What's It All About?
If Jack Sparrow is the anti-hero of the pirate world, then Pointless is the anti-game show. The name of the game? To get the least amount of points. That’s correct, the least amount. And given few people would expect that of any game ever, if this article were a round of Pointless, that would have been a ‘pointless answer’ (ha).
Still don’t get it? Read on…
How Does It Work?
Like Family Feud, 100 people are surveyed. But unlike the Feud, the contestants have to pick the least known answer. Know something only 10 people surveyed knew? Brilliant. Know something no one knew? Totally pointless and a complete winner.
Three teams of two compete for the glory, the fame, the money and prestigious Pointless trophy.
There are three rounds. At the end of each round, the highest scoring couple is eliminated. Just say that out loud – ‘the highest scoring couple is eliminated’ – hilarious! Say it again!
It’s just like a regular game show except the opposite.
And the teams that lose? Because they have high scores? They come back the next night to try their luck at getting a lower score.
Everybody wins! Well, no, not really. Make it to the final round with a point and you walk away with nothing but a handshake from Humphries.
Still Confused?
OK, OK. Here’s how the action unfolds. We tried it ourselves, using the internet.
Here’s a topic we Googled: Scientific Names for Australian Animals.
Here are the answers: Vombatidae, Macropus Giganteus, Tachyglossidae, Phascolarctos Cinereus and Phalangeriformes.
Know any of these?
A vombatidae sounds like it could be a wombat…
Don’t know the answer? Guess wombat.
Correct, a vombatidae is the scientific name for wombat. But in this hypothetical scenario, 85 of 100 people surveyed also guessed or knew that. So that answer's a big thumbs down for you.
No one guessed that a Phascolarctos Cinereus is a koala which makes that a pointless answer, and a big fat winner on the scoreboard. Huzzah!
The Hosts
Satirical comedian, Mark Humphries, drives the Pointless ship, while fact-checker extraordinaire, Dr Andrew Rochford, delivers the answers to questions we didn’t know we wanted the answers to.
Together they’re dorky dad-joke kings, and great friends who share a lot of laughs and a lot of sarcasm.
Let's Talk Prizes?
Along with the glory and the Pointless Trophy, there's a jackpot up for grabs. It starts at $2,000 and for every ‘pointless’ answer guessed, the prize money goes up $500. If nobody wins the jackpot, the money rolls over to the next night.
Who On Earth Came Up With This?
The Brits. Pointless started in the UK, is 19 seasons deep and loved by fans across the continent.
