7:35pm UK time, France 2
It’s the most exciting day of the year! When all the speculation comes to an end and we get to see what precisely they’ve done with the show this year. It looks like it’s an expansion on last year’s ideas – more room theming and greater emphasis on the new adventures of which there are lots. There’s a new actress playing Judge Blanche and new gaming tables in the Council, the significance of which is yet to be determined. It also sounds like there are only three games played in the Council this time round, with 3:15 as a base time for the Treasure Room and games worth +/- 10, 15 and 20 seconds, which doesn’t change the fact that if it’s anything like last year it feels a lot of effort for not much reward, and if you started at 2:30 and just made the games worth 20, 30 and 40 seconds if they got won is exactly the same maths but feel a lot more rewarding and a lot less of a waste of time.
Still though.
You’re probably wondering how you’re going to watch this. At the moment the only solution I know, short of installing a satellite dish, is a paid for one – sign up to a VPN with locations in France (VyprVPN is the one I use) then watch it on Pluzz. Other solutions may present themselves, and if anyone finds any they are welcome to put it in a comment.
If you have TV5Monde Europe you can watch last year’s episodes on Saturday nights from 5:25-ish, and you can see our show discussion post for that series here.
Here’s this year’s pre-title sequence showing a lot of the things off, courtesy of fortboyard.net:
So happy to watch it tonight
Darn it the VPN stufff is a bit pricey for me atm. I hope someone can find a naughty stream or something.
I dont want to have to wait a year to see it on TV5 here.
Mmm, I’ve never looked for a naughty France 2 livestream before, but that doesn’t mean they don’t xist.
Incidentally, Andy Akinwolere off off Blue Peter is hosting Kiddy Boyard this year, presumably Geno Segers didn’t fancy it.
Actually geno said he wasnt asked back
Oh that’s interesting, I’m sure I read somewhere they were in talks with him.
Still, two UK hosts next time. Interesting.
think its just a UK show now but a hour long
That’s just how I originally suspected! Amazing.
I predict that Fort Boyard: UC will just be the same as the last series, only longer and UK based only.
I predicted that months ago. Catch up!
For those outside of France like me there is a new update of Pluzz Universal Unlocker available on this page: http://blog.you-test.ch/?m=201204
Then you just have to paste the Pluzz.fr URL for the video you want to watch. In this case: http://www.pluzz.fr/fort-boyard.html
Sadly as i said in a previous post. Im unable to do what i did last year with the giving you links since pluzz has changed to flash
Should anyone want to watch the episode there is a way which i used last year and is still working this year. You need to download something called TVO. Its french. Once u download it you need to go to the top right corner and put in Web TV. And in the next box TVO TV. click on France 2 and then press Regarder..
Download at ur own risk tho sadly
This also doesnt require a VPN thing or anything but u got to watch it live
I found a site live streaming France 2!
http://www.tv-kino.net/stream/live/fr/france2.html
It worked for me anyway and judging by the info, is completely accurate!
Brig Edit: Cheers Jared, great find. I should just warn you *might* get a pop-up ad or two that’s a bit naughty, although maybe you’ll find that’s a bonus, I don’t know.
Very nice find. Yea and its accurate
Thanks. 🙂
I was a bit skeptical at first that it was time-delayed or would lock out after a certain time viewing it. So far it hasn’t.
Let’s hope it won’t, haha.
i dont think France 2 stream just the news.
That used to be the case but I believe the whole channel is streamed direct on Pluzz these days.
The news is on till 28 minutes past the hour, then a selection of smaller programmes. Fort Boyard will commence at 20:35.
My thoughts for this year. Keep it the same as last year. but with the new games. and it do fine.
>_< Busy, so can't watch the livestream. Gonna hope another good non-VPN method pops up.
I can reveal EXCLUSIVELY the writing in the book in the pre-titles titles is different to last year’s.
Jared’s link can also take you to a stream of 17 Meter on Pro7. It looks like the format is they’re playing games twice, once easy (“zart”) and once harder (“hart”). I’m not entirely sure, but I think I just saw a challenge where both competitors gave up on trying to reach the buzzer.
It seems to be non-elimination, with two teams of four playing games to rack up a cash bank. It’s 100 euros for the first game on zart, 200 for the first game on hart, then 300 for the second game hart, 400 zart, and so on up to game 8 for 1600 euros. Not sure what happens after that.
