31 Questions was a half-hour television quiz show hosted by "comedian" David M. Green and produced by RMITV in Melbourne, Australia. The show aired on C31 Melbourne, Channel 44, Television Sydney, West TV, 31 Digital Brisbane and Face TV. Episodes were also uploaded to YouTube the same week they aired. 28 episodes were produced between 2011 and 2014. The first season contained 13 episodes including the pilot. After crowdfunding campaigns, Seasons 2 and 3 were produced with seven episodes and eight episodes respectively. The show was filmed at RMITV Studio A in Melbourne.
Format
In many ways, 31 Questions followed the standard game show format of two contestants answer questions in different rounds 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 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.
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. 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 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. 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.
