Milionerzy

In the current version of Milionerzy, there are twelve questions:[4]

In the original version of Milionerzy, there were fifteen questions:[5]

From 1999 through 2003 we could see three changes of the studio stage design, some differ in stylistics. From 2008, after resumption we could see the fourth stage design and now, in 2010, the fifth one.

The first logo of Milionerzy from 1999 was very different from the standard model used in other editions of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. It was a violet rhombus on one of vertexes and rings stooding on themselves on background of "Milionerzy" caption.[6] The second one, modelled on the traditional style, is round with green question marks. It was introduced with the changes of credits and scenography in 2000. It is used also now, but in another colour scheme (question marks are gold).

The first and second version of the opening credits were similar with people looking and aiming on Milionerzy logo. It was patterned on British credits of this time. From 2008, the opening credits of the programme feature an animation showing in sequence all prizes to one million zlotys - it is patterned on the newest British version.[7]

In 2008 except for the opening credits, no big changes were made on graphics and sounds. The 2008 edition had refreshed graphics: the fields with questions and answers were navy-blue and blue (earlier black) and smaller than in first edition of Milionerzy, and the field with won prize was blue (earlier brown and navy-blue). Also some sound effects and music we could hear in the background when player answers a question, changed.

In 2010 opening credits were changed, fields, where players' names are shown in Fastest Finger First are smaller, question fields and money tree are smaller, also fonts were changed. Also, there are no commercial break intros and outros.

Now (since February 2017), the show is recorded in Farat Film studio in Warsaw, 22, Notecka St. The first edition was recorded in the Warsaw-based WFDiF studio, 21, Chełmska St. from 1999 until 2001 in the TVP studio on 17, Woronicza St until 2003. In 2008 and 2009 Milionerzy was recorded in the TVP studio in Kraków, 44, Nowohucka St.

Scenography of the second edition (2008-2010).[8] Studio has these light effects:

1999–2003

• Stage I – to become a contestant, you had to phone a special Telemedium number, then choose date of recording of the episode, then answer a question with four variants and tell your personal details. 100 people were drawn from those who answered correctly and told the same recording date and they went to the II stage.
• Stage II – people, who were drawn, gave their telephone number, and a pollster called them in a 2-days time and asked questions, which didn't have answer variants. 20 people, who gave the most similar answers to the correct ones were going to the III stage.
• Stage III – before the recording participants had to arrange answer variants in correct order. 12 people, who did it correctly went to the IV stage. They were 10 Fastest Finger First players and two reserves. Pollster phoned them to confirm that they participate.

2008-2010

• Stage I – to become a contestant, you had to send a SMS with Milion text to a shown number, and then answer two questions with four answer variants sent by a SMS and to give your personal details. The first 100 people who registered, answered those 2 questions and gave their personal details, went to the second stage.
• Stage II – agent of the producer of the program phoned those 100 people. The call is recorded, about what those people are informed at the beginning of the call. Potential participant has to say about him, his hobby, job etc. Next, he had to answer several general knowledge questions, which don't have variants. People chosen in the phone casting are informed about it in a 7-days time and invited to the studio.

Legend: number of episode • broadcast date; took consideration to prizes of 40,000 zł or more

1999–2003

• In February 2001, issued the first edition of a special game show. These were episodes of Valentine's Day, which was attended by couples in love.
• Between 24 and 26 December 2001 issued a charitable Millionaire edition to celebrate Christmas. The participants were eight actors that played their game in the following pairs: Renata Dancewicz & Paweł Wilczak, Edyta Olszówka & Olaf Lubaszenko, Agnieszka Warchulska & Zbigniew Zamachowski and Małgorzata Kożuchowska & Maciej Stuhr. The total amount won was the whole issue of 375,000 zlotys, which is devoted to the foundation TVN Nie jesteś sam.[38]
• The Easter episode of the show was broadcast on the turn of March and April 2002. Pairs of actors participated in the show: Artur Barciś with Cezary Żak, Katarzyna Skrzynecka with Maciej Kozłowski and Anna Przybylska with Robert Gonera. All winnings summed up were 314,000 zlotys. The winnings were given to charity TVN Nie jesteś sam (You aren't alone).[39]
• On Children's Day there were two special episodes, were shown on 1 and 2 June 2002, the prizes were given to the TVN charity. The participants were children attending primary schools. The prizes were the same as in usual episodes, but the questions were easier. Amount of money won in those episode was 64,000 zlotys.[40]
• On June 29 and 30 there were special episodes where participants were people from Polish Big Brother. Players were playing in pairs: Monika Sewioło with Piotr Gulczyński, Ilona Stachura with Arkadiusz Nowakowski, Monika Brochacka with Piotr Borucki, Agnieszka Frykowska with Łukasz Wiewiórski, Alicja Walczak with Sebastian Florek and Karolina Jakubik with Wojciech Glanc. Winnings were given to Nie jesteś sam charity.[41]
• Latest Special edition of the first version of Millionaire is shown at Christmas time in 2002. Attending were: Aleksandra Woźniak & Rafał Królikowski, Grażyna Wolszczak & Andrzej Zieliński and Joanna Brodzik & Paweł Wilczak. The total amount won was donated to the TVN foundation Nie jesteś sam.

