# Suurmestari

Suurmestari (Finnish for 'Grand Master') is a Finnish comedy panel program on MTV3 that started on April 12, 2020, based on the British Taskmaster television format. Competitors perform various tasks that they receive from the Grand Master.
The Grand Master is portrayed by Jaakko Saariluoma, and Pilvi Hämäläinen [fi] serves as the judge. In the each episode of each Season, there are four regular contestants with different fifth changing competitor each episode. Competitors perform tasks for points and the one with the most points wins. In each episode, the prize is different items from the competitors that the competitors have brought with them. The winner of each episode gets all the items brought in. The overall season winner, which is one of the regular contestants, wins the "Grand Master Statue", and is the contestant of the season. Tiebreaker tasks are not featured in Suurmestari.
The first series took a summer break on 17 May 2020, with three episodes from the first production season not shown, and the remaining episodes were shown on MTV3 and the streaming service on MTV from 13 to 27 August 2020. More episodes were released on 17 May 2020. The first season was a great success, and for that, on August 27, 2020, a second season of the series was announced for spring of 2021.
Suurmestari has won the Golden Venla award of the "Best Game Show" four consecutive times in the row; in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
In 2024, the series will get an Spin-off show, called Juniori Suurmestari (Junior Grand Master), where instead of well-known Finnish comedians or actors, ordinary Finnish children aged 8-13 get to compete for series of surprise rewards.

## Cast

| Season | Seating | Seating | Seating | Seating |
| Season | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| 1 | Janne Kataja | Roni Bäck | Jukka Hildén † | Jenni Poikelus |
| 2 | Miika Nousiainen | Minka Kuustonen † | Aku Hirviniemi | Kiti Kokkonen |
| 3 | Riku Rantala † | Anna-Maija Tuokko | Mikko Penttilä | Jenni Pääskysaari |
| 4 | Kalle Lamberg † | Eija Vilpas | Fathi Ahmed | Pirjo Heikkilä |
| 5 | Eero Ritala | Pamela Tola | Joonas Nordman | Pirjo Lonka † |

### Contestants’ scores

In bold are the winners’ scores.
| Season | Contestants’ scores | Contestants’ scores | Contestants’ scores | Contestants’ scores |
| 1 | Janne Kataja (143) | Roni Bäck (135) | Jukka Hildén (156) | Jenni Poikelus (143) |
| 2 | Miika Nousiainen (154) | Minka Kuustonen (158) | Aku Hirviniemi (134) | Kiti Kokkonen (134) |
| 3 | Riku Rantala (180) | Anna-Maija Tuokko (157) | Mikko Penttilä (175) | Jenni Pääskysaari (173) |
| 4 | Kalle Lamberg (166) | Eija Vilpas (130) | Fathi Ahmed (154) | Pirjo Heikkilä (151) |
| 5 | Eero Ritala (197) | Pamela Tola (197) | Joonas Nordman (196) | Pirjo Lonka (207) |

## Series overview

Series overview :
| Series | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| Series | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released |
| 1 | 10 | 10 | 12 April 2020 | 27 August 2020 |
| 2 | 10 | 10 | 27 March 2021 | 2 June 2021 |
| 3 | 10 | 10 | 16 April 2022 | 2 July 2022 |
| 4 | 10 | 10 | 18 March 2023 | 26 May 2023 |
| 5 | 12 | 12 | 16 March 2024 | 1 June 2024 |
| JR | 4 | 4 | 30 November 2024 | 21 December 2024 |

## Episodes
### Season 1 (2020)

This is the first season of Suurmestari. The regular contestants of the season were Jukka Hildén, Jenni Poikelus [fi], Roni Bäck [fi] and Janne Kataja. The season was won by Jukka Hildén.
| No. | Title (in english) | Guest | Winner | Original release date | FIN viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Collect tears" | Mikko Leppilampi | Mikko Leppilampi | 12 April 2020 (2020-04-12) | 0.698 |
| 2 | "Order fantasy-pizza" | Miitta Sorvali | Jukka Hildén | 12 April 2020 (2020-04-12) | 0.649 |
| 3 | "Heart rate on the rise" | Jorma Uotinen | Jukka Hildén | 19 April 2020 (2020-04-19) | 0.580 |
| 4 | "Lose the ice cube" | Minka Kuustonen | Jenni Poikelus | 26 April 2020 (2020-04-26) | 0.673 |
| 5 | "Interview an estonian" | Mikko Penttilä | Jukka Hildén | 3 May 2020 (2020-05-03) | 0.639 |
| 6 | "Weight on the scale" | Paula Noronen | Paula Noronen | 10 May 2020 (2020-05-10) | 0.633 |
| 7 | "Set up a tent" | Minttu Mustakallio | Janne Kataja | 17 May 2020 (2020-05-17) | 0.678 |
| 8 | "Make the subject blush" | Pekka Pouta | Pekka Pouta | 13 August 2020 (2020-08-13) | 0.385 |
| 9 | "An object in a balloon" | Juha Perälä | Jukka Hildén & Janne Kataja | 20 August 2020 (2020-08-20) | 0.334 |
| 10 | "Mystery points" | Hjallis Harkimo | Janne Kataja | 27 August 2020 (2020-08-27) | 0.393 |

