The Crystal Maze launches with another Stand Up 2 Cancer special on Friday 23rd June 9pm. Will the series be going out on Friday nights? That doesn’t sit well with me. Still though.
Fort Boyard 2017 launches Saturday 24th at 7:55pm UK. We’ve set our page up for it.
Great weekend for adventure fans!
Aztec looks amazing! I’m predicted Fridays at 9pm so I suspect that’s the time the new series goes out.
If that’s the time the series is going out than that’s the time the series is going out. But I don’t like it, it’s not a show that screams Friday night to me, what are they hoping for putting it there?
Although I get that the celeb specials are likely going to have a higher emphasis on hijinks so are a better fit there.
Well I kinda called it I said it would start the week commencing the 19th, I said Friday 23rd but I was an hour out 9pm instead of 8pm.
So I call that a correct prediction
For any new information about the programme either through press media, social media feeds & Television adverts as well as theories about how the new show works before launch head here
https://www.facebook.com/Danny.Kerner.1990/media_set?set=a.10213703982654025.1073741830.1238933653&type=3
New today: The trailer for the U.S. revival of The Gong Show, launching June 22 and hosted by “legendary British comedian Tommy Maitland” (aka Mike Myers).
Tommy Maitland doesn’t have an indentifiable accent then.
Interesting, as I thought Myers may have given him one, to complete the in-joke for any passing UK viewers watching and gone “oh, looks like and sounds like Tarbuck/Forsyth/Monkhouse”
Given the characters backstory/social media profile put out by Mike Myers and the producers, it is an extrodinary extra amount of effort to put into this revival.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/3756311/the-price-is-right-set-for-another-telly-comeback-with-alan-carr-following-in-brucies-footsteps/
Apparently, Channel 4 are bringing back The Price is Right with Alan Carr.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DB_OSt4WsAUPjIv.jpg:large
Looks like that is official then. Hey, Alan Carr looks rather similar to Drew Carey!
If true – then that’s Channel 4 heading down the product placement mineshaft with unbridled joy.
First TGBBO – and I predict that all of the workbench equipment/ingredients will all be PP’s – and now TPIR.
The slow blurring of the lines between what is show content and what is a commercial break continues apace.
500 Questions is back in Germany on RTL on Monday. Wonder if anything will have changed. Looks the same from the commercial.
The Wall is being advertised as starting from the 30th of June.
here’s the primetime AUA! episode (only the first half for now)
the rules are like this:
men vs women 5-on-5 (four celebrities and one popular civilian contestant) standing alternatively in line.
Once a player is done playing, it goes to the back of the line.
When a player freezes, the money goes to the team’s bank.
At the end of the game, the team with the most money wins.
The final game is a little different because it’s for charity: 250 seconds on the clock, no extra 100 seconds, no freezing.
5 (in)correct answers win €25,000; 10 win €50,000; 15 win €100,000; 21 win the jackpot.
part1
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5pyuq0
Some Key Facts about the new Crystal Maze
Over 30,000 people put in applications to star on the show. This was shrunk down to 15 teams of 5 (five celebrity specials). Throughout the series they will be playing 41 new games between the four zones.
The maze spams 32,500 square feet. There is 19 tonnes of sand in Aztec. 5,600 gallons of water, (Confirms a water game) shared between the zones. 200 candles & 25 flaming torches. (Medieval)
16,000 Square feet of scenic background surrounding the maze, 200 plants are used throughout the maze and 40 LED panels of which mostly are used in Futuristic.
To add a view of all 4 zones have been released.
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213781787759104&id=1238933653&set=a.10213703982654025.1073741830.1238933653&source=48&ref=bookmarks
Another new trailer has dropped but this one is the propper promotional trailer.
https://youtu.be/yfRMDl19EgU
I re-uploaded the trailer due to signal breakup
https://youtu.be/K_XdGKswbTc
I have just watched back the trailer that shows off the games and going by my maths i saw
3 Aztec Games
2 Medieval Games
3 Futuristic Games
1 Industrial Game
We know Industrial will have at least 1 more & the same might be said for Medieval. If this is correct we will be having an average 11 Game programme.
