Well here’s some fun, there’s been some discussion recently on Twitter between myself, @davidjbodycombe and @richardosman about which sport has the best format and would therefore could have its theories adapted to make for a good gameshow (Richard believes it to be darts, I have come to the conclusion that it’s actually the amazing bar billiards). In the midst of all this, International King of Sports gets mentioned, and in particular ‘Association Bobbage’ actually has an entry in the Guinness Book of Records 2012 – Laszlo Fazekas (either “The Human Dolphin” or “The Professor” (because he wears glasses) depending on who you talk to) which stands at 2m 40. Association Bobbage, if you can’t remember, is where you jump into water from as high as height as possible without your head going under (whilst wearing flippers if I remember correctly).
Here’s episode one of International King of Sports, although it doesn’t feature Association Bobbage, regrettably:
If you’ve been following, it sounds like X Factor act Rhythmix are going to change their name to avoid confusion with a children’s charity of the same name.
Fantasy X Factor managers will not need to do anything, I’ll adapt the team sheets automatically this weekend.
In other news, the ever reliable @tvscoops has suggested ITV have picked up The Exit List for seven episodes next year, and it’s being described as Raiders-Of-The-Lost-Ark-esque. I hope they’ve made it a bit more interesting than other descriptions of it have made it sound. Matt Allwright (off of Rogue Traders) set to host.
I’m going to put up a follow-up press release from Andrew Wood, but if he feels like advertising some more he can use the comments like everybody else:
The two contestants through to through end game on Bullseye now have the choice of 3 options.
The 1st option is that they can take all the money and prizes they have won on the show and leave the show if they so chose. If this happens, and it has happen many times, the host invites the highest scoring runners up the same option. If they too decide not to gamble and keep all the money they won the host invites the lowest scoring team of contestants that were dead and buried 20 minutes earlier having not won much money, if they would like gamble their winnings and try and win Bully’s Mystery Star Prize. We never had a refusal and some won Bully’s Mystery Star Prize. A new car or a luxury holiday for 4 people. I always loved that when it happened.
Option 2 is Bully’s Mystery Star Prize. To win this the contestants had to score 101 or more with 6 darts, 3 darts for each contestant. If they scored 101 or more the won the lot. They kept all of the cash and prizes they won on the show and Bully’s Mystery Star Prize. If they failed to score 101 or more they lost the lot and all they was their (BFH) Bus Fair Home.
Option 3 is Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot.
The contestants have the option of trying to win, Bully’s Million Dollar
Jackpot. To win Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot they risk losing all that they have won on the show, all the money and all the prizes. The team must score 401 or more with 9 darts. The enormity of the challenge is matched by the enormity of the prize. The maximum that can be scored with 9 darts is 540.To Win‘Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot’, the team must score 401 or more with nine darts. The dart-playing contestant throws the first three darts, the ‘brains’ throws the second three darts and then the dart-playing contestant throws the final three darts. The first contestants that win Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot will win the most money ever won in a darts challenge.
OR
The team have the choice of having the guest professional dart player on the show throwing the first three darts for their team, followed by the ‘brains’ throwing the second three darts and then the dart playing contestant throws the final three darts. If the team fail to score 401 or more they do not win ‘Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot’ and they lose all the money and all prizes they won on the show. All is not lost however. Whatever the team’s final total score is the host multiplies it by 10 and the contestants get the cash equivalent of their team’s score. For example, if the team scores a total of 340 they win $3,400 dollars. Although the contestants are disappointed at not winning Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot they are happy with their cash winnings and the show closes on a high note. Every one’s a winner.
The contestants through to the end game may not risk going for Option 3 as they may not feel confident that they can beat the challenge (being on the set of a TV show can be very intimidating and the contestants may feel the pressure) and go for Option 2 Bully’s Mystery Star Prize. This is a major prize, for example a new Mustang car and worth much more than what they would have won had they tried to win Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot and failed.
It would be great if a UK broadcaster commissioned a new series of Bullseye and we had, Bully’s Million Pound Jackpot.
Remember, You can’t beat a bit of Bully.
So there we go – just let me know if I’m reading this wrong – they can do the nine dart thing by themselves, lose and leave with nothing or they can get help from a pro player, lose, and leave with probably more money than they would have won in the maingame. Have I got this wrong? I understand having the choice of the mystery star prize (although it can’t be the star prize. The star prize is a million dollars.) or million in local currency.
OK, so the big thing going around Twitter is the (actually pretty old) news that The Gurin Company has bought the rights to Sunday afternoon favourite Bullseye, and together with one of the original creators Andrew Wood they’ve created a million dollar version of it (involving having the players score 401 in 9 darts which while technically possible was never actually managed by any Bronze Bully professionals in the show’s lengthy run) and it’s guaranteed to be on American telly and, and, and…
Here’s the reality: it’s a nice story but not only is there not much room in the US market for a darts quiz, I’m highly doubtful anyone in the US is actively looking for a darts quiz. If it actually makes it to air on a major network, I’ll eat my hat. On the off chance GSN pick it up, I reserve the right to replace eating my hat with a lovely KFC, mmm!
It probably does not help that people suggest the Spikey show wasn’t very good despite the fact to all intents and purposes it was exactly the same show is was before it was originally axed, but with a different host and two fewer tunes for Pounds for Points and an elongated set.
Edit: Here is an exciting rebuttal from Andrew Wood. Please remember in years to come that I don’t get much pleasure being right:
As the creator, deviser, writer and owner of Bullseye I felt compelled to comment on your factually incorrect article about Bullseye. The show was not axed and the end of series 15 on ITV. The company wanted to make series 16 but we declined as the contractual conditions demanded by the network were unacceptable to me and would not have been in the best interests of either Bullseye or its fans. Their offer was declined and we walked away.
Their are 18.118,000 Americans that play darts at least twice a week. Darts is in the top 20 participant sports in America. Both, The Gurin Company and (CAA), Creative Artists Agency (probably the most powerful and influential Agency in the world) love Bullseye and are convinced that Bullseye will find a new home in America.
Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot.
The contestants have the option of trying to win, Bully’s Million-Dollar Jackpot.To win Bully’s Million-Dollar Jackpot they risk losing all that they have won on the show, money and the prizes. The team must score 401 or more with 9 darts. The enormity of the challenge is matched by the enormity of the prize. The maximum that can be scored with 9 darts is 540.To Win ‘Bully’s Million-Dollar Jackpot’, the team must score 401 or more with nine darts. The dart-playing contestant throwsthe first three darts, the ‘brains’ throws the second three darts and then the dart-playing contestant throws the final three darts.
OR
The team have the choice of having the guest professional dart player on the show throwing the first three darts for their team, followed by the ‘brains’ throwing the second three darts and then the dart-playing contestant throws the final three darts. If the team fail to score 401 or more they do not win ‘Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot’ and they lose all the money and prizes theywon on the show. All is not lost however. Whatever the team’s final total score is the host multiplies it by 10 and the contestants get the cash equivalent of their team’s score. For example, if the team scores a total of 320 they win $3,200 dollars. Although the contestants are disappointed at not winning Bully’s Million Dollar Jackpot they are happy with their cash winnings and the show closes on a high note. Every one’s a winner.
I do hope you have the courage to print my comments above.
Remember, You can’t beat a bit of Bully.
If those are the terms, I’m baffled as to why anyone would pick option one.
To reiterate my stance, I have no real issue with Bullseye, I just don’t think it is going to sell in 2011.
Right housekeeping: don’t forget to get your Fantasy X Factor post-performance predictions in FXF Mangers if you fancy changing who you went for, or even just want to have a guess if you forgot to put a prediction in earlier.
Some interesting things this week:
Million Dollar Mind Game – Vernon Kay’s last attempt to crack the US which was shelved but is now seeing the light of day on Sunday afternoons, so if you practice the dark arts you might be able to see this sometime this evening. Six people answer questions of a mindbending nature to win cash, based on a famous and long-running Russian format (What? Where? When?) (Sunday, ABC)
Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge: Some kind soul has been dodgily uploading this to Youtube so we’ve been watching it (no waiting until January for ME). And for the most part I like it, or at least I think it’s probably the best you’re going to get with a 22 minute run time (the fact it’s on three times a week with a structured tournament helps it maintain a momentum, I think). Can’t believe they’ve changed the theme though – and it’s a Paul Farrer special! Appropos of not very much, the Swedish version finished this week and their Duel version is very very good, to the point where it might have turned me. (Monday-Wednesday, Disney XD in the US)
Only Connect – Edwards Family (featuring a member of our favourite games mag NGamer) vs Trade Unionists. Don’t forget there’s an app out! (8:30pm, Monday, BBC4)
A Question of Sport – Hey, what’s this doing here, Grandad? I thought Bother’s Bar was meant to be cool! Well, you, it’s actually very easy to dismiss AQoS in the year 2011, but funnily enough it’s inclusion here this week (and it will only be this week) comes after accidentally catching a repeat yesterday afternoon. I’m not very much into sport, but I was intrigued by some of the question ideas and rounds the show has these days – one of them was basically a team version of the Jack Attack with pictures which is to be applauded. Sure it’s not the behemoth it once was but I think it’s a shame it’s quite easily overlooked. (10:35pm, Monday, BBC1 repeated Friday at 8:30)
Coral Late Night Poker – Game two part two (24:40, Monday night, C4)
Ton of Cash – The final. Enjoyed the show initially but I felt it getting lazier and lazier as the weeks progress, which is ironic when you think about it. (God knows when in the morning on Thursday night, VH1 in the US)
Surely there’s no stupid bloody massive Stefan Raab thing this week
Celebrity The Chase – Basically it was a year ago yesterday my Dad died, so family and friends went out for a meal yesterday (and thanks for all your wellwishes on Twitter and so on, by the way). What does my Mum bring up as a topic of conversation? THAT Fanny Chmaller episode. Anyway, here’s the first questionably thought out celebrity special. Look forward to Chasers basically denying lots of money for charity. (6pm, Saturday, ITV1)
And I’m just mentioning it here and now, the new series of The Cube begins next Sunday.
