Masters of the Maze facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Masters of the Maze |
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Title card from Season 1.
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| Genre | Game show |
| Created by | Hal Berger & Fenton Rosewarne |
| Directed by | Richard S. Kline |
| Presented by | J. D. Roth (Season 1) Mario Lopez (Season 2) Lady of the Maze: Renae Jacobs (Season 1) Clea Montville (Season 2) |
| Composer(s) | Greg Edmonson |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 80 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Richard S. Kline Hal Berger Fenton Rosewarne |
| Running time | ~22 Minutes |
| Production company(s) | Kline & Friends Image Entertainment Fenton Group Interactive Technology & Entertainment |
| Release | |
| Original network | Family Channel (daily) |
| Original release | August 29, 1994 – September 15, 1995, reruns aired until September 22, 1996 |
Masters of the Maze was an exciting television game show made for kids. It aired on the Family Channel from 1994 to 1995. You could still watch reruns until 1996. J. D. Roth hosted the first season, and Mario Lopez hosted the second.
Contents
Behind the Scenes: How the Show Was Made
A few years before the show, an Australian named Fenton Rosewarne created a puzzle. It was called "Fenton's Maze." It was like a mix of Trivial Pursuit and a Rubik's Cube.
Hal Berger, who helped design the Power Glove, turned Fenton's Maze into an electronic game. His company, IMAGE design and entertainment, then sold the idea for the game show to the Family Channel.
Filming and Awards
The show was filmed in a large studio at CBS Studio Center. It was even nominated for two Emmy Awards in 1995 and 1996!
The second season had 40 episodes. They filmed five episodes each day. Richard Kline, one of the show's producers, said the goal was to let viewers feel like they were inside a video game.
Becoming a Contestant
For the second season, about 500 kids wanted to be on the show. Only 120 were chosen!
The auditions included a 25-question test. Kids also had to do fun activities. These included a tug-of-war and a blindfolded trip through an obstacle course.
How to Play Masters of the Maze
The game had two main parts: a question round and a maze challenge.
Round 1: Answering Questions
Three teams, each with two players, competed. One player from each team answered questions. The other player waited offstage.
The host showed blurry pictures that slowly became clearer. The first player to buzz in and guess the picture won 10 points. They could earn 5 more points by answering a question about the picture.
The first two teams to reach 50 points got to enter the maze. The team that reached 50 points first decided which team would go into the maze first.
Before entering the maze, a special character called the "Lady of the Maze" explained the maze's layout.
- In the first season, the Lady of the Maze was an older woman's face (played by Renae Jacobs).
- In the second season, it was a younger redhead woman with a high-pitched voice (played by Clea Montville).
The Maze Challenge
One team member ran through the maze. Their partner guided them using a giant joystick. This joystick controlled a computer voice that told the runner which way to go. It also made the runner's special suit rumble to help with directions. The runner also had a laser on their suit.
Season 1 Maze: Roth Version
The maze had three parts: the Mirror Maze, the Honeycomb Maze, and the Chamber of Knowledge.
- Mirror Maze: The runner navigated through many mirrors. At the end, the "Mirror Man" blocked the path. The runner had to answer a question from the host to pass. If they missed three questions, they had to wait five seconds.
- Power Sticks: After the Mirror Maze, the runner found two "Power Sticks" hidden in the mountains.
- Honeycomb Maze: The runner lowered their visor and relied on their partner's guidance. They went through a network of doors and walls.
- Chamber of Knowledge: The Lady of the Maze gave instructions. The runner used one Power Stick to enter. Inside, three guardians asked true or false questions. A correct answer opened one of three gates. If the runner missed three questions, the gate opened after five seconds. Once all gates were open, the runner used their last Power Stick to stop the clock at the finish line.
The first team to go through the maze set a time. The second team then had to beat that time. If they ran out of time, the first team won. If they finished faster, they won! Winners also played a bonus round.
Chamber of Knowledge Guardians (Season 1)
- Guardian of History: Asked about American history (looked like an old Native American woman's head).
- Guardian of Fantasy: Asked about story books and fairy tales (looked like a dinosaur's head).
- Guardian of the Animal Kingdom: Asked about animals (looked like a lion's head).
- Guardian of the Unexpected: Asked about pop culture (looked like an elf).
- Guardian of Nature: Asked about nature (looked like a face made of wind).
- Guardian of Innovation: Asked about science (looked like a head in a compass).
Prize Mountain Bonus Round
The winning team played a bonus round called Prize Mountain. There were five TV screens that showed either "Prize" or "No Prize." The runner had to stop at least three screens on "Prize" using their laser. If they did, they won a $500 shopping spree! If they hit three "No Prize" screens, the game ended.
Season 2 Maze: Lopez Version
The game started similarly, but with some changes. Contestants now shot the picture with their laser before guessing. There was also a special bonus picture worth 15 points.
The maze was longer and had new challenges. It had four sections: the Mirror Maze, the Ice Cave, the Chamber of Knowledge, and Lightning Mountain.
- Mirror Maze: Still the first part. The Mirror Man's face was bigger, and he asked the questions himself.
- Ice Cave: The Lady of the Maze showed a blurry picture. If the runner guessed it in five seconds, they took a shorter path. Otherwise, they took a longer path. Inside the cave, the runner had to find a Power Stick and avoid sensors. Hitting a sensor made icicles block the path!
- Chamber of Knowledge: Now there were only four guardians, and the runner needed only two correct answers to exit. If they answered incorrectly, they got a five-second penalty.
- Lightning Mountain: The runner blasted two Mirror Man images on a TV screen with their laser. Then they ran up the mountain to stop the clock.
Just like in Season 1, the first team set the time, and the second team had to beat it. The bonus round was removed. The winning team automatically won the $500 shopping spree and other prizes.
Chamber of Knowledge Guardians (Season 2)
- Guardian of Education: Asked school-related questions (the elf from Season 1).
- Guardian of Imagination: Asked about pop culture and other facts.
- Guardian of the Natural World: Asked about nature (looked like a lion's head with a unicorn horn).
- Guardian of Science and Discovery: Asked about science and technology (looked like a robot's head).
What Was Similar in Both Seasons?
In both seasons, the winning team received a trophy made from one of the Power Sticks.
The winning runner also went on a "special journey." They looked like they turned into a ball of spinning particles. This ball then floated away into a large video wall (Season 1) or an inter-dimensional tunnel (Season 2).
In Season 2, the Lady of the Maze would say, "You are a Master of the Maze. Follow me," as the winner's special journey began.
The elf guardian was the only one to appear in both seasons. In Season 1, he asked about pop culture. In Season 2, he asked about school topics.
The voices for all the Chamber of Knowledge guardians and the Mirror Man (in Season 2) were provided by Mark Maxwell-Smith.