Also in 2002 TVN was broadcasting series of family episodes. Teams of three people were taking part, and all had to be related. Every team had its captain. The rules were the same as in normal episodes, but the captain decided about choosing an answer after consultations with the rest of family members. After winning 32,000 zlotys one person left the team and went to the audience, after winning 125,000 zlotys another person left and only one person had to answer last three questions.[42] Najwyższa wygrana w tych wydaniach to 250 000 złotych.[42]

From 2008

• On June 1, 2008 (Children's Day) episode celebrities of Polish television were playing for money to build a cancer prevention center. The first players were Piotr Gąsowski and Katarzyna Skrzynecka, who won 40,000 zlotys, and the second players were Szymon Majewski and Ewa Drzyzga, who won 125,000 zlotys. Whole money won was given to the Nie jesteś sam charity.[43]
• Next episodes were broadcast on December 6 and 7, 2008. In the first episode, Kinga Rusin and Bartosz Węglarczyk won 40,000 zlotys, and in the second, Renata Dancewicz and Piotr Adamczyk won 500,000 zlotys. The winnings were given to Nie jesteś sam charity.
• Next episodes were broadcast on December 25 and 26, 2009. On the first day, Julia Kamińska and Filip Bobek won 40,000 zlotys. On the second day, Marcin Prokop and Szymon Hołownia won 250,000 zlotys. All of the winnings were given to Nie jesteś sam charity.[44]
• In 2010, special episodes were broadcast on December 12 and 19. In the first episode, Karolina Korwin-Piotrowska and Michał Piróg won 500,000 zlotys, and on the next episode (broadcast on 19 December) - they didn't answer for the question for 1 million zl. Next contestants were Anita Werner and Grzegorz Kajdanowicz - they won 40,000 zlotys. Winnings were to given to Nie jesteś sam charity.
• In 2020, there was an special edition related with Santa Claus, aired 3rd December 2020, winnings were given to the same xcharity as before.

Average of number of viewers from September 1999 to October 2008

The biggest number of viewers was on 5 March 2000, when a contestant won 250,000 zł as the first person in the show. The number of viewers of this episode was 6,510,000 people.[54][55][56]

Average number of viewers of the January 2008 - April 2008 episode was 3,500,000 viewers.[57] First episode of 2008 series (19 January 2008) was watched by 3,500,000 viewers. The biggest number of viewers in 2008 series was on 5 April 2008, when the 1,000,000 zł question came up the first time in the 2008 series. The episode from 6 April 2008 in which contestant got the 500,000 zł question wrong was watched by 4,200,000 viewers.

Legend:

In Milionerzy, thirteen questions for one million zlotys appeared. Eleven times the player resigned, and two times player answered the question. Once, in special edition with participation of children, the player answered the question incorrectly and once player answered and won 1 million zlotys. Here are the questions:

• Władysław Kostrzewski - 21 October 2000

• Zbigniew Chrzanowski - 21 May 2001

• Jerzy Mirski - 14 October 2001

• Filip Łapiński - 2 June 2002 (special edition with participation of children)

• Paulina Kowalczyk - 5 April 2008

• Dagna Sieńko - 18 May 2008

• Rafał Tomański - 22 November 2008

• Renata Dancewicz and Piotr Adamczyk - 7 December 2008 (Celebrity Edition)

• Marzena Rogowska - 25 April 2009

• Krzysztof Wójcik - 28 March 2010

• Katarzyna Zaręba - 24 October 2010

• Michał Piróg and Karolina Korwin-Piotrowska - 19 December 2010 (Celebrity Edition)

• Sonia Ciuk - 15 March 2017

• During the Fastest Finger portion in the second season, all contestants correctly answered the question, which was "Put these Australian towns in the alphabetical order". It is rare to see all contestants get the correct order.
• There has been an occasion similar to the American version where the audience unanimously voted on a single answer when asked for help via the Ask the Audience lifeline. The question, worth 40,000 złoty, was: "A small, golden gramophone is given away at what awards ceremony?" The correct answer was "Grammy."
• The furthest a player has ever gone without using a lifeline was 125,000 złoty. The player went on to win 500,000 złoty.^{See the Questions for million zlotys and The highest prizes by episodes for more information}
• In Milionerzy there were three situations when a player lost because of laxily said question and then they were restored to play. The first player made a mistake in the question for 32,000 zł: "Who invented the steam engine?". He answered "James Watt", but the correct answer was Charles Algernon Parsons. After a complaint to programme's producer, his answer was recognized as correct. The player won a guaranteed 32,000 zł, but he answered incorrectly in the next question for 64,000 zł. The second player made a mistake in the question for 500 zł: "How many cuts are on kaiser rolls?" He answered: "4" (the correct answer was "5") and he won nothing. After recognizing his answer, he answered incorrectly in the question for 1000 zł and he left the studio without nothing for the second time. Third on the question about the author of the picture "The Luncheon on the Grass" answered Claude Monet, but the correct answer was Édouard Manet. But Monet also painted a less known picture with the same title, so the player was allowed to continue playing.