Sunday 16th October, 9pm,
Channel 4
It’s finally here. Finally finally. Everyone who is of a certain age’s favourite show returns after a 21-year absence to Channel 4 for a one-off filmed at the Crystal Maze Live Experience in an office block in London, hosted by Stephen Merchant with a Richard O’ Brien cameo and Maureen Lipman playing Mumsey. And a team of five celebrities.
We are so tremendously excited and yet so tremendously nervous.
We expect a certain amount of modernization (television has moved on in 21 years, but The Crystal Maze was largely ahead of its time), will it be borrowing from the good bits or the bad bits? The Live Experience is great fun to do but I didn’t think the sets were all that great and certainly I’m unsure how it will all come across on television, although we are aware they’ve spruced it up a little bit.
We know they’ve re-recorded the theme with an expensive full orchestra, and if they think they’re hiding that the bigger Manchester venue is being built with a full series in mind they’re not doing a great job of it.
Will it still work on television under these circumstances? We’re about to find out. Do let us know what you thought in the comments.
6 hours to go.
Very much viewing tonight as a pilot – it won’t be perfect for the reasons stated above but it should tick enough boxes and lay the foundations for the future, and it’ll still be the best thing on television since 1995 I’m sure.
Sidenote in regards to potential full series: How would Richard Osman do as a Mazemaster do we all think? My money is still on David Tennant for a potential full run, but was just thinking Osman could be interesting
As much as I like Richard Osman I think that’s a terrible suggestion. I always think David Tennant is far to straight for the role.
In an imaginary, wonderful alternate world where there was a hope of it, I’d pull for Tim Vine. He can play instruments, insult the public, and he looks just old enough to have an air of mystery. Or cabbages, .
Tim Vine could be very good.
Just because I confuse him with Tim Vine (it’s just their names), I thought of Tim Minchin, I liked him on Buzzcocks, he’s funny and musically talented.
Talking about Buzzcocks: I loved Simon Amstell, though he could probably hardly connect with contestants, he’s be an interesting choice.
Minchin would be interesting, although my worry is he may mimic O’Brien to a degree. Amstell if he played it endearingly would actually be fantastic, he’d bring a really fun warmth to it (when he wasn’t ripping people apart on Buzzcocks he did always seem very enthusiastic-yet-dry)
Keeping on the subject of people-I-remember-being-on-Buzzcocks: John Barrowman?
Noel Fielding is often mentioned in lists of potential hosts but he would possibly be too quirky! Bill Bailey could be good though maybe?
For some reason hosts with a musical background always seem to ‘fit’ better with me. Minchin could be good but is unproven as a host and might be too busy!
Is Isy Suttie too sweet?
Jennifer Saunders or Derren Brown are the correct answers.
Derren Brown was always my go-to counterpoint when someone suggested Russell Brand.
I agree with a lot of the names being mentioned but a couple i would throw into the ring.
Louis Walsh
Greg Davies
I think these could both do a good job. Louis maybe a bit of an oddball choice but has the right sort of personality for s a show like this.
Here we go then – fingers crossed everybody
Michael Underwood, he was on the Crystal Maze as a kid then went on to host Jungle Run on CITV!
I should have thought of that one given how much of a Jungle Run fan I was as a kid. Do you think it would be too much of a shock to have his wife, Angellica Bell, as Mumsey?
Is the BT the first sponsor thing to actually use Crystal Maze related graphics since Sage did the same with the Ben Shephard Krypton Factor? I thought I had read somewhere Ofcom weren’t too happy with them doing such things but there you go
It’s allowed if there is ‘clear seperation’ between the sponsorship tag/graphic and the start of the actual opening titiles.
Now, this is massivly open to interpretation – but I think with The Krypton Factor, the issue that Ofcom had, was the the Sage sponsorship and the K-Fac graphics were too similar (which was probably the point) and some of the green blocks flying off screen between the Sage line-up, and the start of the actual opening titles was done a far too short timeframe.
With the BT sponsorship of The Crystal Maze – there was clear separation. There was a voice-over and the actual opening titles were different in style to the sponsorship bumpers.
Theme and graphics are good, mostly because they haven’t played around with them too much. The BT sponsorship bumper, unexpectedly, was very good.
This has much more to like than I feared but it does tend to back up Richard O’Brien’s thinking behind never doing a celebrity edition first time around….
Loving this so far, taking it for what it is, using a set that was not designed to have the games filmed for TV think they have done a really good job.
However only 2 games in the Aztec zone? Less talking more games would have been my preference.
The medieval run around music sounds a bit Fort Boyard.
I think they forgot to shuffle those signs…
I thoroughly enjoyed that….. now let’s bring on the full series!
