It’s quite possible you missed this, but there’s a full episode of Remote Control UK on Youtube (linked to and discussed here) – it is well worth a watch, for me one of the holy grails of shows that should be on Youtube.
MTV in the UK used to show the US version in the late eighties. I probably saw an advert for it when I was eight-or-so years old and I remember my Mum telling me I couldn’t watch it because it was “too rude” (I don’t know if she had ever watched it (she was well into music television at the time) but there’s plenty of the US show on Youtube and it’s PG at worst I’d suggest – it was a bit more of a TV quiz over there, but you can see them gradually including weirder questions as the show goes on) therefore for me there was always something slightly forbidden and exciting about it. So I was surprised as anything to be flicking through the channels in my bedroom one evening at six or half six and discover it on Channel 4 as, roughly, a 10 or 11 year old. I remember thinking Tony Wilson was quite scary and imposing (my only other real memory of him at the time was hosting post A-Levels advice show Which Way? every year), but crucially I also remember it having quite clever funny questions and it being a quiz but not being a boring quiz. And a scary-looking wheel. And people going behind a wall.
Now of course we have the benefit of 25 years hindsight, we have a better understanding that Tony Wilson is/was a legend and most of the comics who worked on it who went on to bigger and better things – Frank Sidebottom, Phil Cornwell – that episode featured Brenda Gilhooly (these days more of a writer but probably best known for Gayle Tuesday) AND pre-fame Sean Lock (in a non-speaking role in that particular episode, although he did warm-up as well apparently). Others featured John Thomson and Caroline Aherne who went on to do The Fast Show amongst other things. And doubtless there are others still!
But the biggest take home for me is that you can do have a decent quiz and not be boring. This is what I’ve always wanted in my quiz shows.
Could it work with Jimmy Carr today?
I’ve long championed Avanti un Altro! as a show that could be massive over here given the right sort of treatment. It is probably not a coincidence that I mention this in the same sentence as Remote Control, Paolo Bonolis fronted the Italian version of RC, Urka! and you can see connections in the DNA – regular comedy characters and question categories, it’s effectively a high-stakes general audience reversioning (that also does very well amongst the youth). We’re also terrified that a UK version could be terrible though.
Fingers crossed more Remote Control UK is going to turn up – it sounds like an episode starring Tremendous Knowledge Dave Rainford from Eggheads might be in the offing if we keep our fingers crossed.
So in response to your previous statement about what you would do to find a full episode, Brig, who did you kill?
You wouldn’t know him.
Man Alive! Remote Control. Brilliant.
At the time Tony H. Wilson was the only man who had enough ‘cred’ with the yoof, who could actually pull off an anarchic noisy but controlled shambles.
And, I’d forgotten just how tough the final round actually was. In a way, the spinner and screens was a forerunner to The Chair.
And I’d forgotten how the losers were removed off the show. And we thought Ejector Seat was a new idea a couple of years ago!
You are right about the clever questions.
My favourite category was ‘Rhetorical Questions’. Which found Tony reading out the question “What’s wrong with the kids these days?” Only for someone to buzz in, and try and answer it – leading to an exasperated host, having to explain to the contestant that there is no answer to those sorts of questions.
Who could host a revival today? If it was around 10-15 years ago, Richard Madeley (who ironically was Wilson’s rear gunner on many editions of Granada Reports) would have had that ironic tone and got away with it with the students.
Now? Vic Reeves maybe.
LOVING Remote Control – I forgot how good this was!! As an aside…I made my first game show appearance this afternoon, on Tipping Point! It was recorded in September, and it was really interesting to see how they’d put it together – I lost the head to head on my last question (a technology Q, which is annoying given I work in that field!!!) – and I deliberated for AGES, talking myself out of the right answer…obviously that was all cut out, and my workmates have took huge portions of mickey out of me for the lame answer! Despite all that, it was a great day…I wonder if any other Bar members have had a go, and how you found it? I also saw a tweet from them, by co-incidence…they’re looking for fresh victims, if anyone fancies a go – send an email to apply@rdftelevision.com…
Awesome stuff, might watch on catch-up.
I’ve been saying for years it’s the only show on telly I want to go on, so I might actually apply this time round.
DO IT BRIG!!! You can expect a lovely trip to St Margarets station in Twickenham, where – if you’re ahead of time – you can wander out and enjoy a great coffee in a nice little cafe run by a (possibly Turkish) guy who clearly gets lots of Tipping Pointers through his doors, so he’s really friendly…a short (I mean SHORT – about three minutes from station to the doors of Twickenham Studios) stroll, and a sit in a reception area that somehow feels stuck in the “Man About The House” bit of the seventies…and the genuine wonder of walking into the studio, and coming face-to-face with the legendary Tipping Point machine…which is one of those weirdly life-affirming, bizarre moments where you have to pinch yourself to see if it’s actually happening! Let me know if you want an experiential write up, for potential contestants…but seriously, GET A FORM AND GO FOR IT YOURSELF!!!!