31 Questions

Last updated

31 Questions
Genre Game show
Presented byDavid M. Green
Starring
Country of origin Australia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes27
Production
Production locations Melbourne, Victoria
Running timeapproximately 25 minutes per episode
Production company RMITV
Release
Original network C31 Melbourne
Picture format 576i (SDTV)
Original release9 June 2012 (2012-06-09) 
26 July 2014 (2014-07-26)

31 Questions was a half-hour television quiz show hosted by "comedian" David M. Green [1] [2] [3] and produced by RMITV in Melbourne, Australia. The show aired on C31 Melbourne, [4] Channel 44 (Adelaide), Television Sydney, West TV (Perth), 31 Digital Brisbane and Face TV (New Zealand). [5] Episodes were also uploaded to YouTube the same week they aired. 28 episodes were produced between 2011 and 2014.

Contents

The first season contained 13 episodes including the pilot. [6] After crowdfunding campaigns, Seasons 2 and 3 were produced with seven episodes [7] and eight episodes [8] respectively.

The show was filmed at RMITV Studio A [9] in Melbourne.

Format

In many ways, 31 Questions followed the standard game show format of two contestants answer questions in different rounds [10] for points. However, the show added a comedy element to each episode, sometimes in the form of discussion between the host and stars between rounds, coming back from the commercial breaks, and sometimes in the middle of the round. The assumption was 31 questions would be asked over the course of an episode, and the 31 was a nod to the fact the show was on Channel 31.

Each episode had routine rounds and routine jokes and gags. Examples are the "high tech" score board (a dry-erase board) to McCormack's routine sayings of, "YYYYYYYYYeeeeeesssssss!!!!!!" and, "I know ________, do you?"

Opening

Each episode of 31 Questions had a comedy opening. In season 1, the opening took place before the title credits including famous game show hosts to skits with the host David M. Green. In season 3, the opening took the form of an awkward exchange between Green and the scorekeeper Sophie Loughran. The Moderator McCormack would introduce the contestants in some exaggerated way and often mention some portion of the show he was keeping a close eye on.

General Knowledge

In this round, Green asked contestants general trivia questions. Whoever ran in first could answer. 1 point was awarded for each correct answer.

Word on the Street

Word on the Street showed videos of Green talking to people on the street who were describing something. After the descriptions, the first contestant to ring in with the item that was being described won 5 points. No points were deducted for incorrect answers.

When Is It?

Green reads a list of events that happened in a specific year in history (or in the future). As the list progresses, the events become more obvious and the point value of the answer goes down. Wrong guesses locked contestants out of that question with the remainder of the list being read for the other.

Random Round

This round was a random set of questions, ranging from "Knowing Me, Knowing You" where contestants took turns answering questions about themselves to "Philosophy Smackdown" where contestants had determine which philosopher (or songwriter) penned the quote being read to the Enigma Box where a correct response to a riddle would get the choice of 10 points or what was in a mystery box.

In season 3, there would occasionally have two random topic rounds in an episode with one of the rounds replacing "When is It?"

May the Quote be with You/The One Where They Quote the Movies

The cast quoted famous movies, contestants ring in when they knew the answer. 5 points for correct answers, no deductions for wrong answers. In season 2 and 3, the segment was renamed "The One Where They Quote the Movies" and scenes were acted out in addition to being quoted.

Anthony's Penultimate Review

Before the final round, McCormack would "review" the game play up to that point and adjust the scores in whatever way he saw fit. Usually, the adjustment would result in the scores being within a few points of each other; occasionally, the player who was previously trailing might be given enough points to take over the lead.

Super Hyper Space Lightning Round/All New Lightning Round

The final round always consisted of 62 seconds in Seasons 1 and 2 and 93 seconds in Season 3. As in the General Knowledge round, one point would be added for a correct answer, with one point deducted for a wrong answer. The player in the lead at the end of this round would win a prize, usually a cheap item bearing host Green's likeness (for instance, a calendar, or an autographed photo).

In most episodes, the Moderator would adjust the scores so that regardless of how the opening rounds were scored, the scores were essentially even prior to the beginning of the Super Hyper Space Lightning Round.

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 139 June 2012 (2012-06-09)1 September 2012 (2012-09-01)
2 727 July 2013 (2013-07-27)7 September 2013 (2013-09-07)
3 87 June 2014 (2014-06-07)26 July 2014 (2014-07-26)

Season 1 (2012)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleFinal scorePrizeOriginal air date
11"Julia v. Andrew"14 - 27Autographed Headshot9 June 2012 (2012-06-09)

  • Pilot Episode
  • Only appearance with Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall & Melanie Valentine
  • Opening features Glenn Ridge
22"Moe Hammoud v. Tamz Byrne"32 - 30T-Shirt16 June 2012 (2012-06-16)

  • First episode with Series Regulars
  • Audience Guy is third contestant scoring 2 points
33"Jessica Hutchinson v. Alex Pugh"17 - 15Mug23 June 2012 (2012-06-23)