Mmm. I had a theory that they would bill this as two series of ten episodes (mixed celebrity and civilian) and quite possibly have different games played over the first ten episodes to the ones over the second episodes. If this is the case and there are only 20 games played over the first ten episodes, then another 20 (well, 21) played over the second ten, then that would be less good but still far from horrible. If they still bill it as two series but have the same 41 games in series two as in series one… fair enough, it will have to do, especially if they do only play ten games per show, plus the Dome.
Just as plausibly, the five celebrity specials could be dotted all around the schedules as one-offs, and the regular series could be 15 civilian teams long, possibly in a different slot. Is there a way to know what the schedule is for Fridays from 30th June onwards?
To early to call on the week of 26th June yet. Also 16 weeks from 23rd will be 6th October so i think they will run it through with no breaks.
Does 41 new games mean it’s 41 games in total or will some classics return? Mumsy perhaps!
I’m sure in the original run it was 60+ games per season across 13 episodes, with 13-15 games an episode. If they keep it to 10 games an episode, or even squeeze in 12, I think we’re probably on for a little bit more repetition, but still in theory any game should only appear once every 4 episodes or so, so that’s not too bad and compared to most challenge shows of recent years who seem to have basically the same games week in week out, or just a couple of variations of them, that compares very well.
P.S. Still wish they’d done Ocean instead of Industrial, but maybe if they’re really being faithful to the original they’ll save that for series 4.
Not quite, 37 in the first series then between 46 and 49 for the subsequent ones, according to Marc Gerrish:
http://crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com/index.htm
41 would suggest we’re probably only getting ten games an episode I reckon. This is a shame and older people will whinge, but we’ll see.
Nothing is confirmed in regards to Total games per episode but if they use a ratio of more 2 minute games in regards to 3 a possible 12-13 game possibility is there.
They will give an opportunity for a minute run dome.
Maths:
10x 3 minute games = 30 mins
8x 2mins 8x 3mins = 32 mins
Intro = 2-3 minutes
Entrance to zone = 3 minutes
Zone 1 = 10 Minutes (3x 3mins games)or(2x 2mins 2x 3mins) maximum 4 games zone
Break 3-4 minutes
Transition to zone 2 = 2 mins
Zone 2 = 10 Minutes (3x 3mins games)or(2x 2mins 2x 3mins) maximum 4 games zone
Break = 3-4 minutes
Transition to zone 3 = 2 mins
Zone 3 = 10 Minutes (3x 3mins games)or(2x 2mins 2x 3mins) maximum 4 games zone
Break = 3-4 minutes
Transition to zone 4 = 2 mins
Zone 4 = 10 Minutes (3x 3mins games)or(2x 2mins 2x 3mins) maximum 4 games zone
Transition to Dome = 30 secs
Explanation of Rules = 45secs-1min
Dome = 1min
Countout = 2mins
Outro 90 secs
Using all my figures (max figures)
2+3+10+4+2+10+4+2+10+4+2+10+0.30+1+1+2+1.30= 69 minutes
If they shrink down the transitions to 1 minute and make the intro + entrance to the first zone a maximum 3 minutes the maths will look like this
3+10+4+1+10+4+1+10+4+1+10+0.30+1+1+2+1.30= 64 minutes
Therefore a 16 game programme will not be possible. so the absolute maximum of a games per zone will be 3 making it 12.
Logically if i was Channel 4 i would of done a bakeoff. keep the full 60 minute programme but split it over 75 minutes.
I’d be impressed if anyone had read all of that.
According to the website of host Tom Gleeson, Hard Quiz returns to ABC Australia for a second series beginning 2 August.