Pretty good overall, I thought. Not a fan of Stephen Merchant’s presentation at all, and the usual celeb-special problems of too much chat, not enough gameplay, but it was well done. Filmed well within the constraints of the experience, and a good selection of games.
They could have over-parodied it and treated it as a joke, effectively, but they didn’t, so I’m very relieved about that. It seemed like the celebs were properly trying, and properly enjoying it.
Not bad at all considering the confines of filming it at the experience and not a made for TV set.
Stephen Merchant didn’t do too bad but I hope if they bring it back as a proper series, they ditch the mimic-ing O’Brien. it works for a one off comedy special but for a proper series it needs a host with their own ideas.
The cameo from O’Brien and the photo of Ed Tudor-Pole in the Industrial zone was a nice touch.
The Crystal Dome looked like it had no silver tokens inside it, but who cares because it was all for a good cause!
Didn’t stop smiling throughout – absolutely superb. Good job C4 and all those at the experience who made it happen and didn’t ruin our memories. You could tell it was done by people who care, and the effort put in means a series surely has to happen.
And based on previous years I guess as a revival for End of Year Poll purposes it’s a new show, so I feel a clean sweep coming on.
Good for what it was, did the best they could given the scale of the space. I felt Smerch played it a little too comical and current, which messed with the tone, but for a celeb charity one-off special that’s probably fine.
Graphics and music are solid for a full series, Manchester studio will be more appropriate size-wise, and they more time to find a full-time host (although I really hope they can keep Mumsey, Maureen Lipman was brilliant)
Brilliant to see the show back on Channel4. Stephen did the show proud, if the show does return for a full series I hope C4 pick him.
The games were fantastic, the amazing dome is always brilliant to see.
Each celeb did the show proud. Plus the fab Richard O’Brien did return for a while which was nice.
For me its a 10 / 10.
I thought it was OK given the resources available. Lighting was good given that the experience doesn’t really have any. Sound design was a bit disappointing – it was too quiet in places. The original show had atmosphere tracks throughout.
Yeah, “good for what it was” is my overarching feeling about it as well.
I really liked the music, not just the arranged theme but all the little tunes they had for running around and even the moody stuff for the games themselves. I thought the graphics package looked a bit cheap – hate that clock font, didn’t think much to the titles.
I did not mind Merchant declaring the game and then asking the captain to pick someone to play it, actually more honest than the original. I think only playing ten games is a bit stingy, and there is no way a team of five grabs that many tokens in the Dome in thirty seconds – it’s really hard.
I didn’t even mind eliding during some of the games, doing it through a cutaway, again this feels more honest than the original.
I enjoyed Merchant but I found the tone a bit odd. I think he’s OK with topical jokes and taking the piss out of the celebrities and that’s fine for a one-off charity special such as this but I’m not sure it’d translate well for a full series presumably with civilians. RoB’s big success was being of the world but not taking that world all that seriously, ETP took it *too* seriously, Merchant takes it not seriously at all. I know the kids these days can’t handle sincerity, but still. To be fair I chuckled a few times but you could have had the same jibes on any panel show.
The Experience comes out of it pretty much how I expected it to – those low Aztec ceilings, Futuristic looks a bit rubbish. I don’t understand why they swapped the zones round at the Experience, there was a rather unfortunate shot of them transitioning from Medieval to Futuristic via a shot of the Industrial end point which was a shame. I still think it’s worth doing if you get the chance and suspect the Manchester one will be even better. I got several texts during the show from friends asking if this was the same one I went to.
I think they spruced it up fairly nicely, although it’s a shame things like the clocks in Industrial (none of the rooms had clocks when I went there) were clearly all running before the games actually started, for example.
I’m not doing cartwheels but I did enjoy it.
I was worried they’d botch it like so many “comeback” shows of late, but they did a reasonable job given the resources available to them.
Stephen felt too scripted at times – some of the cut scenes were out of place and occasionally he referred to the wrong thing (“you’ve got 15 seconds in the crystal maze”) – but generally held it together.
One or two moments where the live experience didn’t quite live up to TV standards – the Aztec Fire Alarm being a comical example – but I don’t hold that against it.
The number and range of games was disappointing – even with the extra five minutes of broadcast time they didn’t show the mandatory 12 games, the live experience has a number of more interesting games we didn’t see, and one or two games the celebrity gave up quickly and just dragged it out (perhaps that is why TCM avoided them originally!)
Overall, it’s not vintage TCM, but it’s fine for what it was.
I predicted 2.8m on Twitter earlier on the basis of the first ten minutes. Let’s see what happens!
Interesting decision that the majority of games played weren’t brand new ones (although I suppose they might want to keep the new ones a surprise for the paying customers).
