1 vs. 100 (Australian game show)
| Company type | Television game show |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | January 29, 2007 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Television game show |
| Parent | Nine Network |
1 vs. 100 was an Australian game show adapted from the original Dutch format and the American iteration, both developed by Endemol. The show featured a single contestant competing against a group of 100 opponents for a chance to claim up to one million Australian dollars. Hosted by former Nine Network CEO and television figure Eddie McGuire, the program debuted on 29 January 2007 at 8:30 pm on the Nine Network and was filmed at Docklands Studios Melbourne.
This adaptation followed the structure of the US series' second season, with a prize scale set at approximately half the American values in Australian currency, culminating in a grand prize of $1 million for eliminating all 100 challengers. A follow-up season aired briefly in mid-2008 but was soon placed on hold and ultimately cancelled.
Format
The Australian edition of 1 vs. 100 closely adhered to the American format, featuring one contestant facing off against a "mob" of 100 participants for a maximum prize of $1 million.
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Players respond to multiple-choice questions; first, the mob answers within six seconds, followed by the contestant. Correct responses from the contestant eliminate any mob members who answered incorrectly, adding predetermined sums to the contestant’s total based on how many mob members were removed (refer to table). Successfully eliminating all 100 opponents secures the $1 million jackpot.
Once 90 mob members have been eliminated, contestants are shown only the question (without answer options) for three seconds before deciding whether to proceed or take their current winnings—a rule introduced from the US version in March 2007.
Each player has access to three aids ("helps"), each usable once per game:
- Poll the Mob: Displays how many mob members selected each answer choice.
- Ask the Mob: Two mob members—one who answered correctly and one who did not—explain their reasoning, allowing elimination of one incorrect option.
- Trust the Mob: The contestant chooses the answer selected by the majority of mob members.
Multiple helps may be employed on a single question; however, unlike its US counterpart, contestants cannot interrogate individual mob members during Poll the Mob.
Players must answer three questions correctly at the $500 level before they can opt to walk away with their earnings. After two correct answers at $1,000, quitting is also permitted. From $1,500 onward, players may stop after any correct response. When over ten mob members remain, contestants must decide to continue before seeing each question; with ten or fewer left, they are given three seconds to view only the question (not answers) before choosing.
An incorrect answer from the contestant results in forfeiture of all accumulated winnings; correctly answering mob members then share those forfeited earnings and continue playing without risking their current totals. Mob members who respond incorrectly are eliminated without receiving any share of prizes.
The highest achievable total before final elimination is $495,000 after twelve consecutive correct questions answered by all participants.
In this edition, podiums are numbered sequentially from 1 to 100 top to bottom, differing from the arrangement used in the US version.
Launch and Pre-Show Issues
The Australian adaptation of the program officially premiered on 18 January, with the Nine Network commissioning a season comprising 15 episodes. This acquisition occurred alongside plans for a Nine Network edition of Show Me the Money slated for 2007, which ultimately did not air. Although the initial recording was set for 19 January with a broadcast date of 29 January, production was postponed less than 12 hours before commencement. The given reason cited Melbourne's recent power outages; however, speculation arose that producer Michael Healy's candid response to a question during the launch event raised concerns about potential live broadcast difficulties. Approximately 30 contestants who had taken leave from their jobs were inconvenienced by this delay.
When filming recommenced on 21 January, a contestant initially gave an incorrect answer to a question regarding the unit of time equal to 60 seconds. Due to a technical malfunction involving the Mob, the question was repeated, allowing the contestant to answer correctly and thus preventing the Mob from winning over $100,000. This approach contrasted with the US version’s practice of substituting such questions with disclaimers. The same question was subsequently used as a home viewer query in episode two.
Despite the original approval for just 15 episodes, season one ultimately produced 33 episodes. Filming occurred at Central City Studios on sound stage 3.
Viewership Performance
The debut episode on 29 January delivered impressive ratings, becoming the most-watched show that evening with a peak audience of 2.4 million and an average viewership of 1.95 million across Australia's capital cities. The second episode, broadcast on 5 February, attracted 1.43 million viewers, narrowly trailing Seven Network’s Desperate Housewives season three premiere but still securing strong figures for Nine Network.
While ratings fluctuated throughout the season, the show generally maintained solid audience numbers:
Contestants and Earnings
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1 denotes contestants still active; their total earnings and remaining mob members may vary.
2 No broadcast occurred on 26 February due to the 79th Academy Awards airing.
3 The episode scheduled for 2 July was not shown because of the Concert for Diana broadcast.
4 On 9 July, the mob consisted of 100 teenagers rather than adults.
5 The episode on 27 August was preempted by The King airing.
Aggregate prize money awarded to contestants: $1,969,000
Aggregate prize money awarded to mob participants: $502,390
Total prize money distributed: $2,471,390
Pods
In the Australian adaptation, pods denote clusters of participants united by shared professions or interests. Each new player engages with three distinct pods. Pods consisting of two or three individuals are positioned in a single row, while those containing between four and six members are arranged across two rows.
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