Fort Boyard S25

fb25ansSaturdays 7:45pm UK, 8:45pm on the continent.

Watch live on Pluzz with a VPN, other alternatives likely available.

Don’t tell anyone, but 25 years ago is 1989 and the show began in 1990. But here we are at season 25 of Fort Boyard, it must be the world’s longest running adventure game these days and continues to thrill kids and adult kids of all ages.

It’s survived several changes of host, several changes of staff, many changes of games but the main character, THAT OF THE FORT ITSELF (and Pere Fouras) (and longest serving staff member Passe-Partout) is still standing after all these years of teams running around and pitting their dexterity and physical and mental strength against the challenges of the fort, and arguably it’s a more confident show now than it’s ever been.

This year sees a new character in Vincent C fronting the Magic Academy up in the watchtower, a variety of new games (some of which may yet be a surprise, I don’t think anyone knew about the Battering Ram before it appeared on screen this time last year) – if previous year’s themes were “ways to dress up moving a thing attached to a pipe” and “ways to dress up things on turntables (horizontal or vertical)” this year’s cells seemed to be based on “ways to dress up filling up a container”. But we’re also looking forward to the Hall of Illusions with the Firefly.

 

This year I’ve given over a discussion page to the proceedings – ten episodes and a best of. Let’s hope it’s a good vintage!

119 thoughts on “Fort Boyard S25

  1. Lee

    In light of the 25th year of Fort boyard. The Fort Boyard App has had a free update. Contains some new key games and some of the judgement games.
    Trailer for it here and its out now

    Reply
    1. Lee

      They also added a fuse to the key and clue padlock solver. As well as replaced laboule in the opening to felinda

      Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        New games a bit of a mixed bag, although they’re a bit more interesting than the ones from last time, which is a positive.

        Reply
    1. Mika

      But… but… How will Olivier be able to start the wildly inconsistent timing of the door opening/team actually starting/timer actually starting!?

      😛

      Reply
      1. Alex

        Please let this be the year a team gets stuck in the treasure room. It’s been 8 years since it last happened…

        Reply
    2. Lee

      There is a lever next to the treasure room door. However it looks like they have removed the red one which blocked the tigers

      Reply
  2. Lee

    Just to add. France Television is cracking down on Fort Boyard episodes. I got a copyright strike on my account and all 2013 episodes uploaded by others have been removed. Its unlikey the 2014 episodes will be up for long

    Reply
    1. Mika

      ;_;

      Is there a decent stream for us foreigners? Then again, I’m busy during tomorrow’s ep even if I *could* stream it.

      Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        As mentioned, if you can use internet magic to get round geoblocking it will be on Pluzz on catch up. I pay £20 a month for a good VPN, there may be cheaper methods.

        Reply
        1. NJ

          There are plenty of naughty France2 streams if you know where to look. I used one for tonight’s episode.

          Reply
  3. Lee

    Nice to see changes to this year. New running music. 50 mins for keys. 30 mins for clues. a counter for lady boo wins/losses.

    Reply
  4. Brig Bother Post author

    Right well sadly I thought that was a bit underwhelming in the main.

    Not completely without merit of course, and of course average Boyard beats a lot of things at it’s best – did really like the funked up versions of the running around the Fort music, and thought the package for the Barracks worked well – if the adventure music has been consistently a bit poor in recent years, the test music is really neat.

    Unfortunately the lack of new cells this year is really detrimental – FB has a requirement to surprise, especially at the beginning of a new season, and in that department it was a bit of a washout. OK, Vincent C’s Magic Academy was fun (although ultimately it’s only a multiple choice question). The underwater prison was OK – as others will point out it’s a bit more interesting than the Submerged Cage, although it doesn’t feel filmed in the best way to look the most interesting (it feels a little bit like a reimagining of the Clue Seller game from twenty years ago). The Bike felt a bit too light. Also I note a slight adjustment in difficulty of some of the games – Manolier is clearly shorter, Red Alert somehow looks easier but apparently not.

    I didn’t think the on screen progress meters for some of the games added anything.

    Once again, the Council is where lots of the interesting changes lie – the variable rewards and penalties for each game are really interesting, and I laughed when the final round of that stop the hand game unexpectedly whizzed round, although it did feel like a rather cheap way of getting a loss. I do think there needs to be a think about potential, it’s quite possible that a team can go to the Treasure Room with 1:15, and after an almost two hour program that feels like a bit of a swizz.

