or practice it beforehand]]. Oh, and unlike most game shows [[WhoWantsToBeWhoWantsToBeaMillionaire patterned off of]] ''Millionaire'', every level is AllOrNothing, there are in fact ''no'' safe points at all (unless you bail out before you commit yourself to the next game, which is the only time you're actually allowed to quit by the way).

* CameraTricks: This show is probably the only excuse to use advanced camera trickery outside of ''Film/TheMatrix''
** And yes, they can do BulletTime too.

* TheFaceless[=/=]TheVoiceless: The Body, a woman wearing a silver mask who demonstrates the tasks in clips, allowing the contestants to judge if they will go on or not. However, she has revealed her mouth once - to demonstrate a stunt involving blowing a ball into a glass of water - so she's not ''that'' shy, maybe.