''Steam Punks!'' is an Australian children's

steampunk Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and Applied arts, aesthetics inspired by, but not limited to, 19th-century Industrial Revolution, industrial steam engine, steam-powered machinery. Steampun ...

-themed

game show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...

which premiered on

ABC Me ABC Entertains is an Australian free-to-air television channel owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was launched on 4 December 2009 as a children's channel called ABC3. It was rebranded on 19 September 2016 to ABC ME. It rebra ...

on 17 February 2013.

Format

The show centres around two teams of two people known as 'Inquisitives' who are set a variety of challenges by an evil genius known as The Machine. The inquisitor, played by

Paul Verhoeven Paul Verhoeven (; born 18 July 1938) is a Dutch filmmaker, who has worked variously in the Netherlands, the United States, and in France. He is known for directing genre films with strong satirical elements, often featuring graphic violence and ...

, assists teams in completing these challenges. Each episode includes five rounds with five different challenges. These include segments include:

The Quizatorium

Each team must answer multiple choice questions based on scientific general knowledge questions.

The Storeroom

Teams will encounter five different storerooms which test each of their

five senses A sense is a biological system used by an organism for sensation, the process of gathering information about the surroundings through the detection of stimuli. Although, in some cultures, five human senses were traditionally identified as su ...

. In order to win this round, the team which endures each physical test before the other team can complete them.

Bang, Crash, Splat, Splash

During this round, teams will have to predict the outcome of some experiments. The team who successfully predicts the outcome wins this round.

Feed the Furnace

For this round, one member of each team must hurl coal into the furnace to feed The Machine whilst the other team sprays them with pungent goo. Whichever team hurls the most coal in wins this round.

Fast or Last

For the final round, teams must answer quick answer science themed questions. In order to give your answer, you must use your hammer to hit your buzzer before the other team can. If someone answers incorrectly, the next team will have a go at answering before proceeding to the next question. The team that wins the most challenges will be dubbed 'Steampunks' whilst the team that loses is banished to the

catacombs Catacombs are man-made underground passages primarily used for religious purposes, particularly for burial. Any chamber used as a burial place is considered a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etym ...

to serve The Machine.

References

Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming Australian children's television series Australian children's game shows 2010s Australian game shows Australian science fiction television series 2013 Australian television series debuts 2014 Australian television series endings Steampunk television series {{Australia-tv-prog-stub