    Also a swizz – the public wants to see someone get locked in the Treasure Room – mainly to see what happens. This is something that SHOULD have happened this evening quite clearly. What the hell went on there?

    The Best Of was good fun, although it’s a bit rum writing Passe-Temps out of it.

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      The good news is that even numbered years always tend to feel like they’re coasting, and odd numbered years feel like the show gets a kick up the backside, so fingers crossed for season 26 in 2015!

      Reply
      1. Alex

        I haven’t seen anything yet (I’ve been drinking in Leeds all weekend), but the comments are suggesting that this year is a bit of a ‘2008 year’, I’m guessing?

        If that’s right, expect massive over-exposure in 2015 then a really awful Survivor knockoff in 2016.

        Reply
        1. Brig Bother Post author

          If this is a 2008 year, can’t wait for the return and visual reimagining of Le Smash next year.

          Reply
          1. Alex

            What was it with 2009 and decent games that didn’t stick around?

            Billard was for my money one of the best skill games they’ve had, and if Transformateur had self-locking doors it would have been a keeper.

          2. Brig Bother Post author

            Actually yes, i’m being sarcastic about Le Smash, but otherwise there were some great ideas that year. I guess these days there’s an emphasis on visual comedy which is fine but does mean the mechanics tend to lack nuance.

          3. Alex

            The problem with 2009 was that they very much over-egged the pudding with the 20 year specials. Maybe that’s why they’ve reined in this series?

      1. Mika

        Geez that was quick. Glad I decided to watch it last night, then.

        Reply
  5. Qusion

    I present my views with the following disclaimer – it’s still Fort Boyard, it’s still one of the best game shows in the world.

    I have to echo what Brig said first, where are all the new games? Either this was always going to be show one, in which case one of the new clue games should have featured, or they chose this as show one, in which case they’re mad.

    The new music is awesome, in fact the music package as a whole has been improving for a while. The set dressing is good, some subtle changes, some not so subtle but it all looks good, with the exception of Submarine Training, which still looks like a lazy prop and one or two others mentioned below.

    Casino is much improved, the green water in Mud Wrestle still irritates me, why does it need to be green? Jars is getting a bit stale now, it lacks payoff really. Magic Academy was very entertaining and had a nice bit of play-along.

    There is nothing on Fort Boyard less interesting than watching someone hang from a rope ladder.

    The Judgement section still feels a bit, unfair. By which I mean that I feel Blanche should offer a challenge based on the performance of the individual so far. If you were unlucky to get locked in, you get an easier out than someone who was rubbish.

    Mister Boo needs a black mask for his role as jailer, he looks silly in the limbo themed room. I wouldn’t object to a ‘magic’ CGI gate from the prison rather than having Boo here. Also, the cube-borrowed game looked very cheap. Nothing has looked proper Boyard-stunning for a couple of years now.

    Adventures were, ok I suppose. Underwater Prison is just a bit cramped which suggests that most of the other underwater games remain, however it looked good and it felt like there was actually some fear involved.

    The new cycle game was over in an instant. I know the trend for television at the moment is fast and snappy, but I do so miss three-minute adventures. Dare I say, it looked a bit cheap. Surely it would make a better game to actually cross over the whole fort? Fort Boyard 2010’s does love comedy falls though.

    The Council had good bits, I like the choice of gamble for the weight game, I feel it should be applied throughout. I’m not a fan of a riddle in this part of the show, indeed I wouldn’t object to Father Fouras being absent at council, he’s a bit too jolly for the role. The beat the clock game was ok, but the prop must be one of the cheapest looking things since Ring last year.

    Once we had the awesome looking Infernal Machine, all copper pipes, rusty levers and plumes of steam. Now we have nicely painted MDF where we can see the hinges.

    Then I return to my first point, it’s still Fort Boyard, its still awesome and long may it continue.

    As for the clip show, I might not be the biggest Boyard geek there is, but there were a few people very much missing, as brig said, written out of history. t seems like if you arent in the show now, you never were, with a couple of high profile people who are still ‘friends of the show’.

    Finally, Felindra whips the gong! How awesome is that!

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      The Best Of was really the best if the last five years with some token older stuff thrown in. Given that they do a retrospective every five years I’m not sure that’s entirely poor, but there were some large elements missing – no mention of Laboule!