In the Interactive Cell or whatever it’s called, is the floor a proper touch screen or something or is it just controlled by the producers, like the Cube’s floor?
No, proper touch screen.
Underwater handcuffs was a bit less exciting than you’d think
So my thoughts on the episode. Its good. it carrys on from what 2011 had. Which in my opinion you should not mess with whats not broken. the new games look good although as stated the underwater handcuffs is actually abit dull. It was great to see Pied Marin (the rocking boat) back to a hide and seek for the clue. Red alert was kinda abit boring too.
Surprisingly The council was my biggest dissapointment. Only 3 duels and i dont think the riddle is really approiated in this case. You then got to the end where after a 25 minute segment they gained 5 seconds. Which doesnt really seem right.
Intrestly to see they had 14 key games (normally 12/13) as well as 6 clue games.
Mmm, OK. It was an entertaining two hours, although like most years after a revamp it invariably feels a *little* disappointing.
The presentation is all basically the same so no real need to go into it, other than I still think the adventure music is a bit disappointing these days. Do you remember when Adventure Line were proud enough of their soundtracking they’d release albums of them? It’s difficult to see that happening these days. SAYING THIS, I think I quite liked the new snake music (it’s not just heartbeats this year) and the new council music (although I couldn’t hear it very well, perhaps it was low down in the mix). Also, really glad they ditched the cheap Apple alarm buzz for the 20 second countdown timer.
The new games (and indeed the old games) *look* really good but they’re also, frankly a bit easy and short. Red Alert took all of about 30 seconds. I was hoping for a new Underwater House for the Underwater Menotte, what we got wasn’t even as exciting as the normal Menotte (although I loved the entrance to the game). Also that means with that and the Cold Room there are TWO new menotte games this year! Come on Adventure Line, surely there are other game mechanics!
I was expecting Gagarine to be a bit more exciting than it turned out, with more in the way of lights and distractions. Percolator was OK. Earth to the Moon seemed a bit easier than it was when it was the Chapel Clock. If Red Alert is going to be that short, they should have to go back the way she came – how about five strikes makes the key inaccessable, seven strikes bolts the door? That would mean there’s still a game even if they stuff it up initially.
The big seesaw and the interactive spider wall game were a lot of fun to watch, although the seesaw is surely going to be impossible with people of different weights? I think it needs a bit more thinking through. Inverse tyrolene I don’t think has quite enough going for it and needs another element I think.
New Judge Blanche is basically a triumph – really like the book of judgement introducing each game and the new graphical look. Again I have the same issue I have last year – if there are no prisoners and they get all their keys this bit doesn’t need to happen so producers have to *make sure* it does using underhand tactics – as far as I know, there is no potential bonus for getting your seven keys without fault. I would have been quite happy to ditch the council completely and conflate the two things with the Judge (four games, X amount to sort out keys and prisoners, any left over to win Treasure Room time) except improbably the Council has become interesting (I’ll get to that in a second).
It’s really great that cause and effect have returned since the revamp – prisoners don’t get automatic release they have to earn it and they might not win, but I’ve long suspect producers will want them to win because they’ve paid their fee and want to use them, but I also think audiences like game changing punishment for bad play. Would there be any mileage in suspending their sentence so they can do the adventures, then locking them up in a cage next to the treasure room? That way they can’t be sacrificed, they can’t collect gold, it’s still a team punishment but you’ve got value out of them. And you could offer them a chance to possibly breakout (yes, with a big bunch of keys). This way *everyone* gets what they want.
As I say, the Council surprisingly really good – for me it’s usually the most boring bit of the show but the new catching game was hilarious (and would fit in Schlag den Raab well) and Pere Fouras doing a riddle was an unexpected yet pleasant twist. However the core fact remains – they started with three minutes, they ended with three minutes and five seconds and it took us ten-fifteen minutes to get there. If they’d started with 2:15 as a base and made the game values 20, 30 and 40 seconds the end result would be exactly the same but it *feels* like they’ve earned something significant.
So, looking forward to the rest of the series (and especially the night time episodes) although I wasn’t blown away like I was last year.
I agree about what you said for Red Alert. I found the game exciting until I found out she didn’t have to go back the same way, which let the game down.