Also, a bit weird that the Mumsie game had no timer – I realise that time was never an issue for it but they could have just made it a 3-minute game.
I enjoyed it – it could have a lot worse but for what it was, it was good.
They modelled Mumsie off the app game, I think. That’s why it was 2-out-of-3-or-lock-in I reckon.
Given resources etc they reasonable job. I would be interested in seeing it come back for a full season
3.1m, so a bit higher than expected although right ballpark.
I reckon that probably translates to low to mid 2m if it goes to full series.
Puts a lot of other revivals (ROBOT WARS) in some sort of context.
Also of note, did well with young audience, so that also could boost chances.
https://twitter.com/C4Press/status/787939383534096384
I like how we’re all saying “ooh it might get a series!” when we all know full well and have for a while that it’s probably happening.
We’re just playing it cool.
And pretending not to just be shouting COME ON ANNOUNCE IT COME OOONNNNNNNNNNN
I’m just trying to avoid getting my hopes up a la Genius Game UK
Referring back to the host chatter, I was wondering what the key traits would be, and I concluded that I think I’d be looking at someone with a bit of an acting background and suitably energetic and nimble.
And then I watched Red Dwarf.
Could Danny John-Jules fit the bill? A dancing background, a similar age to ROB when he started, and I think he could certainly play the *role* well.
I would most definitely support Danny John-Jules as Mazemaster
I think I would prefer Craig Charles.
Edit: in fact I think I read that Charles used to host corporate runs round the Maze?
I did think through all of them, but I wasn’t sure if the baseline level of fitness was there for Craig Charles or Robert Llewellyn (I didn’t think Chris Barrie fit in the slightest)
To be fair, this may be somewhat tainted by the fact that I’m used to seeing CC as a slob and RL as rather stiff. Which… isn’t necessarily representative!
You play games and leave the Dome in a daze/
Join us next time on The Crystal Maze.
GOODNIGHT
Get ready for the tokens to flutter like leaves
As I blow on my whistle – WILL YOU START THE FANS, PLEASE!
I wish to sit on my dusty throne
So let’s make our way to the medieval zone!
If you correctly answer two riddles of three/
Your reward is a crystal from Mumsie
When you play this game, I hope you win,
If you don’t, you’ll be locked-in!
And now team captain, pick your thrill!
Mental, physical, mystery, or skill?
Hattie Hayridge could play Mumsey
Yes, Charles was one of several hosts hired in for corporate days.
It’s at this stage I note nobody has commented on Rio’s inability to remember a single person’s name in the entire day of filming, and how awkward and obvious it was as he tried to hide it. Highlight of the show, well done there.
I expect that was another of his World Cup Wind-ups.
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/tv/the-crystal-maze-returns-but-all-viewers-can-do-is-talk-about-michelle-keegan-running-about-looking-sexy/ar-AAj1UZc
MSN say “It has been confirmed, The Crystal Maze will be back for a full series, after a 21-year absence from our screens following Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign.”
I don’t know if MSN are assuming, or have been told something by Channel 4.
That’s the same fundamental article that The Mirror had earlier, and the Mirror’s article was – IIRC – up even before the ratings came in. The only source I’ve seen for such information has all come down to the Mirror article, so I don’t think you can necessarily make too many assumptions as yet.
Yes. If/when it happens it will get shouted from the rooftops I’m sure.
“Good for what it was” seems to be the best description.
I liked:
That it was back on TV
That they didn’t mess with the theme too much
Richard’s cameo, and his reference to DT
(Most of) Merchant’s asides to camera
Negatives:
Too much talking/poking fun at contestants leading to reduced time playing games, AND slower pace
Squished clock/clock disappearing
(Really picking holes now), the timing of the theme out of the breaks felt off.
To me it felt they were trying to keep a lot from the original, while making a new show, leaving an awkward half-way house, that was good for a one-off, and a good pilot for a series, but missing something.
There’s a piece about it in the Guardian which interested me (and not just because it quoted my mate Ken):
A few months after the London launch, Lionetti-Maguire was approached by a production company to see if Channel 4 could film a new version of the TV show. “It was a great cause,” he said. “We were delighted. We co-produced it – we built everything you see on the TV show.”
Tom Beck, Channel 4’s commissioning editor for live TV and events, said bringing the Crystal Maze back to TV was partly inspired by the enormous number of pitches for escape room TV shows Beck has had over the past 18 months. “I’ve been here four years and I’ve had more escape-the-room pitches than any other format,” he said. “Often they’re from brilliant producers and they’ve got clever ideas, but not quite as good as the Crystal Maze.”
I can’t decide whether Little Lion are incredibly lucky, incredibly insightful or both. It would be fascinating to know what the timeline behind the creation of the show; when a producer wants to pitch a show, it can take years to go from pitch to production – but when the broadcaster knows it wants the show, all the obstacles in the way get knocked down and it’s full steam ahead.