      I quite like Pere Fouras leading the Council. Originally the character is basically a sort of benign guardian, since the effective reboot he’s much more of a nemesis, and I think the idea that someone the contestants only communicate with on screens finally get to come face to face with him at the council at the end is quite good drama. Although it would be more dramatic if the character was played a bit straighter or more cantankerously but it’s difficult to just change history like that.

      Yann Le Gac has played him for 23 of the 25 seasons, taking over the role in 1991 and having a year out to actually produce the show in 2002, and you can really tell the difference with a different actor.

      Reply
  6. Mika

    Adding in!

    Overall, great Fort is still Great.

    Kinda funny how horrible Evelyne did. And she almost cost them it all at the end.

    Enjoyed the “Luck or Skill” part of Judgement, though I hope there will be more Luck games than just the wheel.

    Surprised at seven clue games. Wonder if this will be A Thing.

    Liked the gambling aspect of Poids. (Seriously, look at Mr Boo. WHY would you take the highest weight against a guy whose arms are thicker than your legs…?)

    Cadran looked fun, nice joke at the end, but kinda dragged for me.

    What was the point of the goggles before Velo?

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      I’m guessing they’re meant to be a blindfold so she can’t see what she’s about to do until the team get up there.

      Reply
  7. Lee

    Looks like were back to 14 chances for keys. 7 for clues.
    Great to see Tapis new design. The music is nice as well. Casino looks more fun and harder to win. Also nice to see Ventouse back again although it does seem easy.

    The sad part about having more clues is it could damage the team’s time in the TR because there spend so long opening 5 canisters.

    Reply
    1. Alex

      I think with Casino they’ve made it easier to get coins, but you need more of them. Also the cup to collect them is smaller.

      Reply
      1. NJ

        I think there’s some deception going on with the bridge too, like I fully expect someone to try and run full bore across it only to crash and burn hilariously at some point.

        Reply
  8. Brig Bother Post author

    Right well despite some misgivings that continue with regards to some of the direction, that was a super fun episode with a super fun team – the animateurs rarely disappoint.

    Ketchuperie – this is actually quite a fun twist on the corniche games of old but it does feel rather difficult, if it’s likely that there’s only going to be time for two trips up and down then an idea of how many tomatoes are required would be interesting and useful.

    Hall of Illusions – fun idea but the questions are all rather old chestnuttish – anyone with any interest in that sort of thing at all will have come across them. Although the triangle midpoint was quite surprising – needs to be more like that.

    Roll – too quick for the set-up.

    I don’t quite understand why they’ve made the Judgement games so hard this year. I am COMPLETELY FOR punishing teams who produce prisoners and don’t make the key quota, but I’d much rather they were around for the adventures and were physically barred from the treasure room at a later point. I favour a cage on the treasure room platform myself.

    Also surely, SURELY in this, the space year 2014, we can come up with a better way than combination codes? Watching someone fiddling with a lock is not actually very exciting.

    Reply
  9. Lee

    Having to agree. Fun episode. Was cheering Bruno on all the way. Ketchuperie looks like a nice version of Corniche. Guessing if they fall in they have to go back and push the button.

    I actually liked the hall of illusions. Was nice that you could play along at home as well.

    Velo + Roll. Probley lasted less time that it took me to write this line.

    As for judgement. Glad they get a choice in the games. So prisoners are not always luck base.

    The council changes this year are really nice in my opinion. Still not a fan of the riddle being their but the games that instantly lose/gain time is a nice twist.

    Shame that we have the 50 mins for keys. yet still only 12 chances to get 7.

    Other notes about the episode. Red Alert and Pied, just wow. and good to hear the Excalibur music in Excalibur

    Reply
  10. Michael

    Last week’s episode was fun enough – I was away for last year’s season so I missed them all, but I enjoyed watching last week. Looking forward to this week’s.

    Reply
  11. Lee

    Actually. I just went on the France 2 website. and there a picture of Bruno and a girl in the washing game. Yet that wasn’t seen on the episode?

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      I remember when I was giving advice to UK teams 13-14 years ago that one mentioned they filmed a game that wasn’t broadcast. They probably film 15-16 games and cut it to the most entertaining 50 minutes.

      Obviously I don’t approve of such practice but I try not to let it ruin my enjoyment too much.

      Reply
      1. Lee

        Just abit odd that they get more time but less games played in that time frame. Maybe Fort Boyard offical will put it as a bonus on their youtube.

