De Mol (TV series)


De Mol is a Belgian reality game show that originally aired from 6 December 1998 to 19 March 2000 and again from 19 January to 16 March 2003 on TV1 with Michiel Devlieger as host. It was revived in 2016 on VIER with Gilles De Coster as host. The show won the famous Rose d'Or award in 2000. The format has been licensed in 40 countries from all around the world.
Players in The Mole must work together to complete various physical and mental challenges to build up a significant prize for the winner. One of them, however, is "the Mole", a double agent hired by the producers to sabotage the efforts of the group. The Mole must be careful to avoid drawing too much suspicion to himself or herself. Using journals, players must track vast amounts of data about the person they suspect of being the Mole, such as seating positions, clothing colors, minor discussion topics, and so on. The quiz at the end of each episode tests players' knowledge of the Mole, and determines by lowest score who is eliminated from the game.

Format

Each series of The Mole involves ten contestants. During each episode, the contestants participate in a number of challenges, each assigned a monetary value. However, one of these contestants has been selected by production to be the Mole; it's his or her job is to try to prevent the other players from winning challenges without revealing himself or herself to others. The Mole may be told ahead of time of how to do this or what challenges to expect, while at other times the Mole must decide whether to intervene or not.
At the end of each episode, the contestants take a quiz regarding the identity of the Mole and his or her involvement in the previous activities. The player who scores the lowest on this quiz, or was slowest to answer in case of a tie, is eliminated from the game. The winner of the game is the one that answers the most questions correctly on the final quiz given when there are only three players remaining.
While success in the challenges is important in order to build up potential winnings, it is also critical to stay in the game by scoring better than opponents on the quiz, usually by attempting to draw their suspicions of the Mole's identity toward oneself. Since the Mole must use subterfuge to misdirect attention from his/her attempts to derail the team, disingenuous attempts to emulate the Mole must be subtle, while still noticeable and suspicious.

Challenges

Similar to other reality shows, The Mole features challenges in which the players received money that was added to a group pot which only one person could win. However, unlike challenges in other reality shows, the ones seen on The Mole offered players ways to disrupt the game, as well as ways of disguising their betrayal.

Quiz and eliminations

The quiz is the primary device of eliminating contestants across all series. Traditionally between ten and twenty questions, the quiz asks the players to identify the Mole and several pieces of information regarding the Mole, including the Mole's activity in challenges, biographical profile, their fashion and/or culinary choices during the show, etc. The player scoring lowest on the quiz is eliminated from the game.

Series overview

Locations map

International versions

In total, over 50 series/seasons of The Mole have been broadcast around the world, since its inception in 1998 in Belgium.
Legend:
CountryNameHostTV stationPremiereFinale
AustraliaThe MoleGrant BowlerSeven27 February 200028 September 2003
AustraliaThe MoleTom WilliamsSeven25 August 200528 October 2005
AustraliaThe MoleShura TaftSeven2 July 201316 October 2013
BulgariaКъртицата
Kartitsata		Ivan HristovTV726 March 201317 May 2014
BulgariaКъртицата
Kartitsata		Andrey ArnaudovTV726 March 201317 May 2014
CataloniaEl TalpPol IzquierdoTV320032003
FinlandMyyräRoope SalminenMTV31 January 20192 March 2019
FranceQui est la taupe ?Stéphane RotenbergM6
RTL-TVI 		1 July 20155 August 2015
GermanyDer Maulwurf – Die AbenteuershowMichael StichProSieben7 July 200025 November 2001
GermanyDer Maulwurf – Die AbenteuershowSteven GatjenProSieben7 July 200025 November 2001
GermanyThe Mole – Wem kannst du trauen?The BossHossSat.16 May 202024 June 2020
Israelמי החפרפרת
Ha-Chafarperet		Itai AnghelChannel 2 13 February 20012001
ItalyLa TalpaAmanda Lear
Paola Perego
Guido Bagatta		Rai 230 January 20042 April 2004
ItalyLa TalpaPaola Perego
Stefano Bettarini		Italia 120 September 200522 November 2005
ItalyLa TalpaPaola Perego
Paola Barale		Italia 19 October 200827 November 2008
NetherlandsWie is de Mol?Angela GroothuizenAVRO
AVROTROS 		19 November 1999present
NetherlandsWie is de Mol?Karel van de GraafAVRO
AVROTROS 		19 November 1999present
NetherlandsWie is de Mol?Pieter Jan HagensAVRO
AVROTROS 		19 November 1999present
NetherlandsWie is de Mol?Art RooijakkersAVRO
AVROTROS 		19 November 1999present
NetherlandsWie is de Mol?Rik van de WestelakenAVRO
AVROTROS 		19 November 1999present
NetherlandsWie is de Mol? JuniorSipke Jan BousemaNederland 317 May 200821 June 2008
NetherlandsWie is de Mol? JuniorArt RooijakkersNederland 39 March 201427 April 2014
New ZealandThe MoleMark FergusonTV220002000
NorwayMuldvarpenLars Arentz-HansenTV231 January 20009 December 2002
NorwayMuldvarpenOve Christian OweTV231 January 20009 December 2002
PolandAgentMarcin MellerTVN22 October 200022 December 2002
PolandAgent – GwiazdyKinga RusinTVN23 February 2016present
PortugalO SabotadorPaulo NeryRTP19 September 20014 November 2001
SpainEl TraidorLuis Larrodera
Sergio Muñiz		Cuatro12 July 20068 September 2006
SpainEl TopoDaniel Domenjó
Emilio Pineda		Telecinco25 June 2009July 2009
SwedenMullvadenPontus GårdingerKanal 520002001
SwedenMullvadenHans FahlénKanal 520072007
UkraineКрот
Krot		Konstantin StogniiICTV24 October 20142014
United KingdomThe MoleGlenn HugillChannel 512 January 20019 December 2001
United StatesThe MoleAnderson CooperABC9 January 200118 February 2004
United StatesThe MoleAhmad RashādABC9 January 200118 February 2004
United StatesThe MoleJon KelleyABC2 June 200811 August 2008