The Master first made it's way onto our screens several months ago but was quickly canned due to poor ratings from it's pilot. However with the summer non-rating period the show made it's return for the remainder of the previously filmed episodes. It starts with five players who have a pre-determined specialty chosen from 10 categories. They go through a group round lasting 90 seconds of which they are asked questions from all categories: $100 for a correct answer and get locked out for a wrong answer. After this round they go through another round called "Master's Choice", where the Master chooses the category based on the contestant's weaknesses, with the correct answers getting $200. After this 90 second round the player with the most money is eliminated. This alternation continues until there are only three contenders. They then each go through the "Mean Minute": 60 seconds to answer questions from their specialty, getting $100 for a correct answer but $200 for an incorrect one. After another normal round the person with the most money faces the Master in a 1-on-1, best-of-five competition for the chance to beat the Master and win up to $1,000,000.

I must admit I missed the pilot, but the program seems to be a good show. I found it quite enjoyable, with the exception of the Master - Martin Flood. This Master fits the job description: intelligent, a previous million dollar winner, and ready to make snide comments at the contestant's abilities throughout the show. However he lacks any real television presence. Although he may have the prerequisites checked off, he could hardly be called a Master. If he had the wit and snipe of Cornelia Frances (The Weakest Link), then this show would've had the right elements that may have made it a contender during the ratings period. Mark Beretta makes the transition from breakfast television to game show host well.

Overall it's a good show with a likable host. I see no reason for the Seven Network to not make this a regular fill-in show over summer.

The quiz show subgenre features TV series asking contestants a series of questions on a wide range of topics, with the aim of testing their knowledge, quick thinking, and problem-solving abilities. Contestants compete against each other to answer questions correctly and accumulate points or prizes based on their performance.

The game show genre features TV series with contestants competing against each other in various challenges, tasks, or quizzes to win prizes or rewards. Game shows are designed to engage viewers by presenting exciting and often competitive scenarios that involve participants using their knowledge, skills, and strategies to outperform their opponents and win.

Bill Barretta and Pat Sajak in Wheel of Fortune (1983)

Mark Beretta hosts a quiz in which five contestants compete against each other through a series of rapid-fire general knowledge questions. The winner then earns the right to challenge The Master, with the potential to take their title and a one-million-dollar prize.

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Streaming Stars, Then and Now

HSV-7 Studios, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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