        Reply
        1. Lee

          As well as Lavrie. The Pere Foras show was also cut from episode 2

          Reply
  12. Qusion

    Really enjoyed episode two, there’s no way anyone would have chosen last week as series premier so I can only resume that Olivier’s reference to the 25th show couldn’t be cut out.

    Plus points on last week:

    Ketchup Factory was good; I can see three trips being possible within the time, especially since bits of the game had clearly been cut this week as she was so slow. Council was much better, the timing contraption looked much better on screen than last weeks monstrosity.

    Fire Station was great fun to watch as was Sea Legs – showing the key being hidden beforehand is a master stroke of a couple of series and a few games. I was actually shouting ‘in the hammock you fool’ at my laptop.

    Minus Points then:

    Cycle and Roll, while having a payoff lack any kind of build up. If you must fill the show with comedy pratfalls then please see Balance, Unstable Chair and that game from years ago where you winched yourself out of window.

    Has Circle always been a key game? It’s a bit clue-gamey, rather like Bell. Indeed, didn’t we have a series two years ago where a couple of clue games suddenly became key games? Maybe it’s to fill the gap of not having so many new ones.

    Head Inspector needs both a new mechanic and some new things in the boxes. The viewer usually knows exactly what to expect, but at the moment the contestant does too.

    I concur with everyone above, I have always hated the clue boxes, I imagine it’s a bit ‘health and safety’ related, and a bit ‘adding drama’ related. If the clue/key really cant be hanging in the game location, then why not a switch which opens the key box ala Gargarin or Code Braille?

    Finally, most entertaining game of Snake Pit in a long time.

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      I think it would be an idea if the stunts were played as key games, leaving the bigger adventures for the adventures. As it should be.

      Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        Also something I think the show has lost in it’s recent bid to make everything snappier but Bruno in the snake pit threw into sharp relief is that quite a lot of the appeal of the old school adventures was watching someone wrestle with their fears, something that doesn’t really happen these days as it tends to be ‘survive quick awful ordeal, win clue’. Someone put in a horrible situation is compelling, yes, but it’s watching someone make the decision they’re going to do something they wouldn’t normally want to do that makes for great TV. Edit Also the one with the bungee jump last year that they allowed to breathe a bit. That was good too. But these seem to be increasingly rare.

        Reply
  13. Mika

    Everyone’s pretty much said what I thought. 😛

    Some stuff I noticed, though:

    One of the VERY rare times a female’s done Billot. And hey, with the “You decide who does the riddle”, is this the first time someone’s done two duels?

    Found Salle des Illusions *really* boring. Maybe just down to 2 of 3…? And throw in more twists on the “known” answer.

    And applied last week, but noticing it now: Is anyone else amused that theoretically, teams could earn more time than what the clock says?

    Reply
  14. Brig Bother Post author

    If my understanding of the rules is correct, actually you can do ketchuperie in one go. I shall leave the method as an exercise for the reader but I’ll reveal it at the end of the series if you haven’t worked it out.

    Reply
    1. Alex

      My guesses are either stuffing them in your clothes, or just throwing them to the other side of the room. The only have ‘if you fall in’ as the criterion for the cage shutting, and Boyard has had its fair share of hilarious rule sidestepping over the years.

      Reply
      1. Alex

        It looks like the opening in the cage isn’t wide enough for you to do anything with it. I wonder if there’s scope for crabwalking it, facing away from the wall, and letting your body curve naturally and letting your stomach area carry a few.

        I wouldn’t try it myself, mind. I don’t look good in red.

        Reply
        1. Alex

          Actually, considering the gap between the walls, my inital thoughts were that it’d be a Ninja Warrior-esque Sextuple Step movement. The curtain bit would be a bit annoying, but I think it’s not too wide to get away with that.

          Reply
    2. Mika

      Oh, wait. Is it that falling in will trigger the cage to drop, but nothing’s stopping someone from walking through AFTER they’ve gotten the tomatoes?

      Reply
        1. Mika

          I think I had that thought early, too, but dismissed it.

          I doubt we’d see it happen, though. Either some unmentioned (or mentioned and my French sucks) rule, or it’d be edited out somehow as it’s not in the “spirit of the game”. (There’s actually a lot of games that seem like they’d be made easier if someone wasn’t following good tv gamesmanship. Standing on the sides for Ring, that one Swedish guy in Cylindres, just plowing through Mr Boo to make them both fall… wait a minute…)

          Reply
          1. Brig Bother Post author

            Interestingly Fort Boyard has traditionally let you get away with gaming the games if you can work out how, then they’ll adjust it for next season.

