History Series / Mastermind

* AwesomeMcCoolname: Magnús Magnússon. He was Icelandic, and they use the patronymic system there. So it really did mean that he was [[IAmXSonOfY Magnús, son of Magnús]].
* BraggingRightsReward: The only prize for winning is a large glass bowl. Of course, Mastermind champions practically become minor celebrities, particularly in the quiz circuit, because it proves that you're really ''that damn smart.''
* CatchPhrase: "I've started so I'll finish."
* CoolChair: The black leather swivel chair in which contenders sit. It was once kidnapped and held for ransom. Seriously.

* HiddenDepths: Often turns up stereotype-defying contenders, including a cab driver with extensive knowledge of 14th-Century Italian art.
* InsistentTerminology: Those people answering the questions? They're not "contestants", they're "contenders".
* ShownTheirWork: The whole point of the "specialist subject" round.
* SmallReferencePools: Essentially, the first round tests depth of knowledge and the second tests breadth - meaning that this trope is both inverted ''and'' played straight.
* SpinOff: Several.
* ThemeTune: Named "Approaching Menace" and conveying it as effectively as the theme from ''Film/{{Jaws}}''.
* TransAtlanticEquivalent: {{ESPN}}'s ''2 Minute Drill'', using sports questions.
* WriteWhatYouKnow: That's not a joke — the show really is based on its creator's experience of being interrogated by the Gestapo in WorldWarII.

''What is the format of the show?'' Four contestants answer two timed rounds of questions; one on a specialist subject, followed by a round of general knowledge. The highest total score wins, with the number of passes breaking a tie if necessary.

''What is the format of the show?'' Four contestants answer two rounds of questions, one on general knowledge, one on a specialist subject. The highest total score wins.

''Which board game is this show not to-'' (Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!) ''I've started so I'll finish... Which board game is this show not to be confused with?'' ''TabletopGame/{{Mastermind}}''.

''At the end of that, you had one pass; if you pass in this game, the host reads out the correct answers to any passed questions at the end of the round. You have 11 points!''

-->Dum dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum, Da-da!

* CoolChair: The black leather swivel chair in which contestants sit. It was once kidnapped and held for ransom. Seriously.

* CoolChair: It was once kidnapped and held for ransom. Seriously.

''Which board game is this show not to-'' (Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!) ''I've started so I'll finish... Which board game is this show not to be confused with?'' ''{{Mastermind}}''.

* HiddenDepths: Often turns up stereotype-defying contestants, including a cab driver with extensive knowledge of 14th-Century Italian art.

* AwesomeMcCoolname: Magnús Magnússon. He was Icelandic, and they use the patronymic system there. So it really did mean that he was Magnús, son of Magnús.

* TransAtlanticEquivalent: {{ESPN}}'s ''2 Minute Warning'', using sports questions. (The title is a reference to UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball.)

* AwesomeMcCoolname: Magnús Magnússon.

* ThemeTune: Named "Approaching Menace" and conveying it as effectively as the theme from ''{{Jaws}}''.

* BraggingRightsReward: There's no big cash prize for winning, just a sweet glass bowl and the right to say you're a Mastermind and just that smart.

''At the end of that, you had one pass, if you pass in this game the host reads out the correct answers to any passed questions at the end of the round. You have 11 points!''

* BraggingRightsReward: There's no big cash prize for winning, just a sweet glass bowl and the right to say you're a Mastermind and just that smart.

* ShownTheirWork: The whole point of the "specialist subject" round.
* WriteWhatYouKnow: That's not a joke above; the show really is based on its creator's experience of being interrogated by the Gestapo in WorldWarII.

''Can you please tell me your name''? ThisTroper.

* AwesomeMcCoolName: Magnús Magnússon.

* ThemeTune: Named "Approaching Menace" and conveying as effectively as ''{{Jaws}}''.

''What happened to the show between 1997 and 2003?'' There was a Radio 4 version, then a Discovery Channel version, the latter hosted by Clive Anderson.

''Who's the best host of this show?'' Pass.

''Which board game is this show not to-(Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!) ''I've started so I'll finish... Which board game is this show not to be confused with?'' ''{{Mastermind}}''.

''Which board game is this show not to...''

(Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!)

''I've started so I'll finish... Which board game is this show not to be confused with?'' ''{{Mastermind}}''.

* AwesomeMcCoolName: Magnús Magnússon
* CatchPhrase: "I've started so I'll finish".
* CoolChair: It was once kidnapped and held for ransom. Seriously.
* BraggingRightsReward: There's no big cash prize for winning, just a glass bowl and the right to say you're a ''Mastermind'' and just that smart.
* HiddenDepths: Often turns up stereotype-defying contestants such as cab drivers with extensive knowledge of 14th-Century Italian art.
* SpinOff: Several.
* ThemeTune: Named "Approaching Menace" and conveying as effectively as ''{{Jaws}}''.
* ShownTheirWork: The whole point of the "specialist subject" round.
* WriteWhatYouKnow: That's not a joke above; the show really is based on its creator's experience of being interrogated by the Gestapo in WorldWarII.
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* AwesomeMcCoolName: Magnús_Magnússon

: AwesomeMcCoolName: Magnús_Magnússon

''Who hosts the current BBC version, running from 2003 to the present?'' John Humphries, also of ''{{Newsnight}}''.

* ThemeTune: "Approaching Menace".