I’m busy over the next few nights but there are some entertaining foreign shows on, and happily because they’re on for ages there’s a chance I might get to see some of them.
Tonight at 9-11pm UK time is the Spanish version of popular Italian fun king of the hill quiz Avanti! You can watch an official live feed of the channel here.
Saturday at 7:15 UK time Stefan Raab defends a whopping €2m on Schlag den Raab. Hopefully a naughty live feed will turn up.
The first episode of NPR’s new comedy puzzle quiz Ask Me Another is online. I’ve listened to it, and it’s quite good. It feels a lot like Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me, except more of the comedy comes from the contestants rather than the panelists.
http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=151861924
Downloaded it thanks. Intrigued that Jonathan Coulton’s involved.
Bob Stewart, the creator of Password, Pyramid, and The Price is Right, has died at the age of 91. If you’ve worked in unscripted TV at all, odds are you were influenced by something he did. Monumental loss.
The Antena link doesn’t work in Chrome, by the way.
It’s working fine for me.
It’s fine in IE, although when I watched last week it would freeze every fifteen minutes or so which is mildly irritating.
Wow, I’ve joined an hour in and there’s no king of the hill yet.
The first contestant was doing well but she hit one AVANTI card.
I can’t help thinking that they could make the questions “Get 2 out of 3” and lose nothing of the format.
This running up and down stairs business has Health and Safety grief all over it.
But that means I can’t use ‘three out of four or you’re out the door’ as a catchphrase!
“Two out of three is good enough for thee”?
Comission x 26.
“Get two wrong and you’re gone – so long!”
I think “No like-y, no light-y” has risen the bar for scraping the bottom of the catchphrase barrel. Using an elevated bar, apparently.
well in Italy it happened once that no king was made in the entire episode. they had to call back all the contestants of the day and have them pick a scroll each, highest value won.
So, what is Avanti, how does it work, will I understand it without speaking Spanish?
Basically you get questions and challenges that come in groups of four. You must get three or more right in each set to succeed. Otherwise it’s Avanti! (next!)
You then get to pick a scroll with money in it, if that gives you the highest score then you can sit in the champion’s seat or opt to play on or you must play on (there are a couple of special scrolls as well).
At the end of the time, whoever is king of the hill gets a chance to win all the money plus €100,000 by answering a sequence of 21 questions wrong within 150 seconds, a right answer and you have to start the list again. If the time runs out, the money accumulated is gone and you play for the bonus 100k counting down at 1k a second.
Right. In each round, the player’s asked 4 questions, and they need to get 3 out of 4. If they don’t get 3, they’re out instantly, and the next player comes on. If they get their three, they get to pick a cylinder from that fancy spinny thing there. Most contain money that gets added to their personal pot, a few have a Duel inside, and a couple have the dreaded “Avanti!” which instantly knocks them out.
If they get money, they can pick at any moment to bank their cash, and they get to sit in the fancy seat with the arrows round it. Then another guy comes on and tries to beat their cash total. If there’s a duel, it’s a simple 1v1 buzzer showdown between the King of the Hill and the current player, with the winner being the new KOTH and the loser getting knocked out.
When the lightning strike comes in, it’s the lightning round, there’s a 5 minute game clock, and the host sounds AMAZING. Winner at the end goes on to play for their cash (plus an extra €100,000) in the big endgame.
Oh yeah, and whenever there are special rounds with guests, it appears the 3-out-of-4 rule still goes on, and there’s an extra question at the end they need to answer. Like one last week that had a woman singing movie themes, and at the end they had 30 seconds to arrange the 4 themes in chronological order, that sort of thing.
oh, there is a different rule from the Italian edition: if the host gives the category before the timer hits 0:00, then the round has to be played (just like the “last play” rule in american football)
actually the Spanish rule was also in the original, but it was changed after a couple episodes
Oh dear, this woman keeps repeating the same bad responses in the end game.
“69 segundos. te gusta el 69?” he he
and another little difference: in Spain the host stops the clock every time the contestant messes up. in Italy Bonolis most of the times just starts over immediately
I wonder if they’d modify the end game in a UK version? Not the concept, but I can’t imagine many UK hosts have the ability to spit out questions rapid fire like that these days. Spanish speed rounds are amazing to listen to, see also Spanish Grand Slam.
I’d say Bradders does a good job when reading out the questions in the Final Chases, he gets through them at a fair old clip, especially towards the end
Mmm, don’t think he’d suit this though, I think it needs more of a showman. Although I think he’s become a decent host.
Yeah, I get what you’re saying. Put it this way, he’s way better than George Lamb! I can see it now, he’d start reading the first question, see a name he can’t pronounce and say “You know what? We’re gonna reset the time and start over” 😀
Showman, you say? Hmm, that’s a tricky one. Best name that springs to mind for me is Brian Conley, but could he read questions quickly?