          2. Mika

            True enough, like didn’t they make the key harder to physically get or something the year after someone ran in and out of Anagram Cage…?

          3. Alex

            Yeah, I think they screwed it to a barrel or something?

  15. Brig Bother Post author

    Interesting episode, a curious mixture of really impressive moments (the beam jets) and some hilariously poor performances. Like The Casino and misspelling the codeword.

    Not sure what I make of Recycling, looked impressive, thought it would be a bit more frantic. I assume there’s a hope that when they put the last bottle in the key will pop out the top and into the water and they’re meant to scrabble around for it?

    Also saw the cage for Safari in the background of one of the shots, hopefully we’ll see it played next week.

    Reply
    1. Michael

      I don’t think I’ve ever been as impressed watching Fort Boyard as I was with the water jets. I mean, they were on five keys with 23 mins left to go! The Casino was brilliant and awful in equal measures. Recycling’s key mechanism looked a bit flimsy, if I’m honest – she could just pull the key out when it got high enough, instead of having to find the right amount of bottles.

      Safari is definitely played eventually – we see two shots of it in the opener!

      Reply
    2. Alex

      Recycling is probably my favourite looking design of any FB cell. The steady shrinking, the pyros and fire, the water, I love it. Unfortunately they’ve got a fantastic looking cell but they’ve forgot to put a game in, and once you strip it all away, it’s a bit weak game-wise.

      Reply
      1. Alex

        Now I know that the bottles aren’t just hidden in the tubes and there’s those containers at the side, the game now has a bit more depth, thankfully.

        Reply
  16. Will

    Have these been uploaded to YouTube? Or some other website? I can only find fort boyard Quebec

    Reply
  17. Brig Bother Post author

    OK, tonight appalled me somewhat both as a long time fan of the show and with someone with an interest in television production – I’m not a massive fan of the producers effectively stacking the deck to get a desired result, but outrightly rigging Circle so it couldn’t be won (and even then was hilariously almost won) was unbelievable. UNBELIEVABLE. Yeah and I noticed the timer for the museum looked a bit light as well. What’s happened to design and artistry?

    I am of the belief that Blanche is a good segment of the show but if you have to rig the game to make it relevant (the team CANNOT EVER go clear with seven keys and no prisoners) then something has gone very very wrong. Play a game there for some bonus gold or a clue if you don’t want rid of it.

    Have faith in your format that has been running for twenty-five years.

    In other news Jeu de Mains was intriguingly old school for a new council game. And that was quite a haul they managed to pick up, there.

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      And the restaurant is fun but the last adventure should be something large scale and remarkable.

      What I’m saying is please make better production decisions next year thanks.

      Reply
      1. Qusion

        Yes some of the production decisions this year have just been plain odd. Velo is clearly the new favorite game as its been in every and has the odd distinction of being both a key and a clue game in the same series. I think only Willy has managed that in recent years? Or is Pere Fouras Show played for a key sometimes.

        We know two games or so an ep are missing as well which is skewing to make things look easy. What gets me most though is that Fouras’ introduction to the clue games promises so very much, that the games no longer deliver. Bring back Tightrope, Birdman, Cave Explorer and the dark labyrinth. Proper, epic adventures. Someone being a bit scared in Tete would be a start.

        Reply
        1. Brig Bother Post author

          PF Show was usually played for a key last year.

          If they’re going to do these short stunt-y adventures, I’d be happier if they used them to break up the key games in the cells I think.

          I’m still baffled they don’t really use the underground set for anything except an occasional shot of the prison.

          Reply
          1. Alex

            The first playing of Cerce last year was for a clue, I believe.

  18. Michael

    I’ve just watched this week’s – Casino was very impressive, and that Museum performance had me screaming!

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      Sebastien Chabal had a very good Casino technique, and I’m surprised nobody had thought to do something like that (keep the cup high, use your hands as a funnel) before.

      Reply
  19. Mika

    Can definitely see the annoyance with Cerce. Bit of a shame Joy has all loses when she got arguably the more difficult games on offer. Would’ve won Cerce given normal time, too.