The inverse zip-wire could of had more to it, but it wasn’t too bad considering there was 1:20 on the clock. Looked quite a dangerous position to land in the water too, even if it is in the water!
Underwater Handcuffs was disappointing, I agree. Although I woudln’t say there were two new Menotte games as one of them is not a Handcuff one.
Talking of the Cold Room, I was quite impressed with that actually considering it was a Clue game in a cell and not involving animals. I found Percolator and Gagarine rather good actually. It would have been more entertaining if the contestant fell over, which I assume normally happens. I’m not that good at French but didn’t Olivier say he was surprised that he didn’t fall over? The seesaw game impressed me too. I know it would be hard with people with different weights, but I think that is kind of the point of the game. Also really glad The Bell is used as an adventure again!
Some of the new music was good too. The key game music is really good at the moment. I’m liking the new tracks too, particulary the one to Rocket game.
I quite liked the new sewer music for some reason and I prefered the heartbeat sound in it this year than the music used for it last year; this may be an unpopular opinion.
I also really the Cold Room music; I kind of wanted the show to have a music track a bit like that. It sounds a bit like one of the tracks that Channel 5 used in a few Fort Boyard games, particulary the Catapult and Surplomb.
But yeah, the clue game music overall isn’t as good as it used to be. I miss the old Flooded Cellars music (for that game only, not over ones like the Immerged Cage and Underwater Handcuffs) and the Snakes music. They should create modern versions of those. But I feel that so far, the clue game music is sounding better than last year (hence what I said about the Cold Room music). The new Snakes music has improved a bit.
Another thing. Is it me or does the music in the background sound a bit louder than it did last year? If so, I think that’s good as it sounded a bit too quiet last year.
Actually yes, the newer key game music has improved in recent years.
I couldn’t hear the background tunes very well, although that might be because of the streaming, I don’t know.
Ah right. I agree that the adventure music isn’t as good as it used to be, but at the moment, it is sounding better than last year. I like the Cold Room music tbh.
Fortboyard.net appears to be down, which is irritating.
I wasn’t able to watch this because I was out watching Spiderman. I know, I’m sorry. I assume the graphics are the same, right?
Same as last year. apart from some new door designs
Just found the epsiode on Youtube for anyone wanting to watch..
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd0LD_Cwre0&list=UUU598wkO2eWZEIgg9aVU6MQ&index=2&feature=plpp_video
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmHma16OUEw&list=UUU598wkO2eWZEIgg9aVU6MQ&index=1&feature=plpp_video
Enjoy
<3
Wait, so the maximum treasure room time isn’t 4 minutes any more?
3:45 maximum feels…odd.
I think if u win all 3 u get a bonus 15 seconds maybe
Ratings are in. Last year miss france team pulled in 2.9million viewers. This year 3.4 million (17.9% Audience share) And came in second.
Good start, but can it reach 4 million. It was damn close last year.
Lol Superstar on ITV got less viewers lol
Random thoughts:
I actually *liked* how they did the Duels this year. In past years I usually skipped this segment, but just taking away one duel seems to make it that little bit better.
Applies to last year too, but I don’t entirely miss the co-host role, except it feels like it could really use it in the treasure room segment. Anne-Gaelle especially, adding to the panic, making it seem like more of an event. The night lighting helped, too.
Glad they dropped the Visual Clue game from the Interactive Cell.
Still not sure about clue games used as key games. Gives nice variety, but at the same time, losing the whole cell idea feels like it drops the point of the first half.
New games:
Red Alert – Yeah, bit of a copout at the end. And maybe too easy in general?
Earth to the Moon – Not really much to say. Okay returning game, cool visual style.
Gagarine – A lot of ado for a riddle. Better than the Visual Riddle from Interactive, but feels like it’ll get old fast.
Percolator – Will need to see more of this before I really decide. Can’t tell if too easy, or if the player was just really good. It’s like one of those ones that probably seemed really good on paper. I’d actually like to keep seeing it, but made a bit harder, maybe mini-hurdles on the disk ala Knights & Warriors?
(Not New, but) Pied Marin – Back to Finders Keepers style. Kinda preferred last year’s version, maybe shoulda kept the same idea, but made the course a little easier?
Balance – Really fun to watch (admit it, you laughed when the guy jumped off, making the other person fall from that height). Fairly certain I know what “The Trick” to this game is, hopefully it’ll take a while for the players to learn.