“If you’ve ever wondered what Mastermind would be like if Jimmy Carr hosted it.” – BB
There are two new characters introduced to the Crystal Maze. It looks like no Mumsey but they have sacrificed Medieval for Futuristic by replacing her with Jarhead. (Adam Buxton) Jarhead game sees one player answer a trio of riddles, which if correctly solved, will allow Jarhead to use his mind to release an all-important crystal for the team. Also BAFTA winner Jessica Hynes, known as The Knight, will be seen defending the realm of the Medieval Zone. Not sure if she is in charge of any games but we will see.
I’m presuming The Knight is shown in the trailer, apparently putting Louie Spence in some sort of prison.
Was wondering if that was a game, or a skit, or a change to the lock-in style to being more akin to Boyard.
Is that really Jessica Hynes? The character locking the prison looks too tall.
Just seen the news report, think the prison-locker is a different character.
It would seem a bit odd to hide Jessica Hynes under a massive helmet.
I think on paper these are all reasonable-to-good additions.
Pictures on Radio Times:
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-06-12/adam-buxton-and-jessica-hynes-join-richard-ayoade-in-channel-4s-crystal-maze-reboot
Short video of Jessica talking in character as The Knight – https://twitter.com/TheCrystalMaze/status/874277869916127232
and a weird Magic 8 Ball interactive thing with Jarhead – https://twitter.com/TheCrystalMaze/status/874235960141152261
Great stuff. Telling a the live experience is hardly doing anything to acknowledge this new series. Which adds to theory they had to some sort of verbal agreement to make the new series in Manchester. As much as I love the live experience, each have their own merits. They’re clearly doing a more proper reboot than those guys. I think Tom whatever his poncey name is , is clearly such an egotist. Never mention of the Indiegogo funders once they launched London. He ihas show Theresa May levels of arrogance.
Is there anyway to sort this out so posts via IOS/mobile work probably?
If you mean what I think you mean, getting a long single column, then until I update to BB4.0 your best bet is to turn your phone sideways. It’s an unfortunate effect of nesting replies which can only go eight deep anyway and is the default Jetpack mobile theme.
This article has just confirmed a Xmas special so in reality they have season 2 almost guaranteed.
https://inews.co.uk/essentials/culture/television/start-the-fans-please/
Just to manage expectations – this is probably just one of the 20 episodes being held back until December. It’s not like the show’s going to be on for 20 consecutive weeks anyway.
Looks like 41 new games.
http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/tv/the-crystal-maze/50099/the-crystal-maze-2017-12-changes-from-the-original
Also confirms ten games plus dome an episode because of the shorter commercial hour.
This is a pity, although understandable – a commercial hour is almost ten minutes shorter than it was 25 years ago.
I think everyone will huff and puff but ultimately if the show still works people will live with it.
Also suggests that with twenty episodes you’ll see each game five times, which is about what you’d have seen in the original, maybe an extra playing.
Makes me slightly disappointed that it’s only 10. If they can air formula one for an 1h 1/2 uninterrupted when live without any advertising I’m sure they can delete one advertising section by making it a two break structure. This possible idea could at least make all 4 zones equal with three games taking it to 12. It now means no matter what two zones each episode will have only two games.
In next week’s episode the two zones affected by the two game limit are Industrial & Medieval.
It also now means the old record of crystals gained will never be beaten only equaled if you have the perfect game.
Wonder if they’d ever consider games with multiple crystals…
Or do a ruby crystal game which equals 10 secs of time. So at least 50 secs is more possible
Add a joker that doubles the crystals for the next game, but with the caveat that the player can’t leave without the crystal?
The Jarhead game seems the most obvious way of doing it by giving a Crystal for every correct answer.
Which won’t trouble anyway apart from maybe the most anal of people.
That was in regards of records not being broke.