    Personally, my biggest annoyance with this ep was that the three other guys barely did a thing. Sure, they MIGHT have, and it got cut, but still. When the one guy doesn’t even do an Adventure, and three others go twice? Ehhh…

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      It was definitely the Famous Rugby Star Sebastian Chebal Show this week, although I certainly don’t blame production for playing up the biggest name on the team. It’d be similar to a UK version having someone relevant from the England football team playing.

      They sometimes get quite good celebs on this, better than average, I wonder how much is their kids twisting their arm to go on.

      Despite our bitching, the show’s been rating well, usually topping the timeslot and occasionally the night, although that’s with just over 3m which would look quite poor here. So very good chance of season 26 I’d say.

      Reply
  20. Brig Bother Post author

    Right, no. Ketchuperie is fixed as all hell or they haven’t playtested it very well, her use of brains was excellent and she was punished for it – there is no way that game is possible if that many tomatoes are not good enough.

    One thing that old Boyard games had going for them is that most of them were clearly mechanical and they weren’t waiting for a producer to push a button to release the key. The laundrette is clearly a man swizzling the power arrow, I had my doubts about the casino last year. Percolator is guesswork.

    All I want is consistency and fairness, if the team are doing too well there are much subtler ways of pegging them back, with contestant selection for instance. The show should not need to resort to fixing things to get a desired result, that’s not the show I’ve been championing for over twenty years.

    Also last year’s submerged cage music was really good, why’s it gone?

    I wonder if and how the one-player-versus-apparatus council games will adapt for the international duel version.

    Reply
    1. Mika

      My only guess with Ketchuperie (beyond blatant producer interference) is that there’s gotta be a way to win that they did in the testing no one’s figured out. Maybe they ARE just supposed to grab the whole basket.

      It was kinda funny with Magic Academy. Was live tweeting until the stream cut out, and at the start I’d posted wondering if Vincent has an obvious Quebecois accent (actually kinda funny I can understand him better than everyone else), and then right after, the player blamed the accent for why he lost. XD

      Two lock-ins this season for a game that’s NOT a lock-in game. Is it just that loud in there?

      Still of the opinion Salle des Illusions is way too easy, and way too boring.

      Kinda sad about Rouleau. Wanted to see how it would come back. Interesting that they add a player when it’s for a clue.

      Reply
      1. Qusion

        Bearing in mind that I was sure three trips were possible at the beginning of the series, something happened in that Ketchuperie game that wasn’t shown. There was no way on Boyard that she took twice as long to make her one run as the first contestant took to make two and a half.

        Something was going on in Percolator as she had five perfect runs plus some faffing about, but that faffing about wouldn’t have been long enough to brew the coffee and raise the key even if it had been enough beans. I call shenanigans.

        Interesting that for the first time in Magic Academy, no prior knowledge was needed, if you were looking properly you could see the solution. i like this as a game, I do worry that its life is limited as there are only so many effects to use in magic.

        I like Hall of Illusions, especially since, for once, a game show using optical illusions isn’t using ‘they’re the same’ as every single answer. Indeed in the blue circle test the circles are usually different colours made to look the same. I also like how Firefly walks off into the distance with the key.

        I think my overall impression of the series is add 20 seconds onto every game and get rid of the key/clue boxes. Also if Submerged Cage, Velo and Roller could just quietly go away. We’ll have The Dark, Cave Explorer and Flooded House in their place please.

        Reply
        1. Brig Bother Post author

          I should add that I’ve no real problem eliding for time – I suspect the adventures go on longer than the advertised two minutes and are cut down (which is a bit dishonest but no real harm done as long as they’re not just making it up as they go along), but it seems fairly obvious on a lot of occasions is that it feels badly thought out.

          Reply
  21. Lee

    Im guessing there a rule in Ketchuperie that doesnt allow the contestants to run back through with the tomatoes and put it in the machine that way?. It was a great technique but it did feel abit slow. she also spent abit more time at the start when she went in.

    Not sure whats going on with Pied this year. 2 lock ins for the same game which isn’t that much designed to be one. Although i do like the unexpected lock ins. However on that note i recon because of the Pied lock in it meant that Passe Partout was more nice to Elodie in Egout since i was sure that was a lock in. Egout also has a nice backing theme to it.

    Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        Yes indeed, perfect really. But it’d have to be done digitally, apparently one of the reasons you don’t see Luciole “live” is that it takes so long for the make up.

        Reply
      1. Mika

        Alright! New game! … Aaaaaand the tigers broke it.