Cold Room – Would either rather it be a key game, or somehow taken up a notch in intensity. Would almost rather it BE Menotte, in Menotte’s original room/setup, take away all the wheels and obstacles but have the cold bits set up in there. As a key game for the lock-in danger.
Underwater Menotte – Absolutely agree with Brig, too short. The game never felt dangerous. I mean, obviously you don’t want to put the players in real danger, but it never felt like it got close. And if an Adventure only has a 90 second time limit, something ain’t right. Don’t entirely mind two new games with the similar mechanic, but hopefully they won’t be in the same show again. Understandable this time since I’m assuming they wanted the first show to show all the new ones.
Inverse Tyrolienne – Cool concept, but way too short. Kinda wished the drop was immediately after the device was activated. But, then again, the fact that they added that game device in kinda shows how little there was to this one. And like U-Men, that time limit…
—
Overall, still love the show. Aside from what I said about the Treasure Room segment, presentation-wise it keeps getting better. Just… another year where the new games aren’t entirely that impressive.
Cold Room – Would either rather it be a key game, or somehow taken up a notch in intensity.
Yeah I think I know what you mean although it’s nice to see at least a new idea in terms of something to test discomfort. I quite like it when they have adventures in the cells of the fort, it’s usually a sign of imagination.
Idle thought: next year they should use the Watchtower as a prison (if they’ve done it up it’s a shame not to use it – the prisoners can watch helplessly) and they should bring back some form of underground game. Even Arianne!
I think one of the problems with this particular episode is that the team were rather good at most of the games.
In the cold room the young lady immersed herself in a tank of iced water with barely a flinch. Compare to 71 Degrees North, or even Born Survivor. The gentleman in the abandoned cabin stood stoically throughout his riddle, compare this time to last years leaping and screaming.
The young man in underwater handcuff had no difficulty with the swimming, cold water, breath holding or casual nudity. He also played Percolator with very little problem at all.
I think we just need to see a less competent and/or more easily frightened team take on the new games.
That being said, combining the weaker games; Red Alert, Inverse Tyrolienne and some kind of puzzle element would make an exciting Mission Impossible style interval game for the whole team.
It’ll be interesting to see if exactly the same time limits are used on future episodes. The cynic in me thinks that maybe (e.g.) the handcuffs game was designed to be 1.30 or 2.00 but they put a 1.20 clock on it to make it more exciting so that they got the key just in time.
Some of the games do seem to be rather straightforward. I can’t believe how bad the players seem to be at the computer-based games. “Look behind you, woman! Behind you!”
Quite a few games in the past have had unusual time limits, although yes it will be interesting to see if they’re stable.
When I first read about the inverse tyrolene, I thought the idea was they’d slide down, unattach themselves, attach a box with the code in to the tyrolene, the rest of the team have to pull it back up.
I can’t help but think I’ve accidentally invented the better game, here.
For Comment Number 50, here’s a Yank perspective. . .
Show’s opening was clever, but I was wondering how Leslie Grantham would have handled it. He’d have probably had a ball closing the book on the Tinker Bell wannabee. And “bla bla bla” does not appear to need translation!
(Of course, being a non-Francophone, I don’t really know what kind of character Father Fouras is supposed to have. Seems eccentric enough.)
IT’s always good that “Fort Boyard” makes use of some of the old favorites, like “Excalibur” and “Cloche”. And it’s good that they can put a new coat of paint on “Chapel Clock”, and make it better. It almost makes up for them tarting up “Cylindres” in such garish colors that the Anglo-American version calls it “Candy Roll”.
(By the way, is Miss Modja an American? She threw in some Emglish phrases in there, and got a laugh by singing “I once was scared, but now I’m petrified!” when she was strapped into the Cloche. (Yet, she accomplished her task, which made it all the more satisfying.)
And what were the names of those first two Duels? I agree that a mere riddle form Father Fouras isn’t exactly duel material.
I think she also yelled “I really hate you guys!” during one moment. Might have been in Jarres.
Well, at least they didn’t chuck Miss Modja into the Snake Pit, or among the Spiders and Scorpions!
How would she do in The Cube?
Best team ever this week.
For the first time ever in Fort Boyard history. Im kinda speechless. Looks like were getting some repeated games here. Salle de Torture is back for a third week next week.
