We always found Blockbusters actually a bit dull but we appreciate a good title sequence, and Blockbusters‘ titles were amazing.

Anyway our chum John has tracked down a copy of the annual with a behind the scenes look at how they were created and it’s too good to get lost in the comments, so here’s the link.

It turns out that Dara O Briain’s Go 8 Bit is pretty much an immediate hit for Dave with the first episode last night really not far off what a first-run of Taskmaster (new series starts October 4th) gets, and some presentational issues aside I’m pleased for everybody involved.

Anyway I went on Youtube last night and it recommended Games World to me. I used to love watching this growing up, a weeknightly video games show on Sky One. The week’s main events were The Eliminator (on Mondays and from the second series Mondays and Wednesdays) and then Beat the Elite on Fridays, where the Eliminator winners would take on the Videators (i.e. researchers they’ve put in costumes) to try and get as high as possible on the all important leaderboard.

And it’s still not bad today, carried as it is by Bob Mills in one of his earliest TV jobs (he tends to stick to radio these days) as ringmaster taking the piss out of moody twelve year-olds and in this special episode games journalists:

What struck me here is how *young* the journos are, I used to spend all my pocket money on computer mags at the time and would have assumed they were all much older. Also whilst Mills is clearly not a gamer he was quite good at exposition and running the show, letting Jeremy Daldry (also quite a funny guy and went on to become a TV producer) play to his strength as commentator without treading on his toes.

Games World is not as fondly remembered as Gamesmaster, but certainly at the time I thought it was a pretty successful attempt at video games entertainment.

So with comic and actor Stephen Merchant announced as the host of the one-off revival (a name incidentally we probably wouldn’t have considered, but on reveal pretty much immediately thought “yes that’s quite good”) I thought it would be fun to look at some parody as the show is ripe for that sort of thing.

The earliest one would probably be the Punt and Dennis “making a cup of tea” game:

Meanwhile Tony Robinson wrote a spoof into an episode of kids show Maid Marian and Her Merry Men. Here’s actually the entire script, but here’s the relevant video.

Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish frequently did take-offs of popular TV shows with Star Wars models for their TV show. “The pony trekking holiday in Ullswater will be mine!”

My personal favourite is The Crystal Muck from Dick ‘n’ Dom In Da Bungalow, one of many gameshow-based endgames they played out. Dave Chapman giving it everything, “CORRUGATED IRON and PIPING.”

Finally the most recent and probably the best observed, this from Cardinal Burns a few years ago:

Well now. Well well well now.

The Sun is reporting that The Crystal Maze is set for a big budget comeback, initally as a one-off for Stand Up To Cancer with a view to a series. David Tennant is being tipped as host. I’ve had some private convos with some TV peeps who won’t give anything away but suggest it’s true.

Gosh and indeed blimey. Tennant’s a good choice as well if true.

I am simultaneously the world’s most excited and terrified 35-year-old. Excited because it was my fave show growing up. Terrified because modern production and editing techniques risk urinating all over my childhood.

I would have presumed they’d film a one-off at The Crystal Maze Live Experience in London except I don’t think that would come across that well on camera. Stand Up To Cancer night is October 21st. This feels like it’s going to be a massive rush job or someone’s been secretly building a maze somewhere. If it’s big budget are they hoping other countries will film here Fort Boyard style?

So many questions. So much anticipation. Don’t be rubbish.

Edit: If it’s anything less than a 9/10, there WILL BE consequences. I will relentlessly slag off your next daytime quiz regardless of how good it actually is. If there’s ANY HINT of diary room style confessional or Field Removed Video, every show you work on gets 1/10 in perpetuity. BE WARNED. No I don’t care how hard it is, you break it you buy it.

Edit Edit: It sounds like they ARE filming it at the Live Experience, I think I am already over this.

Edit Edit Edit: It’s going to be hosted by Stephen Merchant. Actually quite a good choice I think. Press release.

#hostholdingfourquestioncards

Coming soon to CBBC: Top Class with Susan Calman, a show which aims to find Britain’s smartest school and looks excitingly like it has a passing resemblance to top 80s quiz First Class. I hope there are Paperboy and Hypersports rounds! What’s behind the spinning golden disc! Etc!

Anyway I’m only mentioning this here because here’s a promo shot of Calman holding FOUR question cards. Is this cheating or does it make it four times as good?

Anyway right now I’m currently addicted to watching old episodes of High Rollers on Youtube, the US quiz from the 70s and 80s based around dice-game Shut the Box hosted by Alex Trebek then Wink Martindale. I remember watching it on satellite in the late 80s (I can’t remember if it was part of Sky 1’s Panel Pot Pourri strand or Lifestyle with Diddy David Hamilton). The Martindale version would be the show I grew up with and I love everything about it (one of the all time great themes! Glamorous set! What passes for 1980s US quiz show trivia! When one of the prizes was a bonus game! Golden dice because why not!).

The game, by modern standards, actually isn’t all that great – probably a little too much passing the dice in the hope the opponent rolls bad and loses the game rather than gambling to try and take prizes, but right now I also don’t care. Here is a random episode. Have a good rest of Bank Holiday!