The Big Brain Theory
The Big Brain Theory is an American reality show on the Discovery Channel that aired in 2013. Hosted by Kal Penn, it ran for eight episodes.
Each episode starts with a blueprint challenge: contestants have 30 minutes and an electronic blackboard to come up with a design solution. The two best solutions become the Blue Team Leader and Red Team Leader. These leaders pick their team members, and the teams then have a limited time and budget to build a working solution. Workshop time is limited to 12 hours a day.
The builds are tested, and the team that fails faces elimination. If both teams fail, no one is safe. Judges decide who leaves the competition. A contestant who is eliminated can try to re-enter the show through a wild-card chance decided by the judges.
The winner receives $50,000 and a one-year contract to work for WET Enterprises, Mark Fuller’s company. Eliminated contestants cannot continue in the blueprint challenges, but they can still be picked for teams and are eligible for the Judges’ Prize of $20,000.
Each episode features a third guest judge, in addition to the two main judges, Mark Fuller and Christine Gulbranson.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:34 (CET).