### Season 2 (2021)

This is the second season of Suurmestari. The regular contestants of the season are Aku Hirviniemi, Kiti Kokkonen, Minka Kuustonen [fi] and Miika Nousiainen [fi]. The season was won by Minka Kuustonen.
| No. | Title (in english) | Guest | Winner | Original release date | FIN viewers (millions) |
| 11 | "Surprise Pilvi" | Christoffer Strandberg | Christoffer Strandberg | 27 March 2021 (2021-03-27) | 0.679 |
| 12 | "Stop the pins from falling" | Kalle Lamberg | Miika Nousiainen | 3 April 2021 (2021-04-03) | 0.520 |
| 13 | "Collect sweat" | Mikko Töyssy | Mikko Töyssy | 10 April 2021 (2021-04-10) | 0.590 |
| 14 | "Make a reverse video" | Eija Vilpas | Minka Kuustonen | 17 April 2021 (2021-04-17) | 0.521 |
| 15 | "Don't blink" | Kirsi Alm-Siira | Kirsi Alm-Siira | 24 April 2021 (2021-04-24) | 0.687 |
| 16 | "No hands!" | Joonas Nordman | Kiti Kokkonen | 1 May 2021 (2021-05-01) | 0.607 |
| 17 | "High splash" | Maria Veitola | Kiti Kokkonen | 8 May 2021 (2021-05-08) | 0.509 |
| 18 | "Create a domino effect" | Kari Aihinen | Kari Aihinen | 15 May 2021 (2021-05-15) | 0.476 |
| 19 | "Make a silhouette" | Veronica Verho | Veronica Verho | 22 May 2021 (2021-05-22) | 0.531 |
| 20 | "The strangest unifying factor" | Tuomas Kyrö | Minka Kuustonen | 2 June 2021 (2021-06-02) | 0.499 |

### Season 3 (2022)

The third Season was announced by MTV in October 2021. The recordings of ten episodes were held during November 2021. The regular contestants of the Season are Mikko Penttilä [fi], Jenni Pääskysaari [fi], Riku Rantala and Anna-Maija Tuokko [fi]. Season premiered on MTV in April 2022. The season was won by Riku Rantala with record-breaking 180 points. Mikko Penttilä finished second, Jenni Pääskysaari third and Anna-Maija Tuokko last place.
| No. | Title (in english) | Guest | Winner | Original release date | FIN viewers (millions) |
| 21 | "Impress the Professor" | Pekka Strang | Riku Rantala | 16 April 2022 (2022-04-16) | 0.371 |
| 22 | "Hide three eggplants" | Vappu Pimiä | Vappu Pimiä | 23 April 2022 (2022-04-23) | 0.368 |
| 23 | "Order balloons" | Stig | Jenni Pääskysaari | 30 April 2022 (2022-04-30) | 0.387 |
| 24 | "Make a task" | Pyhimys | Riku Rantala | 21 May 2022 (2022-05-21) | 0.287 |
| 25 | "Shackle yourself" | Minna Haapkylä | Minna Haapkylä | 27 May 2022 (2022-05-27) | 0.330 |
| 26 | "Design an album cover" | Jarppi Leppälä | Anna-Maija Tuokko | 4 June 2022 (2022-06-04) | 0.220 |
| 27 | "A Gift for the Grand Master" | Anna Puu | Anna Puu | 11 June 2022 (2022-06-11) | 0.209 |
| 28 | "Transform into Pilvi" | Dennis Nylund | Dennis Nylund | 18 June 2022 (2022-06-18) | 0.292 |
| 29 | "Move the playhouse" | Erika Vikman | Mikko Penttilä | 25 June 2022 (2022-06-25) | 0.163 |
| 30 | "Sing the theme song" | Mikko Kuustonen | Mikko Penttilä & Riku Rantala | 2 July 2022 (2022-07-02) | 0.226 |