While I’m declaring an interest here, a part of me is disappointed that they’ve gone for a The Crystal Maze revival than for a brand new escape-the-room format. It’s the old thing about Channel 4 being designed to be distinctive. Very happy to see The Crystal Maze back, unless the new games prove to be terrible; I’d love to know what the clever ideas were in the pitched escape-the-room game shows, at least. (Maybe Dave could pick one up…?)
Things I learnt watching..
The Aztec Zone has some smoke detectors..
It may be ‘lovingly’ produced, but someone didn’t spot that the font in the opening titles with the shows name was also the font of the on-screen clock – all the way through the run.
Here – it didn’t match.
Still suspect that some of Stephen’s ‘in game bits to camera’ were hiding edits – as the clock disappeared off screen during this bits.
But, nice to see the old lad back on the screen – even if (for obvious reasons) it didn’t quite have the ‘vastness’ of the sets of old. And, hats off to the director, for not getting a single camera (or camera shadow) in shot. Given the tightness of the sets, well done.
Steadycam. Yay. That was something the original never had.
This consolidated to 4.31m, which is not far off what it was getting in the 90s.
Do you think there would be a (renewed) interest in selling the format internationally if/when they announce a full series? I’ve been trying to figure out what U.S. Channel you’d have the best chance of pitching The Crystal Maze to, and I’ve concluded it’s Syfy.
Looks like the BBC got their revenge on GBBO and bought the rights to The Crystal Dome instead
He’s referring to Watchdog, viewers.
Just watching the original series this week on Challenge (again) and one thing that struck me is how each episode seems to pretty much feature the exact same games
Did later series mix it up a bit or have I just got rose tinted glasses on and it was always the case? Of course it probably sticks out more when you’re watching them once a day rather than once a week too
Also, you wouldn’t get away with the super long credit sequence at the end these days!
IIRC each zone had six rooms and a game got swapped out once it had been played a certain number of times so they’d be about fifty prepared for each series. You’d probably notice this more if they were broadcast the same order they were filmed.
It’s possible that Challenge have always shown the episodes in recording order (RX) rather than transmission order (TX).
Some programmes, particularly game shows are delivered in RX order with their production numbers in RX order; and a separate document detailing the TX order.
Thus it a broadcaster picked them up years later; and didn’t have access to the original broadcasters’ TX order they could have to TX in RX order.
I’ve been logging the S1 episodes into a spreadsheet, and it does look like game swap outs are happening, but they aren’t flipping back and forth as they normally would so i’m inclined to think they are being broadcast in RX order.
I assume you’re aware of this website which has full details of every show http://crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com/index.htm
Very much so, but I wanted some data in a manipulable form, and its far more fun to watch them again that to just copy and paste.
And there are occasional mistakes in the data too. I think the main mistake is one of the shows (I forget which one and can’t be othered to add up) has an extra 100 silver added to their total in this database – making that entire show a loss when it was a win.
Yes, I am that much of a nerd.
One of the main things I was interested in finding out, is just how free and easy the producers were with the game categories.
I mean, several teams complained about the S Medieval Block Puzzle being a physical game, but it seems like it was a physical game for everyone who played it – at least so far. The Aztec Rolling Beam and Counter Balance games have been given as both Skill and Mystery; and the Future Mirror Maze was given as ‘one with a bit of everything’.
Well, of course, the producers told the contestants what categories to pick and the inconsistencies in the categories were usually to cover up a fluff when the captain asked for the wrong next category by mistake. The TX order wasn’t *that* mixed up in order to ensure the viewers still saw a few new games later in the series.
I had seen the games master spreadsheet (which, in those days, was just a really big bit of paper). By and large, the games stayed in the same rooms but – in order to mix up the experience a bit for the viewer – sometimes games were taken out, replaced by another one for a bit, then reinstalled again. Obviously you could only do this with the smaller games that needed little staging.
What bothered me more was when a 2 minute 30 game became 2 or 3 minutes, which either meant they calibrated the game difficulty wrongly or – even worse – it was to cover up a naughty edit to shorten a boring game. But there was very little time to playtest the second ‘phase’ of games as they became installed as the series went on, so they were harder to get right.
Various media outlets reporting that Channel 4 are now in “early talks” for the full series but Stephen has pulled out as he wants to focus on ‘cracking Hollywood’ so that has thrown a small spanner in the works for them
I don’t think ultimately it is a great loss, he worked well for what it is but I think an entire series of the schtick would be difficult to stomach.
Definitely for the best, I love Smerch more than anyone but he would not work well for a full series. Get Tennant on the job, I say!