I think Conley’s a decent shout. I could definitely see him being very funny if the contestant continually messes up the endgame.
Wither Bill Dod?
Bill Dod is currently employed reading the scripts on Russia Today (Freeview channel 85, at least at the time of writing).
“Spanish Grand Slam”
Where? I wanna see Slammo Grande!!
Historically Bob Monkhouse could go at a heck of a clip in his bonus game and Magnus Magnusson also was capable of a rate of knots. These days Jeremy Paxman can build up a head of steam. None of these seem terribly plausible for the sort of show I imagine, though, even if there are certain mortality issues as well.
More realistically, Dara O/ Briain improvised several dozens of words within twenty seconds on his only time Defending the Indefensible – and JEFF STELLING! is capable of going really, really quickly in the final minutes of a Soccer Saturday with forty matches at once while remaining comprehensible in context. El Stel might well be up for it if the taping schedule suited his needs; I dare say that both he and the nation might be ready for another game show hosting job – particularly if this were on Sky.
I love the Stelling but he’s absolutely not the right person for this, it’s proper light entertainment and it requires somebody who can run with that.
Why can I see Tim Vine hosting for some reason?
maybe an UK “Brains & Brawn”? here’s a closer look at the set of the upcoming Flavio Insinna gameshow
http://cdn.blogosfere.it/realityshow/images/Flavio%20Insinna%20Il%20braccio%20e%20la%20mente-.jpg
I’ll write something about this show next week
Schlag den Raab’s usual naughty internet streaming link seems to be working (if buffering a bit often for me) over at http://kinofilm2020.ucoz.com/index/stream/0-9
If you click the button above the player that says ‘Prosieben Justintv’, it’ll load up Justintv’s player which might be more stable for you.
Thanks, it seems to be working a lot better through justin.tv
Hopefully Brig will supply us with a separate post for tonight’s Raab, but otherwise I guess we’ll discuss it here. I’ll start watching it properly in about 20 mins.
I’ll start the play-by-play here since no topic has been set aside for SdR by Brig.
Tonight’s candidates are Igor, Alex, Femke, Peter and Max. Out of these 5, I haven’t narrowed it down to a couple I’d like to see take on Stefan like I usually do.
I will also note that Stefan’s wearing a Stone Cold Steve Austin-style knee brace tonight after his injury 3 weeks ago.
Normally, Raab trades on Betfair at 1.5 before the start of the show. He’s been at 1.7 this time because of his knee.
AARGH, and the snookers on, and The Cube is on. TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW!
After my poor betting decision with the Grand National, I don’t think I’ll be betting again any time soon, although I DID deposit a fiver on my Sky Vegas account and got a mystery £3 bonus, then played Low-Stakes Blackjack and turned it into £20…
And the results are in! Let’s see who’ll be playing against Stefan tonight for €2m…
It’s not Femke
It’s not Max
It’s not Alex
And it’s not Igor
Tonight’s Kandidate ist…PETER!!!
This is why I never bothered last time and don’t think I will this time. You’re too quick on this!
And tonight’s contender is Peter!
Game 1 – Handschellen
Looks like they’ll be locked in handcuffs behind their backs, with the key attached by a thin chain. First to break out wins, I’m guessing?
Looks like it! Interesting first game!!
Welcome to Schlag den Raab… After Dark!
And Raab SMASHES it!
With all the pleasantries out of the way, the battle for €2m begins with…
SPIEL 1 – Handschellen (Handcuffs)
A stagehand brings on a table with 2 pairs of handcuffs with the key on a chain between them. Both Peter and Stefan have their hands handcuffed behind their backs, and it looks like it’ll be a race to swing the key into their hands by any way possible to unlock them. First to free themselves wins.
And it takes Stefan no time at all to unlock himself!
Peter 0 – 1 Stefan
Game 2 – Spiele
Identify the game by the board? First to 5, usual rules?
Spiel 2 – Spiele (Games)
Peter and Stefan are shown pictures of the board from various board games and must say what game they are from. First to 5 points wins, usual rules apply (correct answer gains a point, wrong answer gives a point to your opponent).
Looks like they can’t identify Carcassonne. Great game, I’ve played it and I’m rubbish at it.
Stefan made up for it by identifying Catan
Stefan wins 5 to nothing.
Peter 0 – 3 Stefan
Stefan romps the game 5-0
Peter 0 – 3 Stefan
GAME THREE IS PONG WITH CARS!!!!!!!!!!!
Spiel 3 – Smart Eball
Not a game I’m familiar with. Exterior shot shows 2 Smart cars in lanes with a wall at one end…
Game 3 – Smart eball.
No idea what eball quite means, but the smart means Smartcars apparently! Outside we go…
And as usual, a weird competition question.