### Season 4 (2023)

The fourth Season was announced by MTV to start on 18 March 2023, with the regular contestants being Eija Vilpas, Fathi Ahmed, Kalle Lamberg [fi] and Pirjo Heikkilä [fi]. The season was won by Kalle Lamberg. Fathi Ahmed finished second, Pirjo Heikkilä third, and Eija Vilpas last place.
| No. | Title (in english) | Guest | Winner | Original release date | FIN viewers (millions) |
| 31 | "Make an educational video" | Paleface | Paleface | 18 March 2023 (2023-03-18) | 0.474 |
| 32 | "Make a toy for a cute dog" | Erin | Kalle Lamberg | 25 March 2023 (2023-03-25) | 0.354 |
| 33 | "Get goosebumps" | Jukka Rasila | Kalle Lamberg | 1 April 2023 (2023-04-01) | 0.369 |
| 34 | "Excess weight in a suitcase" | Susani Mahadura | Fathi Ahmed | 8 April 2023 (2023-04-08) | 0.283 |
| 35 | "Make a karaoke video" | Timo Lavikainen | Pirjo Heikkilä | 15 April 2023 (2023-04-15) | 0.338 |
| 36 | "Brush Pilvi’s teeth" | Krisse Salminen | Fathi Ahmed | 22 April 2023 (2023-04-22) | 0.363 |
| 37 | "As You, I wouldn’t open.." | Helmi-Leena Nummela | Kalle Lamberg | 29 April 2023 (2023-04-29) | 0.339 |
| 38 | "Create an ASMR experience" | Miska Haakana | Eija Vilpas | 6 May 2023 (2023-05-06) | 0.349 |
| 39 | "Water for cubic meters" | Linda Wiklund | Fathi Ahmed | 20 May 2023 (2023-05-20) | <0.245 |
| 40 | "A silent birdhouse" | Ali Jahangiri | Kalle Lamberg | 26 May 2023 (2023-05-26) | 0.281 |

### Season 5 (2024)

The fifth season of Suurmestari premiered in March 2024, and the studio recordings were held in November 2023. The regular panelists for this season are Pirjo Lonka [fi], Eero Ritala, Pamela Tola and Joonas Nordman.
| No. | Title (in english) | Guest | Winner | Original release date | FIN viewers (millions) |
| 41 | "Throw something in the trash can" | Ville Myllyrinne | Pirjo Lonka | 16 March 2024 (2024-03-16) | 0.567 |
| 42 | "Keep talking as long as possible" | Johanna Puhakka | Eero Ritala | 23 March 2024 (2024-03-23) | 0.457 |
| 43 | "Throw water as far as possible" | Olga Temonen | Pamela Tola | 30 March 2024 (2024-03-30) | 0.386 |
| 44 | "Complete the task. This isn't your task." | Arman Alizad | Joonas Nordman | 6 April 2024 (2024-04-06) | 0.343 |
| 45 | "Duck in to the pool" | Elina Gustafsson | Pamela Tola & Eero Ritala | 13 April 2024 (2024-04-13) | 0.389 |
| 46 | "Biggest thing through a doughnut" | Sointu Borg | Pirjo Lonka | 20 April 2024 (2024-04-20) | 0.377 |
| 47 | "Create a cliffhanger" | Ernest Lawson | Pamela Tola | 27 April 2024 (2024-04-27) | 0.417 |
| 48 | "Take a mannequin to an adventure" | Heikki Ranta | Joonas Nordman | 4 May 2024 (2024-05-04) | 0.351 |
| 49 | "Eggs from the top of a pole" | Niko Saarinen | Niko Saarinen | 11 May 2024 (2024-05-11) | 0.304 |
| 50 | "Create a superhero" | J. Kokander & M. Penttilä | Eero Ritala | 18 May 2024 (2024-05-18) | 0.292 |
| 51 | "Make a new friend" | Viivi Pumpanen | TBA | 1 June 2024 (2024-06-01) | N/A |
| 52 | "Convince the Grand Master" | Elias Salonen | TBA | 8 June 2024 (2024-06-08) | N/A |

### Junior Grand Master (2024)

The filming of the Junior-version takes place in summer 2024, and is set to premiere during the same year.

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Year | Category | Nominated | Result |
| Golden Venla | 2020 | Best Game Show | Suurmestari | Won |
| Golden Venla | 2021 | Game Show | Suurmestari | Won |
| Golden Venla | 2022 | Year's Game Show | Suurmestari | Won |
| Golden Venla | 2023 | Game Show | Suurmestari | Won |