This sounds juicy.
Waiting for a sneaky YouTube link.
Umm. i dont think ive ever seen a worser team.
Also can someone explain to me what happened at the end of Lutte?
Nothing Happend. She just had to slide out to exit the cell
Catherine Laborde definitely deserves some kind of prize for ‘least amount of time spent in the cells of Fort Boyard’. I’ve never seen anyone get out of the shrinking room that quickly!
Loved the two scenes with Pere Fouras congratulating his two favourite girls.
I agree with you. a prize must be awarded.
Intresting to see this year isnt at all focused on prisoners.
Also lots of music changes this year
I’m french so I have no difficulties to watch it, but for those who can’t, you can make exchanges on “fort boyard inventaire”.
I agree with the fact that Catherine Laborde wasn’t involved as she should have been. Tonight, I was clearly disappointed. However, Nelson Montfort will be here next week, and his team can be reassured to have such an awesome guy.
Episode 2 is up on YT!
1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCvC8lUqW-s
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GdpOTg1-UQ
An amazing episode, not seen so many people just give up like that, especially Catherine Laborde!
Still don’t love the music changes. Key games should be whimsical and upbeat in the main, adventures should have something with a strong tune. If they haven’t bought back Variation No. 1 for the tyrolene for the night episodes in favour of something nondescript I will be BLOODY HAVING WORDS.
Paul Koulak isn’t the only composer on the credits now. Other people are composing music now. I doubt Variation No. 1 will be brought back sadly, as much as I want it to happen. I’m not sure if Paul is even doing any more tracks now, his name might just be there for the current music used on the show that has been credited by him.
I think the show are trying to give more of the music a more ‘tense’ feel for the adventures. I’m not loving the fact that games like the Snake Pit, Lobster Pot, Instable Chair, Flooded Rooms have their classic musics; a modern version of them like they use now for the Moving Head now would be great. I agree with what you are saying with what the clue game music should be.
I like the key game music actually. Some of the new music (like the one used in the Powder Keg) sounds like the sort of music Channel 5 would have used for their key games, which I liked.
But if I was reviving Fort Boyard, I’d try and make sure that the music is good again.
Moving away from that, my word. Possibly one of the WORST teams ever. Catherine Laborde is like the Gillian McKeith of France, terrible at animal games. She should get one of the gold coins as a prize for being one of the worst contestants ever, lol!
I really miss Paul Koulak as a composer tbh 🙁 His music made the show better. I’m liking the key game music, not so much the adventure music.
Well tbh we have had the same music package for 8 years now
Well that’s not actually true is it?
It is actually. 2003-2011. where most of the music has been used. They brought some new tracks in 2006 and 2009 but the 2003 ones have always been there. But ive not heard any of them since 2011.
Anyone else noticed a different running theme at the end of Pere foras gyro riddle?
They basically completely refreshed everything in 2009, except for a few tracks, and then they basically completely overhauled it last year. I remember complaining that the key game stuff was far too overblown and dramatic for what it was (although in fairness some of it works quite well today now they’re used for key game adventures). They’ve since gone back on this style.
It’s a big bugbear of mine because it used to be such a strong package. They don’t even use last year’s underwater music, and that was probably the strongest and most Boyard-esque piece out of the new stuff.
Thats true. but i was saying a few music were used in 2010-2011. But now it seems everything been redone. Even Tapis has new music.
Won’t lie tho. i actually kinda like the new tapis music
They did use last year’s underwater music in the underwater handcuffs didn’t they? If I’m talking about the right one.
And I think 2009 had very dramatic and overblown music for the key games. It is a bit more like that now but not as much.
Indeed they did
I really like the Powder Keg music, not gonna lie 🙂
You’re right, it IS Channel 5-y.
And this is the only way that can be a positive.
It’s like it’s trying to be both the Mission Impossible and James Bond themes without being sued. And it’s great.
It seems as those there giving Cell’s a unique music theme. which is a nice idea. The older packaged just rotated the music for the games (Though certain games like excaibur and Souris got the same music). It be intresting to see what music is played in old games such as Menotte and Balles De coton when they are played this year.
As i stated earlier the tapis music really fits the game for some reason. its kinda treadmilly and fun. I wish they actually brought back the clue game music. I really hope they use the Pont de singe track this year.
