Parents' Guide to

500 Questions

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Quiz show for geniuses trades cash for right answers.

TV ABC Game Shows 2015
500 Questions Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

500 QUESTIONS stars the smartest people in the country playing the toughest game ever devised. Hosted by journalist Richard Quest, the five-day-long quiz show requires a "certified" genius to answer 50 consecutive questions in areas that range from medicine and Asian history to '80s films and cocktails. They earn money for each correct answer and only get the cash if they get through the round. The catch? If a contestant answers incorrectly three times in a row, he or she is eliminated from the competition. Select "battle" questions force the contestant to face off directly with a challenger, who's hoping to knock the contestant out. There's no multiple choice and no one to "save" them, so each contestant must rely on his or her smarts to make it through.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Starring contestants from attorneys to neuroscientists, the show has an entertainment factor that comes less from the money to be won and more from the pressure to answer each question well within the 10-second time limit to stay in the game. Random "battles," "triple threat" questions, and the host's suggestions about potential missed strategies all are designed to add to the hype. The series drags on a bit as contestants answer question after question. Meanwhile, though the show claims an intellectual approach, the questions are mainly focused on general knowledge and trivia rather than anything academic. But if you enjoy quiz shows, you'll find it worth watching.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes someone a "genius." What's the difference between being smart and being a genius? How is this measured? Is it knowing lots of answers to questions? Having a university degree? Getting high test scores? How do TV shows like this one affect the way we think about what makes someone smart?

  • Families also can talk about answering questions under pressure. Do you think you'd be able to think on your feet on a game show like this?

TV Details

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