“Nerds, geeks… there are many names for clever people who got bullied or overlooked at school, though I quite liked the Carlisle civil servant Nathan’s description of himself as “one of the later picks” when it came to PE lessons. Still, their time has come. Just look at Alan Carr, king Traitor and now presenter of Secret Genius, this latest brainteaser from Channel 4. The geeks — or at least the specs-wearing folk with “teeth that are maybe not the best” (his words, by the way) — are now inheriting the earth. It is a nice idea — taking a random group of people, recommended by friends and families, with overlooked mental acuity and putting them through their paces with a series of fiendish challenges devised by British Mensa.”
Ben Dowell, The Times

“What a lack of class privilege didn’t take care of, bullies did. Some contestants allude to their experiences, all nod in recognition. God, kids are vile. Then there’s the male/female split. Sports management consultant Jo, who nearly loses a round against the clock because she cannot believe she got an answer correct and takes herself back for a second go, contrasts her attitude to her capabilities with that of her ambitious, extrovert brother and puts at least part of it down to the natural/nurtured differences between their sexes. She thinks she might need to stop shying away from her abilities. At home, the nation roars its approval. All of human life is here. And Alan Carr. And Susie Dent. Secret Genius is all good fun and games so long as you ignore all the things it’s measuring that Mensa could never imagine.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“A great deal of ingenuity has gone into inventing IQ mindbenders that would be lots of fun, if only we got a fair chance to join in. If you wanted to try the games yourself, the trick was to hit the pause button when the boards flashed up on screen. That’s a serious design flaw — fumbling with the remote control, you’re just as likely to change channel by accident.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail