Fort Boyard 2020

Saturdays from July 11th,
8pm UK/9pm France
France 2 and hopefully Youtube

This ought to be an intriguing year for the show – the 31st season (and actual 30th birthday), and filmed under COVID conditions – facemasks at the relevant times and teams are reduced to five (from six) and they’ll stay outside the Treasure Room with Passe-Partout taxi-ing relevant players to relevant tests – not unlike how they did the bonus tasks on Toujours plus Fort! last year (which is also back for post-adventure entertainment after eight of the eleven episodes this year).

But they’re promising this won’t be a wasted year, there only seem to be a couple of new tests and adventures (that have been revealed to the press anyway) but they’ve gone big on the side events to freshen it up. There are the new Boos (Big and Little to go alongside Lady Boo), Willy Rovelli’s restaurant has been shut down in retaliation for opening Boyard Land without asking Pere Fouras first so he’s opened a speakeasy and changed the nature of Willymix, Cyril Gossbo is a new Ken doll-like character representing “the perfect gameshow host”, played by regular celeb contestant and ex-FB intern Cyril Ferraud, and the Boyard Academy has opened for remedial lessons as everyone’s missed school for months under the tutelage of comic Kevin Raze, who unfortunately is the laziest professor ever.

So plenty of surprises in store, hopefully it will still be a good watch even under the difficult recording cirumstances.

To watch live outside of France you will need a VPN. The last few years production have put up the full episodes on Youtube ungeoblocked soon after broadcast on the official channel, but there’s no guarantee they’ll do the same this year.

130 thoughts on “Fort Boyard 2020

  1. TVs Michael Harmstone

    Games we know are still on the fort – Manoir, Garage, Rodeo Dino, Laverie, Museum, Croco World, Temple Maudit, Bibliotheque Abandonée*, Roi du Silence, Saut de l’Ange, Araignée. No pictures have been released of anywhere outside of the Fort interior, but there’s an assumption that not much will have changed.

    (* = I think the door is still the same)

    Games that have been removed – Lutte (now Slaime), Voyage dans le temps (now Dentiste), Boyardodrome (now Willy’s Speakeasy), Percolateur (now Tata Fouras), Tri Selectif (now additional space for the catering, due to social distancing). Megagaf is also not on the fort this year, and the originally planned return of Narcisse isn’t happening this year (and that’s an interesting piece of information given the hornet’s nest it’s kicked!), and neither is the Napoleonic expert.

    I also think Momie may have been removed (the small bit of the door we’ve seen for it doesn’t look like the Momie door, although I’m aware that they don’t actually stand in front of the real room where it is).

    Reply
    1. Lee Turner

      I think Boyardodrome is actually still on the Fort. I remember seeing an article saying the Willy event replaces it but i’ve seen no where else that says the same thing. I remember also seeing a picture a contestant posted of them holding the clepsydre outside the room with the same door.

      Reply
      1. Alex Richards

        I think what they’ve done is gotten the numbers wrong in the reveal. Boyardodrome is 115. I believe (although I have no real evidence other than well-meaning speculation) the Dentist at 118 is a front for the speakeasy. There would be a mention of a proper ‘dentist’ game otherwise.

        Also it wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of what they removed in 2020 were to come back next year, this was always going to be a bit of an odd year in terms of stuff.

        Reply
        1. Brig Bother Post author

          I think it would be quite clever if, in fact, Boyardodrome was still listed as Boyardodrome, still looked like Boyardodrome from the outside, but once the contestants go in… surprise! It would make sense thematically.

          Reply
          1. TVs Michael Harmstone

            I’d be shocked if the door isn’t something completely innocuous (or the Boyardodrome one, given we know Willy’s Speakeasy is a two-player game) – this is a great way for them to bring back the original surprise of Willy’s Restaurant.

    2. TVs Michael Harmstone

      Games we now know are back thanks to the trailer – Boyardodrome (which suggests Alex is right that “Dentiste” is the Speakeasy really), Bank, Poutre Jets d’eau, Spa, Casino.

      Reply
      1. Lee Turner

        Think its been confirmed in an article that Dentiste will be Willy.
        Wonder if they were keeping the Restaurant (Food truck) version for the international series since they like to play it alot.

        Reply
        1. Brig Bother Post author

          Bit disappointed with that I think, I think of the potential as the dentist as an idea and they’re using it on this. Still, though.

          I imagine the restaurant will get to reopen next year, it’s the only event the whole team can participate in and I suspect that gives it a certain value.

          Reply
  2. TVs Michael Harmstone

    It also appears that Garage has had a little makeover inside. The game is still exactly the same, they’ve just refitted some bits.

    Also, Vincent C (formerly of the Boyard Academy parish) was on France’s Got Talent in 2017. One of the judges is Eric Antoine (formerly of the Boyard Academy parish in the same year as Vincent). He lost in the semi-final.

    Reply
  3. Lee Turner

    Judging by pics in Episode 2. Not all episodes will end with the Treasure room at night (Or the aftershow won’t be at night either)

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        1. Lee Turner

          Also looks like Boyard Wash is down to 1 player this year.

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          1. Alex Richards

            To be honest it went from one of the hardest games to one of the easier ones when it became automatic, anyway.

    1. Brig Bother Post author

      I don’t think the episodes that didn’t have Toujours plus Fort last year had it at nivht either.

      Reply
      1. Lee Turner

        All episodes had the Treasure Room at night last year. Will actually miss that this year. 🙁

        Reply
  4. Lee Turner

    Looks like Boyardodrome is still there. Bank is also on the fort as confirmed by this week trailer.

    Reply
        1. Ryan

          Might I ask anyone to share a link for the trailer? I can’t seem to find it. Thanks kindly!

          Reply
  5. Lee Turner

    Happy Birthday to Fort Boyard who celebrates 30 years today.

    Reply
  6. Lee Turner

    Room of silence is still on the fort and will be played as a 2 player game. Both players wear a visor

    Reply
  7. Richard

    I was wondering I’m assuming that this is a UK website if so do you watch Fort Boyard Subtitle if so how could I get them?

    Reply
    1. Matt Clemson

      We tend to watch it live; for last series and hopefully the future, France 2 has put each episode on Youtube; I don’t know if it’s possible to do something clever with the Youtube subtitles. For the *most* part it’s reasonably easy to understand – each game tends to be accompanied by a brief video package outlining the concept, and it’s generally quite visual and good at explaining things – although I’ve never quite got Google Translate to give me meaningful information quickly enough for the riddles!

      Possibly trickier might be the broader structural aspects; the show’s broadly split into several distinct acts and it may not be immediately obvious what the overaching goal is for the current act is (First collect keys, then an interlude if you don’t have *enough* keys, then collect cluewords, then collect time for the treasure room, and finally put all these together and hopefully escape with treasure)… but there’s still quite a lot of nuances and diversions in amongst that as well.

      I was wondering if people would be interested in a watchalong on Discord for the first of the new series?

      Reply
      1. Lee Turner

        Will agree that i barely speak any french (or any foreign language of the show i watch) and tend to have a good idea what goes on. Most of the games are the same on the fort for years there only like 4-6 new ones you need to learn through the year.

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      2. Alex Richards

        > I was wondering if people would be interested in a watchalong on Discord for the first of the new series? Totally up for that if I’m there.

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        1. Brig Bother Post author

          I doubt I’ll be able to make the first one but I may join you later in the run – I’ve started a FortBoyardChatalong audio channel in the Bother’s Bar Discord for those watching live.

          Reply
      3. Danny Kerner

        There is a trick to download the raw subtitles from the site itself however the only issues with the translation is most software now charges you to convert it. I would try again this year to see if anything has changed behind the scenes but I think I might just upload the races and let you try to see if any experts out there who could do it.

        Reply
  8. Lee Turner

    Apparently before the show at 7:30pm (UK TIME) (8:30pm France time) the weekend news is going to do a segment on Fort Boyard (Its apparently 20 mins long)

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      That article also reveals that the guy who injured himself did it in the Boyardodrome.

      Also pleased to see Balance is back.

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      1. Lee Turner

        Seems like Boyardodrome is stacking up some injuries. I think it caused issue in Sweden too.

        Reply
    2. Brig Bother Post author

      English translation of Father Fouras’ words according to that article:

      “Do you hear that musical note? Do you recognize this mythical place? Each room, each stone of my fort reminds you of a memory. A moment of fear, a moment of happiness. You grew up with us. For three decades, we should be friends … I don’t think so.”

      “Your victories are and will remain our failures. We have only one goal: that the fort does not fall, whatever the price. Don’t you think it was going to be easy? Times change, a storm arrives. It will be frightening. In other words, it’s going to be fun.”

      Reply
  9. TVs Michael Harmstone

    I’ve just done a check on the games that were on the fort last year – we have 25 (including Surf that is in the pre-générique!) returning games we know are back plus five new ones.

    There’s six removals and seventeen unconfirmed so far:

    Safari
    Deux cages
    Cabine éjectable
    Cabine aquatique
    T.N.T
    Tête chercheuse
    Gagarine
    Momie
    Cloche
    Chambre froide
    Hôtel
    Train fantôme
    Zoo
    Cerce
    Catapulte infernale
    Vélo
    Vertige et dépendance

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      Most of those willbe back I suspect, although Cloche will probably get a year off. Pretty sure I’ve seen Deux Cages in an insta photo.

      Reply
    2. Matt Clemson

      Cabine Ejectable and Chambre Froid appeared in the show; Zoo appeared in TPF. I saw a brief shot in the next time trailer of Pere Fouras reaching for a joystick, which may confirm Gagarin, and while I don’t know the exact context, in TPF there was a behind-the-scenes shot of Cyril Gossbo in the Hotel room, which I assume is some sort of setup for a skit.

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        1. TVs Michael Harmstone

          And Hotel was in there (briefly). Course Poursuite looks like it’s not Lady Boo (it looks like Casey doing it from the trailer). I believe we also saw Train Fantome.

          I *think* the joystick was also used for Cabine Ejectable this week.

          Reply
  10. Jack B

    Right, I’m going to catch up on Tojours Plus Fort tomorrow (or more precisely fast forward through most of it since I don’t understand enough French to understand the conversations anyway), but overall the episode left me with very mixed feelings.

    I don’t know what to think about having the team outside the treasure room the whole time – it felt to me like it would make more sense to have the teams base be in the centre circle, then go to the treasure room at the end. Having them in the treasure room the whole time made everything too slow (the pauses before revealing who plays the next game particularly annoyed me), and not having the team present made a lot of the physical comedy gags less exciting – the pre Willymix “Sacrifice” is probably the best example of this, especially since they didn’t change the joke from last year.

    I probably would enjoy the presentation more if they would drop the main “clock” and the clepsydre and just be upfront about it being a set number of games with a clock on-screen for each one. Having only one clepsydre in the treasure room just seemed odd, since surely there are different time limits for the games. The main clock made sense in the early years where it was a single clock for everything but the treasure room, but ever since the Council was moved from the middle to just before the treasure room it became a lot less relevant. We already got rid of the main clock for clue games years ago, and if they’ve already relieved Felindra of gong duties they should have just gotten rid of the gong (and the clock it signifies) entirely.

    My main issue with the slower presentation is that one of my biggest complaints from previous years has only gotten worse now – the key requirement was hard enough ever since they upped it to 9, but now it’s basically impossible. To explain this point – in the past 5 years we’ve gone from the original limit of 7 keys being required out of 14, to 8 out of 17 (including the cage), then to 9 out of 17, then it became 9 out of 15. Now it’s 8 keys out of 12 – surely this is the highest win to loss percentage required in the whole show’s history. Going back to 7 keys would have made way more sense.

    As for the new games/show changes:

    Slaime – Meh. Felt like a redo of the old Gunk Dunk from Get Your Own Back way back in the day (the “Snot/Custard/RAW” format, for those old enough to remember). Cyril Gossbo is a pretty good character, but I think that the Q&A based games should be left to Pere Fouras.

    Tata Fouras – Over way too quickly, but given that the camera work drove me crazy that might not be a bad thing. I get what they were going for but I ended up feeling dizzy just watching it, and the constant camera changes meant we could barely see the actual gameplay. By us there probably would have been a flashing lights warning pre-show and in the prior break with those lightning flashes. Hoping this doesn’t return next year.

    Glad to see Rouge actually hosting the The Cage live now, but as a segment it remains the weakest point of the show to me. Turning it into basically “Schlag Den Boo” made it feel a little too similar to the council at this point to justify a seperate segment – especially with them rehashing old council games. Having to go out to the treasure room after each game didn’t help either, as said previously.

    Willy’s presentation felt WAY too over the top for me, but I prefer the spice game to the previous willymix format.

    Booder on the Abandoned Library was probably the best part of the show – when was the last time we actually had someone overcome their initial fear and actually win?

    Turbo Basquet was also great, even though I was worried initially it would only be one shot. Having it be 2 out of 3 is slightly better, but it felt like there was too much filler while they reset the launcher after the first go.

    If we’re only getting 9 key games (plus the cage) and 5 adventures in a 2+ hour show, there’s no room for games that are over in less than a minute – Surf being this weeks one. Velo better get the year off.

    The dentist setup was great – Despite hating “gross food” challenges, I actually preferred this version to the restaurant, although doubtless that’ll be back next year once the setup isn’t a surprise anymore and the novelty factor wears off.

    Interesting to see the treasure room intro was about the tigers, and that there are only 2 rather than 3 as there always were. I may have missed this due to my lack of French, but have they got new tigers this year?

    I actually found it hilarious that with all the adherence to social distancing, the codeword basically required everyone to be right next to each other in order to spell it out. Surely producers should have looked at the grid and made sure to write codewords that could be spelt out with enough distance between everyone?

    Overall – I’ll take what we can get given the circumstances. Fort Boyard has been a summer staple of mine for years and I’m glad to have something to take my mind off the world, but I doubt I’ll be watching it live in the next weeks – the hassle of the Dark Arts is a bit much to justify given the limited version we have unless it’s the only way to watch. If it’s on Youtube again I’m sticking to that.

    Reply
    1. Jason

      A small correction on the key difficulty – last season was 9 keys from 14 or 15 games (generally getting a 15th game if they had 6 keys or less – Episode 8 were unlucky as they required three judgements), the first episode this year was slightly easier at 8 keys from 14 games.

      Reply
      1. Jack B

        I miscounted because when trying to remember all the games played I only counted the cage as one “game”, rather than 3 as it should be. 8 out of 14 is roughly on par with last year, but I still think 7 out of 14 would have made more sense – especially if there are still going to be ALIS games played (and from the sound of it Magik is now going to have the team member handcuffed to the wall a la Menotte, so that’s at least one there).

        Reply
  11. Mika

    Has anyone brought up the interesting fact that even though this is Booder’s third time on the Fort, it’s his first time on a winning team?

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      1. Mika

        Ahh, ha, nice. (I’ve never had luck with the Dark Arts, so waiting for a hopeful Youtube upload)

        Reply
  12. Lee Turner

    Overall i enjoyed it. But i agree the pacing of it seemed different and i didn’t really enjoy it in that sense. I think they had different clepsydre’s around and not just used the same one. But then i don’t like the fact some random games have a clepsydre next to them.

    8 keys needed and 14 chances (Includeing cage) seems fine. And back down to 5 Clue games. Just feel there alot more filler this year rather than actual game played.

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      Incidentally, it looks like there are still nine locks but Olivier mentions “supplimentary” a lot.

      Reply
  13. Brig Bother Post author

    Pretty much agree with Jack B, but I’ll go through my notes anyway:

    * Right, I know Pere Fouras can do magic, but being able to turn off a telly with a remote that’s not a remote control telly is pretty special.

    * This really feels like a compromised season in a way I wasn’t quite expecting – the set up on the proscenium loses so much energy from the proceedings. I too think they’d have been better served around the central circle – or at least stationed along the middle of one of the walls on the first floor (someone pointed out to me on Twitter that the cameras might have a hard time if everyone was around the middle). Really having the contestants go, then come back and then have Passe-Muraille go and come back each time really slows it down too much – I’m glad someone was counting the games, I thought there were way less than previous. Really, the show is much about the experience and its lost quite a lot in its COVID state.

    * Quite liked Olivier’s Battle Station, amused they made no explanation for the sudden changes of the clepsydres between games.

    * Like Cyril, thought the set-up was amusing, especially amused that it seems she only just realised they were doors you could open rather than having to crouch to get in on the last question.

    * Aunt Fouras was, well, a bit rubbish – not especially funny, as a game of skill it’s difficult to see what the technique they ought to be aiming for. Lots of effort gone into the setting for a game that seemed to be on a really short time limit anyway.

    * In “about bloody time” news, great that they’ve got Rouge to actually host The Cage live, albeit from a screen. It always seemed completely ridiculous that they put Delphine Wespiser through all that costume and make-up only to make a ten second in-flesh appearance and a load of pre-recorded video. They’ve expanded Delphine’s role actually, she’s like the Cendrine Dominguez of Toujours Plus Fort! Perhaps they’re testing the waters…

    * Right, was that an unrequited love letter from Olivier to Blanche? Look forward to the translation!

    * They really went out of their way not to bother changing the entrance to Willymix joke.

    * Spa’rade – took me a little while to work it out, but it’s Spa but with three mini riddles and you have to sit still in the jacuzzis to hear each one. When you put the answers together you get a word (a charade). Quite a nice way to shift from Q and A, even if the jacuzzi element is predictable.

    * The Dentist was really nicely done – preview of the game makes it look like dental surgery will be involved (it’s all screaming and tooth instruments and teeth), players buy into it, they sit down and oh! the wall moves and it’s Willy’s Speakeasy!

    * Turbo Basket is a triumph as well – looked a bit rubbish on paper, actually the launch seems genuinely thrilling and scary.

    * They’ve reintroduced some Moderate Animal Scariness to the prison escape. It was just nice to see some variance in the course from the last few years.

    * The aural spin on the Awalee memory game in the Council was quite neat.

    Lots of new stuff still to see.

    Reply
  14. Matt Clemson

    One minor thing I really liked is that they got Delphine to do the ‘roving host’ role in Toujours Plus Fort; I do like things like that that establishes the show as an ensemble effort. Wonder if it’s a permanent role for her this series – she was wearing a top with a tiger emblem which does suggest it’s something more formal than her simply appearing out-of-character (or, I guess in her case, out-of-characters!) for a bit.

    Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        Perhaps interestingly, perhaps not, there was a montage of Laboulle on TPF tonight (as part of a bigger montage) – I always thought effectively writing him and Passe-Temps out of history was a bit rum so I’m pleased that TPF are rehabilitating them a bit. It will be interesting to see if Mister Boo features at all.

        Reply
      2. Matt Clemson

        Olivier has been there quite a while now…

        On the one hand based on what I could tell from that roving host role she looks like she could host the whole thing very well indeed; on the other hand, it’d mean either quite a significant restructure to the show or managing to cast someone else (or, I guess, two people) who can do such a good job as both Blanche and Rouge…

        …and now it has just struck me that Boyard Land has a pair of twins on the payroll…

        (Also, there would be something delightful about the programme finally reaching its logical conclusion of being *hosted* by a former Miss France)

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        1. Jack B

          Speaking of Miss France – I hope they bring Clemence back next year to be able to collect on her Lutte prize that was missed out on. Maybe add a female Little Boo as well and have Clemence and Miss France 2021 play Double Lutte.

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        2. Tom F

          Replacing Blanche and Rouge?
          I don’t know what you do about Rouge, but for Blanche, the no. 1 choice has got to be the Boyardland “Good Fairy”.

          Reply
          1. Matt Clemson

            Ah, yes, we were discussing Fee Roni on the Dsscord chat. She’s a character I’m hoping to see again, but her in Blanche’s role would create a very different tone to the judgement sequence.

            Actually, she might be a good fit for a game in the Willymix slot.

  15. Lee Turner

    France 2 positioned itself in 1st position on the audience table. We were 3,510,000 viewers in front of the program, or 20.4 %% of PDA. This is the best launch score of a season since 2009!

    For the aftershow, 1,520,000 viewers, or 17.2% of the audience. France 2 was still the leader in this time slot.

    I suppose not bad for a Captive audience. (since i guess people staying at home for lockdown)

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      Always worth pointing out that Toujours Plus Fort! effectively runs from half eleven to half past midnight in France, so to retain that audience that late is quite good going.

      Reply
    1. Jack B

      Not yet – hopefully this doesn’t mean they dropped them this year. Although there’s a chance it might be geoblocked so we can’t see it.

      Reply
  16. Brig Bother Post author

    Another fun thing insinuated last night – Fort Boyard now has dolphins, whales and a shark in the vicinity.

    Reply
  17. TVs Michael Harmstone

    Finally watching, so here’s some thoughts.

    * The pre-gate unlock speech is significantly less serious when done behind a mask.
    * Interesting how some doors still have clepsydres, but any games they played this week didn’t.
    * Tête chercheuse was visible when they left Garage, so that’s back. Cabine aquatique and Deux cages were visible when Camille went to Slaime, so that’s three more games confirmed.
    * Did I see a double saut in the intro?! How’s that gonna work without masks?
    * PF’s prosthetics were loose as hell in the sketch post-Slaime. It’s the same in the Speakeasy intro actually – his nose is visibly not attached.
    * Poor Camille – she got Slaime this year and Willymix last year.
    * Knowing Claude knackered his finger on Boyardodrome is probably worse watching and trying to guess when he did it.
    * I don’t know whether it’s a side effect of the new format, but four games were played in twenty five minutes according to the clock. That seems…low. It also seems to be causing far more close exits.
    * Glad they’ve got another new bank entry.
    * I like the idea that they probably had to pretend to ignore Booder being put in the Cabine Ejectable.
    * PF had a scroll for Eolienne post-CE, which hasn’t been played in *years*.
    * Momie’s door is still there, albeit without the sarcophagus.
    * Tata Fouras is obviously rubbish, but it’ll be fun to see the reactions at least this season.
    * *Love* the new way of introducing the Cage. The impossible shots are even better this year. It’s a real shame the new way of actually *doing* the Cage is so slow.
    * How pissed would you be if you were one of the non-Casey kids of the fort and had your picture in the intro, but being basically written out? Mister Boo was also there in a picture cameo. Using the Boos as the opponents is a stroke of genius though.
    * Casey is an absolute madman on the sit-up challenge. I don’t think he’s ever lost it.
    * Clou Géant took a year off last year, and I didn’t even realise.
    * Ketchuperie was already impossible, without the exploding effects and the dripping walls. Good to see Clemence get at least one traditional Miss France game though. I also appreciate that – immediately after letting her shower post-ketchuperie – they send her to the Chambre Froide.
    * Not sure why they needed to bring Tom & Claude back just to say they were playing Poutre Jets d’eau. Send them there, let PM give us the scroll. I don’t remember them wearing matching rash guards over the wetsuits before though.
    * Claude found the right tactic – go as fast as possible and don’t let them distract you with the jets.
    * I’m *shocked* Camille has never played Araignee before. I’m more shocked it’s still on the Fort – it’s a dreadful game. It’s worse in a year like this where no one can help them out of the cell – it just feels like they want someone to get locked in for the first time in years.
    * The problem with the pacing is similar to the Crystal Maze experience – with the reduction in games, everyone plays two or three key games.
    * Boomerangs is obviously impossible. Disappointed they didn’t even change the ChilliStyx sacrifice method.
    * ChilliStyx really annoyed me though. They shouldn’t have given Willy basically a camera to chew the scenery through. The reveal of what the button does though did make me laugh.
    * Turbo Basket is *lethal*. It’ll be interesting to see if anyone does win it this series.
    * Why was the Surf box the only one which was by its event, rather than in the Plaza?
    * It’s a shame they’ll only be able to do the Dentiste joke for this year, not that that usually stops them.
    * The fish smoothie is one of the most disgusting things they’ve ever given them. Just the fish eye squelch alone.
    * Is Tom bilingual? He was speaking a lot of English.
    * Surprised they’re still using the “bust through concrete” ending given no one can help them up through the gate this year.
    * Interesting that Olivier could take the scroll from the Maitres, but not from PM.
    * Wait, did they get 42 seconds for the last win in the Council?! It said 3:03 originally, then as Claude left it was 3:15, then back to 3:03 I think.
    * Someone else said this, but the letters of the code word all being near each other was unintentionally hilarious.
    * The “who got the fifth key?” question was accompanied by a video…not from this episode. Looks like a Laverie win.
    * It’s odd seeing Delphine being acknowledged as Delphine.
    * Given Claude is a three-time Koh-Lanta player (and has an average placement of 2.33, despite never winning), Temple Maudit is a game made for him. It was never in doubt.
    * Aww at Cyril’s reaction to having his own cell.
    * I know Brig loves to point out the runtime, but this week was 143 minutes. That’s about 10-15 minutes longer than the past couple of years. Coupled with 50 minutes for TPF, that’s insane.

    Reply
    1. Mika

      “Tête chercheuse was visible when they left Garage, so that’s back. Cabine aquatique and Deux cages were visible when Camille went to Slaime, so that’s three more games confirmed.” – Wouldn’t necessarily put that as confirmation. Wasn’t Entrainment Sous-Marin always in the background the few years it was off? And can’t speak for this ep since I still haven’t seen it yet, but Eolienne’s also been in the background (during Megagaf) even though the France version hasn’t played it in years.

      Reply
      1. Lee Turner

        The downside to watching alot of international fort boyard is they tend to use games that haven’t been played in france for a long time. Like ive seen Eolienne played in 2019 but it hasn’t been played in france since 2017

        Reply
      2. TVs Michael Harmstone

        The fact it’s on the fort is a good sign at least, especially when we know it’s a game they do like to play a few times each season. Whether they’ll take a year off (Tete might do, unless they put PM in a mask to take the blindfold off) or not is a whole ‘nother story.

        Reply
  18. Danny Kerner

    I have got the 1st episode subtitle file however it is well out of sync. i have done the first 5 minutes but i am losing patience because how quickly Oliver speaks plus i don’t really understand french phrasing. It is upto someone else if they think they can complete it. It will also need to be translated but that can only happen once the sync is complete. The irony is France 2 sorts the timings out after future broadcasts as they have a 2018 ep up currently and that is fine. i may download it and it could work with the vid uploaded on youtube.

    FB 2020 Ep 1 – https://easyupload.io/jrut47 (30 days to download before expires)

    Reply
  19. Jason

    A few thoughts from me on the first episode, I’ll try not to repeat what’s already been covered:

    * Agreed with the comments about the pacing – despite having 14 key games, the number of short games (Cabine Ejectable, Chez Tata Fouras, Cage x3, Poutre-Jets D’Eau) really encouraged filler – not something you’d want this year.
    * I did appreciate the nod to in-jokes (e.g. “It’s Pere Fouras” phone call earlier in the show), but the Veni Vidi Arrivederci one really didn’t work from that distance.
    * A mixed bag for Willy Rovelli – I’m a bit surprised Willymix came back given the game already felt tired (even though Willy does his best to keep it interesting), contrast with the Dentists/Speakeasy which looked fantastic and the cocktails were an interesting twist to keep that game fresh. I particularly liked the Fourth Wall video intro as a “spat” between Willy and Pere Fouras over Boyardland closing the restaurant.
    * Turbo Basket looks like a great game – but the difficulty seems way off, I guess we’ll see from future episodes whether it was the player or the game.
    * An impressive duel for the flaming cranes in council – rare to see one player last that long, never mind both!

    Regarding:
    * Ketchuperie – I don’t think that’s changed, they’ve done dripping walls and explosions in previous seasons.
    * Booder – His last visit in 2014 was pretty brutal – he got five tough games (Pied Marin, Rocket Man, Double Lutte, then Rouleau and Equilibre A Deux) and lost all five.

    Also doesn’t look like much on the Anniversary front – Andre [Passe Partout] has done all 31, Monique [Felindre] and Yann [Pere Fouras] are up to 29 seasons, Olivier on 18, Anthony [Passe Muraille] on 17 (plus 4 internationally), Delphine [as Blanche, Rouge was later] and Willy both on 8.

    Reply
    1. TVs Michael Harmstone

      I know the Ketchuperie walls thing has been done before – it’s just a properly tough game to get, given it’s been 90% the same every season it’s been on now.

      Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        I did laugh when she fell in and then just chucked the tomatoes she was holding in to the vat anyway.

        Reply
  20. Brig Bother Post author

    Doubtless you’ve gathered, but the official social media’s are pushing the France 2 site for replays so I suspect you won’t be finding it on YouTube officially this year.

    Reply
    1. Mika

      I’ve gathered as much. Alas. I suppose I’ll have to summon the dark arts then. Any VPN recommendations? Is that N◯rdVPN thing that advertises on near every gamer podcast and youtube channel actually any good?

      Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        I use ExpressVPN which has been fine. I know others swear on Windscribe, which has a free version and from what I was reading from other people’s experiences, once the video has started playing you can turn the VPN off BUT you do so at your own risk.

        Reply
  21. Lee Turner

    On mobile so can’t fully confirm. It seems France 2 has taken down the 2019 episodes off its channel and geo blocked the 2018 ones. Very disappointing.

    Reply
  22. Lee Turner

    I think the second episode flowed better than the first. I also saw some split screen which made it look better.

    Reply
  23. Brig Bother Post author

    Things I noticed (episode 2):

    * That Mega Jackpot win. Yeah, whatever producer pushing a button.

    * That Hotel win. Yeah, that’s never a lock-in, whatever.

    * The new Museum lock mechanism – understand why it’s there, but nowhere near as iconic as the sliding door. Hopefully they can revert back next year.

    * Using the old timer font on TNT. Come on.

    * Suspect that mousetrap council game played better in testing than in live play. There’s something in the idea, but I’m not sure it’s that.

    However, I liked Professor Kevin. Also is that the first time Turntables/Platines has been won?

    I’m finding I’m quite enjoying Toujours Plus Fort, the behind the scenes stuff is good fun (Anthony Laborde and Laura Mete have voices! Who knew!). I didn’t watch much of it last year past the first one, I do wonder if it’s just retreading the same ground. Also amused that the opening montage pretty much tells you everything that’s about to happen. Still, though.

    Reply
    1. Lee Turner

      The museum lock isn’t new. It’s been there from the start. They only use it if someone is prisoner to time rather than touching the floor.
      Agree about hotel and the TNT timer.
      It is the first win of turntables
      Also the stick council game the master went first. I thought the contestants went first. It’s also not been won since 2009 despite being played every year.

      Reply
    1. Mika

      Interesting. Probably just a coincidence, but the picture quality and frame rate almost makes it feel like it was an extract/outtake from one of the early cd rom games.

      Reply
        1. Mika

          Huh, makes sense. I have that lying around somewhere. Never actually made it onto the fort, so wouldn’t be able to confirm. (Part language issues, part just not bothering to FAQ it)
          Wonder if it would work on modern computers, even though DOS Box or something…

          Reply
  24. Lee Turner

    2,759,000 or (17.2% Audience Share)
    1st on Audience Share, 2nd on Viewers.

    Reply
    1. TVs Michael Harmstone

      I also like the idea that every year they change where Willy’s Speakeasy is, but it’s hiding behind another old adventure which has actually been removed from the Fort.

      Reply
  25. TVs Michael Harmstone

    So, now it’s aired, I can say this – this performance was bloody fantastic. Best Treasure Room total since Tony Parker (2015).

    Also, Eric was delightful and Le Cas Pucine will definitely be back next year. I like the new Magik, but still really dislike the character.

    Game update – Momie, Cloche, Cerce, Safari, Cabine Aquatique, Velo & Vertige et Dependence are the ones not confirmed yet (* = seen on the fort, not sure if played). Fosse/Gagarine are back in a few weeks.

    Reply
    1. TVs Michael Harmstone

      In addition, Museum is played at least twice this year for the first time since 2018, and if it’s played a third time it’ll be the most plays since 2015.

      Reply
    2. Brig Bother Post author

      It’s weird, I don’t remember Eric being anything particularly special when he was a Prof at the Boyard Academy, but he’s really good value, and yes, extremely good performance in the Treasure Room. Amused when he pushed the wrong buzzer in Slaime as well.

      I thought the double menotte worked well, surprised it took this long for them to use it in a game given every other new game was handcuff based not so long ago.

      I note it’s Hugo Clement and Alexandra Rosenfeld’s episode next week, the couple who met on Fort Boyard in 2018 – so if you’re wondering how they get round Double Saut d’lange next week, it’s because they’ve picked two people who are already in a bubble. Also Hugo demanded not to be involved in any games involving animals for his participation: https://soirmag.lesoir.be/313878/article/2020-07-17/fort-boyard-hugo-clement-refuse-de-participer-certaines-epreuves

      Reply
      1. TVs Michael Harmstone

        I was thinking the same thing – he was kind of an okay Boyard Academy teacher, but he was really good in this episode.

        Something I noticed in Toujours Plus Fort this week – when they showed the Speakeasy plans, it revealed that they were originally putting it in the Restaurant cell, which suggests it was a last minute “oh, we need to do something with 118” decision that led them to move it there. 118 is almost guaranteed to get a new game next year as a result.

        Reply
  26. Lee Turner

    – Show 03 – 07/25/2020: 3,248,000 viewers or 19.3% of the public – Main Show
    – Show 03 – 25 / 07/2020: 1,230,000 viewers or 14.1% of the public – Bonus Show

    Reply
  27. Mika

    https://youtu.be/Qy7tJDm6LTE?t=494 – Not sure if anyone’s mentioned this before, but came across this looking for anyone who’d posted episodes online. An episode of Fort Boyard Afrique from last year with an interesting variation in Lutte’s cell. Played really poorly this episode, but an interesting variation. Basically Jungle/Salle des tortures, but played with those trapeze swings Lady Boo always hung from. I imagine it’s extra hard considering you need to cover your arms and legs in mud to get in.

    Reply
  28. Mika

    Also, y’all have had it for a month now, but “*ESCAPE GAME* Fort Boyard” came out this week in North America.

    I might pick it up if it goes on sale for less than $10. Maybe. Probably not. But I’ll keep an eye on it.

    Interesting thing: https://www.nintendo.fr/Jeux/Nintendo-Switch/Fort-Boyard-Nouvelle-Edition-1803636.html
    In France it’s “Fort Boyard: New Edition”, but the big image still has the “ESCAPE GAME” title, and the preview video is in English.

    Reply
  29. Lee Turner

    2nd Place this week
    Show 04 – 08/01/2020: 2,824,000 viewers or 18.1% of the public
    After show
    Show 04 – 01/08/2020: 1,320,000 viewers, or 15.0% of the audience

    Reply
  30. Brig Bother Post author

    I wonder if there was a contingency if Alexandra used the joker on the Double Saut d’lange?

    I did quite enjoy the King of Silence tactics of putting the ice in the hot water bowl, only let down by it not working.

    I won’t lie, I’m flagging a bit this series, and we’re only four episodes in.

    I did quite like the Professor Kevin Observation Round – would prefer this sort of sketch idea over ones that get repeated over and over.

    Reply
    1. TVs Michael Harmstone

      I was wondering the same thing, because they can’t exactly swap it out. Perhaps they would have just let Hugo do it on his own.

      Surstromming Colada is legitimately the most disgusting thing they’ve ever created. I knew we’d get a Surstromming cocktail, but it’s revolting.

      Reply
  31. Lee Turner

    Main Show
    Show 05 – 08 / 08/2020: 2,815,000 viewers or 18.3% of the public

    Aftershow
    Show 05 – 08/08/2020: 1,340,000 viewers or 15.6% of the public

    Just goes to show you can have a great Key/Clue section but if you don’t do well at council it can go downhill quickly.

    Reply
  32. TVs Michael Harmstone

    * For a team who did so well in the first four games, the Museum performance was legitimately terrible.
    * I’m very surprised no-one’s won Slaime yet. Three plays, zero wins.
    * I wonder whether Slaime will become a traditional Miss France game, given two Miss Frances have played it already.
    * Given Vianney won zero solo games last time, the four years have been kind to him.
    * Having the Boos play the Cage is obviously still the right choice, but the problem is that they’re a bit too good. For a segment that takes ten minutes, they only win 1.2 keys per episode this series and this is the first one where they’ve won more than one. That’s like playing one and a bit Magiks.
    * Did Lady Boo throw Dos-a-Dos? She lost really quickly, especially when you consider it hadn’t been played in three years.
    * Vai’s playing of Rodeo Dino is, of course, instantly iconic.
    * Anne didn’t play a single solo game in the key period. Both her key games were also in the first five played.
    * How has it taken this long for anyone to do the throwing technique on Ketchuperie? Iconic.
    * Interesting how Olivier’s Blanche intro didn’t even play because there were no sacrifices.
    * I love how Vianney’s only key game where he didn’t get wet or covered in stuff was the Cage one. He’d have had the complete set if he played Slaime.
    * Bloody Ma Truie is disgusting. That’s all. It’s a great idea to make horrid cocktails this year though.
    * Can we have ONE WEEK WITHOUT ARAIGNEE?! For the love of everything holy…

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      Vianney was clearly the stand out player du jour. I couldn’t work out if his Barracks technique was ingenious or rubbish but evidently it worked, and of course his Ketchuperie will go down as legendary.

      This year I’m mainly annoyed that they seem to saving the games normally played in different parts of the Fort – Underwater Prison! Dolls House! Snake Pit! – for TPF and I don’t really understand why – it helps with the world building and visual variety to show these areas off. Do it in the main show!

      Reply
      1. Lee Turner

        Only thing i will say to the stuff like Underwater Prison, Snake Pit is the fact that they are still Red Clepsdyre games. And they don’t seem to like playing them at all this year.

        Reply
  33. Danny Kerner

    i know we have said no youtube links. has anyone checked using the french section of a vpn. they might have geolocked it away similar to how taskmaster has done it for the usa.

    Reply
    1. Danny Kerner

      done the work and no. but i might have found a way potentially to create well timed english subtitles and if this works i maybe able to do much much older episodes.

      Reply
  34. Lee Turner

    In other news. It sounds like Boyard Land will also film this year.
    From an interview with Willy
    What about the shooting of season 2 of “Boyard Land”?
    A priori, we shoot in September. Always in the same place. There will inevitably be new things, there will be new characters. While obviously respecting the health instructions given by the authorities.

    Reply
  35. Brig Bother Post author

    I saw some comments about people liking it when it rained on the Fort.

    This was probably the most miserable day of filming they’ve ever done, 1996, and excuse the Russian commentary. It looks like they have to abandon a game on the Tyrolean slide towards the end because the weather’s so bad.

    Reply
  36. Lee Turner

    Must admit. A surprisingly good mid series episode.
    Main Show
    Show 06 – 15/08/2020: 3,228,000 viewers or 19.8% of the public

    Post Show
    Show 06 – 15/08/2020: 1,590,000 viewers or 17.6% of the public

    Looking pretty solid in the ratings for another series next year.

    Reply
  37. Brig Bother Post author

    I was very impressed Les Bodins (particularly Maria Bodin) managed to do the whole show in character, that’s like Brendan O’Carroll doing an entire episode as Mrs Brown.

    Reply
  38. Lee Turner

    Stronger Competition this week. But i also didn’t think very much of the team itself sadly.
    Main Show
    Show 07 – 22/08/2020: 2,556,000 viewers or 15.1% of the public

    Post Show
    Show 07 – 22/08/2020: 1,250,000 viewers or 13.5% of the public

    Next week is the last TJF of the series.

    Reply
  39. Lee Turner

    We had one of those teams this week.
    Program 08 – 29/08/2020: 2,962,000 viewers, or 16.4% of the public

    Post Show
    Program 08 – 29/08/2020: 1,470,000 viewers or 15.3% of the public

    Reply

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