  • Includes the punctuation/body part sketch
44"Zyl Hovena-Wanchope v. Jane Szolcolik"13 - 16Calendar30 June 2012 (2012-06-30)
55"Naomi Chainey v. Charles Geddes-Heketoa"19 - 16Apron7 July 2012 (2012-07-07)
66"Yusef Ali Dauhoo v. Holly Kennedy"19 - 23Jigsaw Puzzle14 July 2012 (2012-07-14)
Issues with Anthony's airhorn created confusion at the end of the Super Hyper Space Lightning Round
77"Leigh Holland v. Kat Muscat"19 - 23Confidence Pills21 July 2012 (2012-07-21)
88"Emily Brownstein v. Nick Denner"18.5 - 18Home Version of 31 Questions28 July 2012 (2012-07-28)

  • Closest final score of the season (unverified closest score in game show history)
  • Home version appears to be a modified version of Wheel of Fortune
99"Fran Smith v. Rob James"22 - 18Toilet Seat4 August 2012 (2012-08-04)
First non-studio opening since episode 2
1010"Danny McCaughey v. Elyce Behrsin"28.5 - 24.5Home Pregnancy Test11 August 2012 (2012-08-11)
Opening includes Andrew O'Keefe
1111"Simon Toppin v. Kate Gibson"24.5 - 27Biography18 August 2012 (2012-08-18)
1212"Erin Vivian v. David Swan"24.5 - 27Action Figure25 August 2012 (2012-08-25)
1313"Josephine Forrest v. Vincent Brow"57 - 59Dinner Date1 September 2012 (2012-09-01)

  • Most points by a single contestant.
  • Most points combined in an episode.
  • In the final credits everyone has the middle initial M.

Season 2 (2013)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleFinal scorePrizeOriginal air date
141"Declan Kelly v. Lisa Dib"13 - 12Year's Supply of Breakfast Cereal27 July 2013 (2013-07-27)
Money has been spent on props, graphics, and Anthony's sideburns.
152"Rowan Crockett-Johnson v. Kelsey Berry"77 - 75Stool3 August 2013 (2013-08-03)

Records broken:

  • Most points by contestant
  • Most points combined
163"Richard Barr v. Simone Porter"31 - 32Pillowcase10 August 2013 (2013-08-10)
174"Lisa Gillard v. James Rose"15 - 16 (OT)Fishing lure17 August 2013 (2013-08-17)

  • Dan Ilic and Rex Hunt make appearances.
  • First tie at the end of regulation with James winning the tie-breaker.
185"Rohan Mirchandaney v. Dani Leever"23 - 221 year to DMG Magazine24 August 2013 (2013-08-24)

196"Ashlee Shortis v. Simon Owens"7 - 6Lunchbox31 August 2013 (2013-08-31)

  • Only opening of the season not shot in-studio
  • Lowest score in series history to date
  • Lowest combined score
  • First time a contestant scored in single digits
207"Bee Marffy v. Jesse Heath"-5.5 - -82003 Sex Tape7 September 2013 (2013-09-07)

  • Alex Williamson makes a guest appearance
  • First instance of:
    • Negative final scores
    • Negative winning score
  • David somewhat sincerely thanks those who made Season 2 possible at the end of the show

Season 3 (2014)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleFinal scorePrizeOriginal air date
211"Doug Gordon v. Lauren Saylor"27 - 30Toaster7 June 2014 (2014-06-07)

  • Special Segments: "Slow Draw" and "Confusement"
  • Scores are still kept on a dry-erase board but two monitors are mounted on the dry-erase board
222"Chris Dean v. Kat Puggioni"74 - 67GPS14 June 2014 (2014-06-14)
Special Segment: "The Kindness Round"
233"Josh Samuels v. Zhanna Sichivistsa"45 - 42Jewelry21 June 2014 (2014-06-21)
Special Segments: "Round Moon" and "Out of Order"
244"Daniel Cortese v. Chelsea Hughes"36 - 40Dust Buster28 June 2014 (2014-06-28)
Special Segment: "the Chemistry Round"
255"Zak Marrinan v. Justine McInerney"35 - 3531 Questions Edition of "Twistler", a game legally distinct from Twister 5 July 2014 (2014-07-05)

  • Special Segment: "the Round of Evil"
  • Second time in series history there was a tie in regulation. Points weren't award but Zak won the single, sudden-death question
266"Ashlee Shortis v. Simon Owens"7 - 6Lunchbox12 July 2014 (2014-07-12)
Special Segment: "the Goat Round"
277"Travis Butler v. Pia Demsky"21 - 20Scarf19 July 2014 (2014-07-19)
Special Segments: "Urban Myths" and "Wrong Number"
288"Aaron Ottobre v. Naomi Carter"25 - 28Brick26 July 2014 (2014-07-26)

Awards

Antenna Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2014 31 QuestionsOutstanding Comedy ProgramNominated [11]
2019 31 QuestionsBest Comedy ProgramNominated [12]
31 QuestionsBest Youth ProgramNominated [12]
Sophie LoughranBest Actor in a Narrative Drama, Comedy or SketchNominated [12]
Joe Murray and Antonio CafassoOutstanding Direction in a ProgramNominated [12]
David M. GreenPersonality of the YearNominated [12]

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References

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