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{{Short description|2015 British quiz show}}
'''Beat the Brain''' is a British television quiz show that began airing on [[BBC Two]] on 11 May 2015 and is scheduled to run for 30 episodes. It is presented by [[John Craven]] with [[Josie Lawrence]] as the voice of "The Brain".
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| genre = [[Quiz show]]
| presenter = [[John Craven]]
| voices = [[Josie Lawrence]] <small>(The Brain)</small>
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_series = 1
| num_episodes = 30
| runtime = 30 minutes
| company = Over the Top Productions and [[Objective Productions]]
| channel = [[BBC Two]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|2015|5|11|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2015|6|19|df=yes}}
}}

'''''Beat the Brain''''' is a [[BBC]] quiz show that aired on [[BBC Two]] from 11 May 2015 to 19 June 2015 and it was hosted by [[John Craven]], while [[Josie Lawrence]] provided the voice of "The Brain,"<ref name="onthebox" /> an image of a disembodied human brain that posed challenges to the contestants and lit up in a variety of neon colours.


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
A team of four contestants plays each game, with one member designated as captain.
The show begins with the contestants introducing themselves in the same way as they would do on ''[[Eggheads]]'' (Hi, I'm X and I'm a Y) but instead of the team captain introducing themselves first, they leave themselves until last. In addition, there are only four contestants, whereas on ''Eggheads'' there are five.<ref name="btb">{{cite episode|title=Beat the Brain|network=[[BBC2]]|airdate=11 May 2015}}</ref>


The Brain is divided into six zones,<ref name="fremantle">{{cite web|title=A brainwave for quiz shows as new format Beat The Brain goes worldwide {{!}} FremantleMedia|url=http://www.fremantlemedia.com/a-brainwave-for-quiz-shows-as-new-format-beat-the-brain-goes-worldwide/|website=www.fremantlemedia.com|accessdate=12 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113093111/http://www.fremantlemedia.com/a-brainwave-for-quiz-shows-as-new-format-beat-the-brain-goes-worldwide/|archive-date=13 January 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> each corresponding to a different category: [[Logic]], [[Memory]], Orientation, [[Observation]], [[Language]], and Multi-Tasking.<ref name="onthebox" /> A zone is chosen at random, and the captain selects one team member to play two challenges related to it.<ref name="fremantle" /> Each challenge consists of a practice question, followed by three more questions; every correct answer on the latter adds three seconds to the team's "Brain Bank" for use in the final.<ref name="onthebox" /> The round ends once all four team members have played a pair of challenges; no zone is used more than once. Some challenges have an overall time limit. The team can accumulate up to 72 seconds in the Brain Bank by answering every question correctly.
Each contestant plays one subject. There are six subjects; Logic, Memory, Orientation, Language, Observation and Multi-tasking. The Brain selects one subject, and one player is selected by the team to play; (s)he sits next to host john craven. Each subject contains two games, each containing three questions each, in which three seconds can be won. This means a total of nine seconds can be won per game, eighteen per player. When this contestant has played, they move back to next to their teammates and another contestant is selected. This process repeats itself until all the contestants have played. Seventy two seconds are up for grabs throughout the game.<ref name="btb"/>
In the final, the team attempts to win up to £3,000 cash by answering questions similar to those faced in the individual challenges, but in a random order. The captain decides the order in which the four team members will play. The clock is set to two minutes, plus the total time accumulated in the Brain Bank. Once the team member in control answers two questions correctly, their turn ends, and control passes to the next one in the order. If all four members complete their questions before the clock reaches two minutes, they win the entire jackpot; otherwise, the game continues and the prize begins to decrease by £25 per second. They win the remaining money for completing the round, or nothing at all if time runs out. Winnings are divided equally among all four members.<ref name="onthebox" />


==Reception==
In the endgame, the number of seconds won in the main game are added to two mints. For example, if the team have answered nineteen questions correctly, fifty seven seconds is added to make a total of 2 minutes 57 seconds. The team must give eight correct answers - two from each player - to win the jackpot of 3,000 thousand pounds; each contestant must give two correct answers for The Brain to move on to the next contestant. When the clock dips below two minutes, each second expired loses £25. The games here are only the games used in the main game.<ref name="btb"/>
Ian Wolf of On The Box described it as "perfectly enjoyable" but at the same time lamented the asininity of the questions being posed by The Brain, further berating its low prize fund of just £750 per person. He also commended the fact that "just about anyone can have a go. Whether you know all the prime ministers or the elements of the periodic table is irrelevant. It is all about mental ability, [[short-term memory]], [[basic arithmetic]], [[spelling]], and so forth".<ref name="onthebox">{{cite web |last=Wolf |first=Ian |date=11 May 2015 |url=http://channelhopping.onthebox.com/2015/05/11/beat-the-brain/ |title=A new logical, mental workout with John Craven and Josie Lawrence |publisher=On The Box |accessdate=11 May 2015}}</ref>