Epsiode 2. Rathing have dropped to just under 3 million (16.5% audience share)
A shame but it was also Bastille Day and there’s usually a lot of stuff going on.
As an analysis. The team did really bad we can all agree on that. In percolator Jars and the shrinking cell were exited early. While I think real effort was put into baguettes, salle des tortueres and Beam jets. I felt powder keg was abit lame since she didnt get the grasp of the game. The visual riddle was abit of a “Have a key”. Then the team got easy games such as Lutte and Tourniquet which they lost. They were very close in tapis which was a shame. Cellure intractive i thought they would do easy but he failed so bad. And Pere foras riddle in gagarine lasted well over a minute (guess the clock isnt a minute). And tord looked alot slower than usual
What confused me about Tord was how WRONG he played it, yet he still won?
Actually, I do have a question about Gagarine. Which may have been answered if my French was better/I paid better attention. Noticed there’s a red button in front of the player’s seat. I’m assuming it’s an auto-stop button, but if so, would that just stop the machine, or would it also result in a lock-in? Or have they not noted it?
i noticed the button but idk
Epsiode 3. Basics need to be retaught. Espeically in the places least expected. The aim is to come out of the game with a key.
Very good team This week. Makes up for last week
Episode 3 on youtube. Link to part 1 is
I can’t help but think that Nelson Montfort was a bit deadweighty. Still a good team though.
I think he was there more for the comedy reasons to keep the atmosphere going
He’s been on a few times before, I think. I think the current contestant coordinator strategy is to have the teams led by someone who has been in broadcasting for a while to help draw a slightly older crowd.
I was amused at how annoyed the bloke was when the team pulled him out of Ring too early/
Actually by the clepsydre. It was only just like 3 seconds too early. It was running out pretty quick. and there was certainly less than 20. I think he was annoyed the fact the key was so close and like 2 more hits would been it
I think you’re watching a different show. There was *loads* of time left.
There was like 16 seconds from when he got out of the cell to when the clepsydre ran out. it was only just a few seconds earlier.
Which, when he was one punch away in a game like Ring is *absolutely years*.
i suppose. i see your point mate
Liked the running music at the start. I love how the 2009 music had the tune to the traditional classic FB running music in that tune, if you see what I mean. Is it new or made a few years ago and not been used before?
There a few versions of the tune. There an awesome lose version as well
3.2 Million. Up from last week. 17.8% Market share. Second place for a third week
I still dont understand how a cell with 3 ppl multiply ur chances to forget a key (perches) And at that critical moment
I was more amused that usually it’s the guys pushing the girls up on the pole.
…
And that sentence will never be in a non-sexual context ever again.
ANYWAYS,
Was surprised to see Gagarine used as an adventure, though, guess it makes sense.
Will never buy into Coton as an auto-lock in game. I say this every year, and I mean it every year.
It did feel a bit of a cop-out, like the producers thought “damn, they got through Menotte, we can’t let them have that, let’s try to lock them in again”.
There being really nice with prisoners this year however. either giving 1 lock in game or none. And it would cut down the show by about 15 mins if they didnt have a prisoner
Does really make me wonder how much producer “interference” takes place. I mean, it’s celebs, for charity, so not like it’d be some huge scandal or conspiracy, and aside from adventures, I can’t imagine it’d be that hard just to have a bunch preset, ready to go. Like, maybe last week they HAD a lock-in game set to go, saw the team sucking, so switched it out…
Then again, maybe this IS some non-secret secret (like, “OMG WRESTLING IS FAKE D:”) and I’m just slow. 😛
And, like my sarcastic example, does it really matter, anyways?
I’ve been whinging about producer interference for ages, although it only seems to be an issue during the key collection (although I had read things suggesting they have in the past filmed an extra adventure and cut out one of the more boring ones) – they need an imperfect game to set up part two so they’re jolly well going to capture someone if necessary. It’d be nice if they had enough confidence in their own 23 year old format to just let whatever happen happen. If they have a perfect game, perhaps they could have opportunities to win clues from the judge or something. I don’t believe it’s fake, they just try and set-up jeopardy rather heavy-handedly.
Similarly I have no real problems with the idea of win or bust games, although it seems odd to apply it to just one room and only when the producers fancy it.
Almost reminds me of a (really bad) rage comic I did a few seasons ago.