I’m not sure you can compare coverage of a live sporting event Channel 4 have no control over in terms of the structure to an entertainment show designed to work for Channel 4 and advertisers. Your average viewer isn’t going to be obsessed with the amount of games they get in like some of us are and comparing that to the original. Indeed if the original was still on air and hadn’t been off air the break formula would’ve have changed. There is no reason why TCM would work differently to any other show as much as we might like it too.
Formula 1 has all the supporting programming and the highlights non live races where they can pump the advertisments the live races themselves are sort of a loss leader.
But yeah two things aren’t comparable. Bit like how the rule book goes out the window for football becuase it has too.
I’m not shocked- unless you wanted some 90-second games, going down to 10 games makes more sense for the timeslot (plus helps explain the team going down to 5 players- 10 games comes out even).
Though I do wonder if the games will be slightly easier; otherwise you could be looking at a lot of shows where they take only two or three crystals to the dome (they say they’re aiming for five or six in the article)
And you had to figure they would try and get a contestant from the original series on, and they did…
Well going by that Industrial clip that is quite an easy game. I hope ease has not snuck into the producers mind. Cant quite tell what alex’s medieval cage game is but that looks quite easy
On which note, if they’re not sounding out Michael Underwood for an appearance for a future celebrity special, they’re making a big mistake.
The “all-deaf team” sounds intriguing, I wonder how that will translate to TV.
I do worry from the way they’ve pitched the casting of characters (such as the tribute act team) that it will be more difficult to get on without having a novelty.
I think you’ll certainly have to have something about you. That’s not a bad thing though.
We already know seven games from the preview, eight if they’re counting the dome.
(1) The Industrial turntable thing.
(2) Jarhead.
(3) Fill three tubes with green liquid. (Aztec)
(4) Medieval prison and executioner thing.
(5) A Futuristic game involving ‘planets’, probably a ‘cross the floor without getting hit’ thing.
(6) A Futuristic game that looks kind of like the old put-these-in-the-thing-so-the-same-colours-don’t-touch game.
(7) An Aztec game with the sign “balance the scales to release the Crystal” (Louie Spence is seen in the cell).
I’ve heard from a preview that the planet game is a Don’t Touch The Floor dealie, but the planets are suspended on black ropes so the entire thing looks like they’re floating through space. Nifty.
Ok it looks like they are knocking out all the celebrity specials in one go as at the end of the advertisement it now say’s the start of a series of celebrity specials. The Civilian series might not start until August.
One of the specials has been confirmed to be for Christmas, so that means we will probably have 4 weeks of specials. If Den of Geek is right about there being 5 specials.
Boo to this
On the plus side, that means the civilian shows will probably go out in a more appropriate slot.
I just hope we won’t have seen everything the Maze has to offer in those first four shows.
Broadcast magazine’s Talking TV podcast offers a chat with C4’s head of live and events Tom Beck and Fizz creative director Neale Simpson. About fifteen minutes on The Crystal Maze, confirming some of the suggestions upthread – and negating at least one of them.
Then they change gear and talk about Blind Date with C5’s Sean Doyle.
So it’s sounds like a small gap in between the Celebrity & Civilian series and a downgrade to 8pm sounds likely. If these specials were SU2C related why pump them all out now. I would of held onto one & shown it in October
There is a new advert going around which is an extension on the previous version but it includes him uttering the famous words and more of the games are shown off so you can calculate which 10 are played. Also how many per zone we will see.
Here is the new Trailer which is a compilation of Future episodes as well as next Friday.
https://youtu.be/ZA5F6jkKQyc
Looks who is coming up this run.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213842686841543&set=pcb.10213842714282229&type=3&theater
Amazing they got Jade Goody!
Considering her circumstances and all.
According to producers we will not see the perfect 10 (50secs) this series and more information regarding to the crystal dome @ Christmas will turn green & filled with fake snow rather than tokens.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/scottybryan/to-the-crystal-doooooommmmmmmeeeeeee?utm_term=.dowzyVkzA#.csNkYMXkK