What can the Kandidate win on SdR?
2 million Euros…or 2 million ant babies? O_o
And Brig’s FAVOURITEST GAME EVER is on Cube at the moment (Barrier).
AH CRUD!!! I forgot about The Cube!!! I’ll have to watch it on +1…
Barrier is his sarcastic-favourite-game-ever? Oh dear.
(nobody will remember why I said that when the time comes)
To be fair, it’s the first time it’s appeared this series.
Alrighty, after a long ad-break, let’s see what this Smart Eball is all about…
I’m guessing Dan will be right with it being Pong with Smart cars.
We might find out soon, if we’re lucky.
I believe I heard that they will play for 4 minutes and whoever has the highest score will win.
Can Peter bring it level by winning this game?
The cars are electric. This is unimportant.
Indeed, it is Pong with Smart Cars. On a video wall in front of Stefan and Peter is a Pong game. They must drive forward to move their car-shaped bat up and reverse to move it down.
Peter seems to be moving his bat too late, giving Stefan the points.
Peter’s a bit late on the reactions, given Stefan a lead at the half way point (if it is 4 minutes)
Yup, Stefan wins this one 9-1 thanks to Peter being a little late on the pedal.
Peter 0 – 6 Stefan
Hope this isn’t a whitewash.
Peter’s a bit rubbish at this. MY PREDICTION for tonight: Raab to win with Peter getting 10 or less points in the evening.
I might be being pessimistic.
After 4 minutes, Stefan wins 9-1
Peter 0 – 6 Stefan
And for Brig’s benefit when he gets in, a Twitpic:
http://twitpic.com/9hqmzm
I’m enjoying watching the people walking in small screen whilst the adverts are on. It actually makes me want to watch the adverts.
Thanks gys, just tuning into it now.
Spiel 4 – Croquet!!!
I’m not familiar with the rules of croquet, but I know it uses balls and mallets. I guess Stefan and Peter have to get both their balls through the numbered gates in order and hit the pole at the end, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.
The coin toss landed red, so Peter goes first.
I have played croquet, and the rules are fairly simple – but the games are quite long so I don’t know if they’ll play by all the normal rules.
And indeed they aren’t, it’s just get them through the hoops as quick as you can.
I can see they’re using a rule where if your ball hits your opponent’s, you get to hit again. I’m assuming that’s normal?
And they have to swing the mallet between their legs rather suggestively if you ask me.
Peter seems to be doing pretty well this game!
Peter doing well?! Amazing. And that’s how mallets are normally swung, suggestive or not.
If they hit an opponents ball, they get another shot, by the looks of it.
In real croquet, if you hit a ball you’ve not hit yet this turn (called a roquet), you get to pick your ball up, put it next to the one you’ve just hit, and have one more shot in which you can make one or both balls move. Whenver you go through a hoop, whether you’ve hit any balls or not get reset.
But that’s not quite what they’re playing here.
Oh, wow! A game that Peter’s actually good at! He’s leading 5-2 right now.
Howdy all, I’m joining now. Gutted I missed the car Pong game!
And it looks like Peter wins!
Peter 4 – 6 Stefan
NOT A WHITEWASH. Phew.
Pong With Cars not unique to SdR, but good on them for seeing the potential and signing it up quickly: http://gizmodo.com/5903053/pong-played-with-two-smart-cars-but-what-about-grand-theft-auto
Anyone else’s stream a bit dodgy at times here, or is it my internet?
Try using the justin.tv link using the button just above the video. I found that stream was better.
That’s the one I’m using sorry, should have specified. It seems to have sorted itself out for now!
OK, after the musical number…
Spiel 5 – Stimmt’s (Is that right)
A mainstay of SdR. First to make 4 mistakes loses.
Stefan makes an early mistake, but other than that they’re both playing very well. This might go on a while.
… is what I typed, then Stefan made another mistake!
Indeed, Stefan didn’t know that the word ‘Stewardess’ can be typed using only the left hand.
Stefan loses this one…
Peter 9 – 6 Stefan
And Peter takes it with 0 mistakes to Stefan’s 4!
Peter 9 – 6 Stefan
And Peter takes the lead!
Game 6 – Kickern
Foosball!
Spiel 6 – Kickern (Kickers)
Ah, a game of Foosball!
I always assumed foosball was a word of German origin, amusingly.
I always thought of it as American in origin. I’ll assume there’s a ‘no spinning’ rule being enforced here…
Table Football, with No Spinny Spinny, by the looks of it.
Whoever loses this one will likely kick themselves.
‘Spinning’ your players is not allowed, for anyone who couldn’t work out what was heppening there.
Wow, Stefan’s really kicking booty at this game!
Stefan wins 10-2!
Peter 9 – 12 Stefan
It’s still anyone’s game…