==Cancellation==
==Critical reception==

Critical reception for the show was mixed; Ian Wolf of OnTheBox.com described it as "perfectly enjoyable" but at the same time lamented the asininity of the questions being posed by The Brain, further berating its low prize fund of just £750 per person. He also commended the fact that "just about anyone can have a go. Whether you know all the prime ministers or the elements of the periodic table is irrelevant. It is all about mental ability, short-term memory, basic arithmetic, spelling and so forth".<ref name="otb">{{cite web|title=A new logical, mental workout with John Craven and Josie Lawrence|url=http://channelhopping.onthebox.com/2015/05/11/beat-the-brain/|publisher=OnTheBox.com|first=Ian|last=Wolf}}</ref> On the other hand, Christopher Stevens of the [[Daily Mail]] was more negative, commenting that "the show still needs a bit of work" and that its graphics resembled that of "one of Alan Sugar's old Amstrad PCs", further berating the show's "childishly easy" challenges. He summed up by saying that "the show has potential, but its computer brain just wasn't clever enough. It was obviously a mistake to use an Amstrad".<ref name="dm">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3077321/Back-Benefits-Street-druggies-want-star-treatment-CHRISTOPHER-STEVENS-reviews-night-s-TV.html|title=CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Benefits Street and Beat The Brain|publisher=[[Daily Mail]]|date=11 May 2015}}</ref>
On 19 June 2015, the BBC had decided not to renew the second series of the gameshow after just one series and 30 episodes.

==International versions==
'''Legend:'''
{{Color box|#92FF00|border=darkgray}} Currently airing &nbsp;
{{Color box|#FF7777|border=darkgray}} Ended &nbsp;
{{Color box|#DCDCDC|border=darkgray}} Future version &nbsp;
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Country
! Local title
! Host(s)
! Network
! Premiere
! Top Prize
! The size of the prize<br />(In British Pounds)
|-
| style="background-color: #FF7777" | {{flag|Russia}}<ref>[http://gameshows.ru/wiki/Человек_против_мозга Человек против мозга — GameSHOWS.ru] (Russian)</ref>
| ''Человек против мозга''<br />''Chelovek protiv mozga''
| Victor Vasilyev
| [[Che (TV Channel)|Che]]
| 18 January 2016
| 60,000 [[Russian ruble|р.]]
| [[British Pound|£]]533.92
|-
|}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
[[Category:Game shows by country]]
* {{BBC programme}}
[[Category:Game shows by studio]]
* {{UKGameshow|Beat_the_Brain}}

[[Category:2015 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:2015 British television series endings]]
[[Category:BBC television game shows]]
[[Category:2010s British game shows]]
[[Category:Television series by All3Media]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]

Latest revision as of 04:36, 14 December 2024

Beat the Brain
GenreQuiz show
Presented byJohn Craven
Voices ofJosie Lawrence (The Brain)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes30
Production
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesOver the Top Productions and Objective Productions
Original release
NetworkBBC Two
Release11 May (2015-05-11) –
19 June 2015 (2015-06-19)

Beat the Brain is a BBC quiz show that aired on BBC Two from 11 May 2015 to 19 June 2015 and it was hosted by John Craven, while Josie Lawrence provided the voice of "The Brain,"[1] an image of a disembodied human brain that posed challenges to the contestants and lit up in a variety of neon colours.

Gameplay

[edit]

A team of four contestants plays each game, with one member designated as captain.

The Brain is divided into six zones,[2] each corresponding to a different category: Logic, Memory, Orientation, Observation, Language, and Multi-Tasking.[1] A zone is chosen at random, and the captain selects one team member to play two challenges related to it.[2] Each challenge consists of a practice question, followed by three more questions; every correct answer on the latter adds three seconds to the team's "Brain Bank" for use in the final.[1] The round ends once all four team members have played a pair of challenges; no zone is used more than once. Some challenges have an overall time limit. The team can accumulate up to 72 seconds in the Brain Bank by answering every question correctly.

In the final, the team attempts to win up to £3,000 cash by answering questions similar to those faced in the individual challenges, but in a random order. The captain decides the order in which the four team members will play. The clock is set to two minutes, plus the total time accumulated in the Brain Bank. Once the team member in control answers two questions correctly, their turn ends, and control passes to the next one in the order. If all four members complete their questions before the clock reaches two minutes, they win the entire jackpot; otherwise, the game continues and the prize begins to decrease by £25 per second. They win the remaining money for completing the round, or nothing at all if time runs out. Winnings are divided equally among all four members.[1]

Reception

[edit]

Ian Wolf of On The Box described it as "perfectly enjoyable" but at the same time lamented the asininity of the questions being posed by The Brain, further berating its low prize fund of just £750 per person. He also commended the fact that "just about anyone can have a go. Whether you know all the prime ministers or the elements of the periodic table is irrelevant. It is all about mental ability, short-term memory, basic arithmetic, spelling, and so forth".[1]

Cancellation

[edit]

On 19 June 2015, the BBC had decided not to renew the second series of the gameshow after just one series and 30 episodes.

International versions

[edit]

Legend:   Currently airing     Ended     Future version  

Country Local title Host(s) Network Premiere Top Prize The size of the prize
(In British Pounds)
 Russia[3] Человек против мозга
Chelovek protiv mozga
Victor Vasilyev Che 18 January 2016 60,000 р. £533.92

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Wolf, Ian (11 May 2015). "A new logical, mental workout with John Craven and Josie Lawrence". On The Box. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b "A brainwave for quiz shows as new format Beat The Brain goes worldwide | FremantleMedia". www.fremantlemedia.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  3. ^ Человек против мозга — GameSHOWS.ru (Russian)
[edit]