        This is why they can’t have nice things.

        Reply
  22. Mika

    An enjoyable episode.

    Saut de l’ange… goes to show that such a simple concept game has still got it. (This is probably the single-most game on the Fort I’d be terrified to do, too)

    I’m pretty surprised how often Tete Chercheuse is being played. Once more and it’ll be the most times played in a season since 1997.

    Safari is probably now my favourite “game goes wrong” moment ever. Like I wondered above, makes me curious if the tigers breaking the cart is what’s caused this game to have very few plays. (Apparently this was the first one filmed)

    Also, the timer in Puzzle Cafards seemed awfully quick.

    Brig: What was the editing you referred to in the tweet?

    Reply
    1. Mika

      Speaking of cut games… wasn’t Velo visibly set up at one point this episode…?

      Reply
    2. Brig Bother Post author

      Agreed on all those things.

      Editing: there was clearly some cutting at the end of Tete Cherchuse between the final number being called out, them working out the sum, unlocking thr box and grabbing the clue with ‘one second’ left. I did idly wonder that the team were doing so badly at clue collection they were going a bit soft on them at that point.

      I thought the clock seemed quite fast as well. Also I’ve seen worse teams at Lavrie make more progress.

      Reply
    3. Brig Bother Post author

      Re: Saut de Lange, as I’ve been saying for ages now, gerting a bunch of people to try and persuade someone to do something they wouldn’t ordinarily like to do is gripping television, and magical if it gets a good result. Old School FB adventures were more like this, whereas now it’s ‘look, just deal with it’ quite a lot of the time.

      Edit: There is room for both, obviously.

      Reply
  23. Lee

    Believe that this episode was 1st place in france. Its also the first game i’ve seen with 14 key games and 8 clue chances. Don’t think Velo was set up, Looks to be an overhead shot they done to link to the watchtower, Afterall there still using the same shot of Passe- Muraille running to Tapis from 2011 which still has the tank game in the background.

    As for the episode itself. I expected them to do better. Didn’t really enjoy Baptiste Giabiconi moods after him losing games.
    Thought Egout was mean but the same time funny as they had no hope of getting her back out.

    I really wanted her to jump in Saut de Lange, And i thought she would have. (I guess producers would just put another 30 seconds on the clock for the code)

    Reply
    1. Mika

      Ahhh… I just have vague memories of older seasons where certain aerial games (Funambule most comes to mind) were visibly set up if they were being done that episode.

      Reply
      1. Lee

        Yea, I tend to only trust the shots if the team are walking near them. Such as Cerce and Bell

        Reply
  24. Lee

    I actually enjoyed this week’s epsiode. Felt there was nice joke throughout the episode of Oliver and Lucienne always arriving first to the games whereas passe-partout would always go the long way.

    I believe the sudden stopping of Pedrocopter is because Stephane got an injury in the game. He is later seen with a bandaged on his hands.

    Abit shocked on how not well they did laverie but still won.

    Egout clepsydre look really short but seemed to have last a while

    5 Clues is amazing for a team. But i kinda feel dissapointed they didnt add on some bonus money because Lucienna didnt take part in the TR.

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      Like I say, Lavrie seems basically a fix.

      Minne was having some fun on Twitter re: getting to the games first, explaining it with secret passages.

      It dropped a million in the ratings last night, for some reason.

      Reply
  25. Mika

    Well, that was an episode. Not really much to say about it. Always nice to see a very rare win in Cylindres. And I suppose we have an answer as to whether or not falling in the ketchup on the way BACK has a penalty. And nice camera work in Poids.

    Reply
    1. Alex

      I reckon falling in is a penalty in itself.

      Judging from the previous plays, if you fall in, good luck having the friction to not fall in again.

      Reply
  26. Brig Bother Post author

    That was an intriguing episode, a poor team really, it looks like if you don’t get many clues PF gives you an easy riddle at the council to give you more time, and then they capitalised on that.

    Nice to see Exchange from The Cube turn up, I think Phil should suggest playing it with live rats instead of balls next time.

    Two episodes left this year, think I’ll be pretty happy when it’s over to be honest.

    Reply
    1. Lee

      Was a real poor team. However they managed to win Library. Which would be the second time since its relaunch in 2013. No Egout this week. And that Cloche give up before they even got round to him (although no idea why Passe Partout was going upstairs to get there. And then it liked to some weird new music.