…
…
Damn I feel old.
http://i.imgur.com/JMH0Q.png
However thats my favruoute Rage comic from 2009!
I actually personally believe that alot of the cell’s are actually set up. and depending on how well a team is or isnt doing then the games may change accordingly. to slow them down and all that. Like in 2007 there was a time where they had 6 keys and 0 prisoners and still 20 mins. I cant see Them being given 40 minutes of clue games
I also wonder about them refilming parts. like sometimes the reactions of contestants dont feel real
Not sure about the refilming, but one thing that’s gotten me about the past couple seasons is that they don’t even try to pretend it’s in real time anymore. I mean, maybe it was at one point, but there’s just little edits here and there that just lose the illusion. (Most obvious is the mic/shoe removal for Lutte. At least this season they’re showing shoe removal, but in previous seasons, they did the shoes, removing the lapel mic and wireless pack, and now it’s just “boom, enter”)
But, really, still love the show, and it’s not like this is OMG HOW DARE THEY, but just, I’d rather they just drop some of the conceits.
There actually alot of edits this year. With lots of the running actually being edited out. And actually this year the actual 45 mins on screen isnt real time. its around about 48 minutes (i timed it)
I don’t think it’s been real time since about 1992.
Actually a fun thing spotted on the subject of edits, apparently Balles de Coton took -19 seconds to play. I’ve not noticed the main clock actually ADD time before.
Yep, they also used to do the microphones for Tapis Roulant as well – I think there is something to be said for shows being *too* slick and a bit characterless these days.
I’d be happy to tear up the rulebook and chuck out the global clock like the Canadians did and do a set number of games, although I think there would still need some excuse to begin with Labouille banging the gong. Hey! You could even bring back the wallchart thing they had in 2009 when they stupidly put it in the background of all the promo shots so you knew exactly what was going to happen and when.
Here is my current Fantasy Fort Boyard, keeping modern TV convention into account (this is always subject to change and improvement):
* Team gets 13 chances to make their seven keys. The first event is always one of the physical adventures to give an excuse for Laboule to bang his gong. Prisoners go to prison. Ideally they’d film this bit in the late evening.
* The team go and visit the judge. The judge has four trials in store. In the first instance the team must make up the keys. Then everyone who was taken prisoner gets a game, and finally if there are any trials left the team can earn treasure room time, starting at 2:30 and increasing with 15 seconds for a win. People who lose their game to escape prison don’t go back to prison, they are marked in some way for later. There is no penalty for failing a trial to win time.
* There are six adventures, one of which is a riddle. Ideally it will be dark at this point.
* The council is ditched. Use the space for something more worthwhile (although as previously suggested, I think it’s more interesting now than it has been basically ever).
* The treasure room. People who have been marked for failing to please the judge are locked up in a cage off to one side of the platform where they can’t be sacrificed and can’t collect gold. Team gets 45 seconds thinking time (TENSE MUSIC) beginning with a bell and ending with Laboulle banging his gong (the gong is iconic, you don’t get rid of it) then the door opens and the 2:30+ begins whether they have a word or not. If they win then alongside the cascading coins is a keyring with 20 keys on it, hopefully the team will realise they can give this to the prisoners who might be able to breakout and help collect the gold.
* Fin.
My only gripe about losing the game clock is that we won’t be able to see the BADASS steampunk clock again :<
Also in the council bit you could totally bring back the Box o’ Boyards from 2007-9. Although make it less complicated, obviously.
I’d say just mix the council and judge segments. Have Blanche, but have the Maitres present (new white clothing, maybe?), so it can be a mix of duels and individual challenges, still in the order “Freedom, Keys, time”.
Yes I could live with that. But it would have to be Keys, Freedom, Time.
Steampunk clock? I’m sure we could find a use for it.
Im actually starting to like The judgement part of the show. Its actually a real game changer. It would be better if they could actually particpate in the Treasure room in some way but with some kind of penalty. I find the prisoner for the rest of the game abit too far. The council really needs a dramatic change, or to be removed. I dont think 20 minutes of Duels just for an extra few seconds in the treasure room is really worth it.
Currently it seems there really focusing on giving each team 14 games for 7 keys. As well as 6 Clue games. Im still very intrested to see what would actually happen if a team got 7 keys and no prisoners. Surely something else could be thought of to give the show an extra 15 mins
I agree that they should have 14 games for the keys and to bring back the progress board. The steampunk clock could be used as an on screen clock for the games and challenges instead of using 7 different clocks for everything.
I agree that they should get rid of the council and use the room of judgement for the treasure room time. Start at 2:30 and offer them 3 chances to add 30 seconds to the time. If they succeed in the challenge they add the time ,if they fail that person becomes a prisoner.
I think that the prisoners escaping should be brought back. Mix it in with the number of keys that they are short of so that if they are a key short someone else needs to go down the path and has to do something like unscrew a bolt holding the key in a box with a snake (i know they did that in the escape bit). Give them a time limit to do it like 5 minutes to get out or they are kept as a prisoner.
I think at the tresure room they should also be able to sacrifice time to release a prisoner (20 or 30 seconds possibly)
Epsiode 4. Lets get one thing straight. I did not let the dogs out.
the cafe coffee shop game actually has a really long time limit. Which is good since it was actually quite funny.
Im getting rather annoyed with the council. it seems to be getting rather pointless for little gain or loss.
Otherwise a good episode
On the basis of the first episode I think I’ve misjudged Perculator, everybody else appears to be completely useless at it.
I have to agree with you. Its also got a hefty 2:30 time limit to go with it.
I like how the transition from Cellule Interactive to Cloche was literally a metre or so, but they were made to run the long way round anyway.
Wish they’d actually shown her setting up for it in the background. Would’ve made for a funny image. Ah well, more obvious editing.
I swear the game after was on the same floor, and for a shot she was still trapped in it in the background.
It was Tisser. And yes she was still there while they were introduceing the game. tho by the time he came out. U saw the safety people just leaveing the area
I liked the bloke’s technique for that…
He would won if he didnt mess up with the buckets
And we also now know what happens if you hit the button in Gagarine – it ends it.
And they made the buckets easier this year, too.
That’s something I gotta give a ton of credit to the camera people for. Didn’t even notice it the first time around, and LOOKING for it on a rewatch, they’re always *just* out of frame. Or behind the tall guy.
Also how I’d improve Tremplin (the springboard one):
Have the cargo net bit on a pulley, so that from the start of the time, the net is slowly moving along a track towards the watchtower end. When the time runs out, the cargo net reaches the end of the track and drops to the ground. With the contestant on it.
Fun idea!
A good episode for people who like seeing producer interference foiled this week.
Right, we’ve got the ratings here:
2,855,000 viewers
2nd in France (less than 200,000 behind TF1)
15.2% share (for the three Endemol readers who care)
Good Team on Week 5 of Fort Boyard. Good to see Bizutage back. Nice looking cell. Also liking the new spiders room.
Ventouse is back next episode (which isnt next week)
2.7 Million For the epsiode this week. Basically the same as last week
And last week’s was France 2 biggest show on catch-up, apparently.
Anyway I liked what they done to Bizutage even if I’m not entirely sure what the theme of it is supposed to be. 1800s inn?
Also seem that Tapis is edited a bit. When oliver turns the clepsydre The contestant doesnt have anything covering her mic. But when shes in the room. Shes wearing something black protecting it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN6eYdzy47U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUEUVPmIGhE
That’s ep 6 for ya.
Shame it cut out the end bit of Menotte, but, seeing how she was going, not like it was going to be much of a surprise ending. (I actually really like it when it seems like one of the players has actually watched the show, and knows how to win stuff) It was actually a really nice show this time. Some strong players, some amusingly weak players, and some really good moments. Been ages since there’s been a good freakout on Saut.
I can’t work out why they didn’t go for another sacrifice at the end rather than wasting two minutes on trying to work it out. A secret rule? Also they got a lot of money for twenty seconds work, and it was weirdly edited. Oh Fort Boyard, have faith in your format for Christ’s sake. Just wait until I’m producing you.
Otherwise it was fun.
This week was a bit laxer than usual – Tord Boyaux’s door was open during the intro to the first game, a cameraman was visible during the slingshot game and the two most infamous lock-in games for one team?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLfOkBwFkI0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WboAg97gHLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKIExwwpu1Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cNvQHqpxd4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTweuHlq30w
Five parts this week, it seems. Time to watch.
ep 7 out of 8 (summer run) just hit over 3 million