      Reply
    2. Michael

      I’m so confused with this episode. The team were truly truly terrible, setting a record low number of keys after ten games, and yet there were really bright moments – the first two keys in particular were won in impressive fashions. The team were way too quit-friendly for my liking – if I’m not mistaken, four of them quit at least one game.

      Reply
  27. Michael

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but was this week the first time we’ve had a team get seven keys before going to Blanche? Three lock-in games in the last seven key games is a bit evil too, but the introduction of Library was really really transparent. Nice to see the return of Bizutage as well, even if it didn’t last long at all. Lutte was the highlight of the episode for me, just to see that Lady Boo is allowed to lose once every two years.

    Reply
    1. Alex

      Apropos of nothing I’ve noticed that they’ve mix-and-matched boxes in Bizutage. Presumably they got annoyed that people in 2013 were emerging unscathed so they put two different things in one box so they got messier quicker. Not that it mattered today.

      Also I like how they’ve used my favourite bit of the 2012 music library for Bizutage, although it’s the same as the other red-headed stepchild game, Perches. If they both make 2015 I’ll be surprised.

      Reply
      1. Michael

        I think Bizutage will be reasonably safe, as the other versions quite like it. Perches is sadly probably in the firing line, given it really requires three people, and doesn’t tend to be played outside of France.

        Reply
        1. Alex

          I just hope they keep the music, I really do like the trying-to-do-Mission-Impossible-and-James-Bond-without-being-sued-by-either angle it goes by.

          Reply
        2. Lee

          Perches has already been replaced in Sweden. They have some weird turnstile with a sac game on it. Starts Saturday.

          Reply
  28. Brig Bother Post author

    Watching this week’s now, Museum was highly entertaining and i quite enjoyed the word puzzle in the Hall of Illusions.

    Reply
  29. Brig Bother Post author

    Fun episode, probably one or two episodes longer than the series ought to have been with the lack of new material. A good season rather than a great one.

    Hopefully less overly obvious producer influence next year please, more mechanical games not determined by how much a man fancies pushing a button down to get a certain result please thanks.

    Reply
  30. Lee

    Nice season as always. Shame its over as i enjoy them.

    Thoughts on the episode,
    Pedrocopter obviously was fixed. Green light just suddenly appeared.
    Ketuprie was interesting. She had kinda the same technique as Elodie. and looks like the key is very reachable (just like in tapis) What was stopping Elodie grabbing the key?
    Balles De coton felt very long. Like 4 parcels to open. It seems that was the “prisoner game”. nice to see it backfire (although the weekly preview did spoil this).

    Some productions errors around Ketuprie too. The clock went up in time after the game was done and skipped 9 minutes during Restaurant. Time sure flies there.

    Overall its still sad that despite the teams on the fort playing 14 key games per episode that baguettes wasn’t even shown.

    Reply
    1. Alex

      Whilst the ‘tomatoes up the shirt’ was the same (brilliant) idea, in this episode the method of getting over the tank was a TON more efficient with one foot on each wall.

      Whilst there’s obviously producer jiggery-pokery going on in there, I think there’s also a little bit of them setting the bar too high (if she really did only have 10 seconds left when she won). If it comes back next year, expect the amount they need to go down, and expect people using that tactic to go up.

      Reply
  31. Lee

    Fort Boyard Sweden also returned last night.

    Same rules as last year. Keys in 30 minutes then a couple of clue games with the Treasure room having there new code box game. Couple new duels as well as a memory puzzle in the riddle.

    Reply
      1. David

        I sorta like how they work the treasure room here- you can tell how far along the teams are rather than guessing based on how much time they had at the beginning (though no suspense with the gate closing of course since there’s no time limit to complete everything). And the keys and clues mesh well in this format- keys help you at the beginning, clues help you at the end..

        Reply
        1. Brig Bother Post author

          I think it’s quite clever although not perfect by any means, surely once you’ve claimed enough gold you might as well send two of your team immediately out as sacrifices. Also it’s not actually particularly *exciting* as an end game. But it’s probably one of the better ways to end the duel format, it is a bit more unpredictable than “most gold wins”, but the back of my mind is always saying “this shouldn’t be how Fort Boyard ends”.

          Reply
  32. David

    Interesting thing on Fort Boyard Sweden this week- I don’t think I’ve seen any of the versions have someone with a prosthetic leg compete before..

    Reply

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