The Crystal Maze US Episode 1 Review

There's a storied history of UK shows getting remade for international audiences. Occasionally they click, Steptoe and Son was recrafted as Sanford and Son in the States and it worked out pretty well. Unfortunately more often than not, something gets lost in the translation. Red Dwarf had two pilot episodes produced across the pond in the early 90s and neither worked. The IT Crowd had a pilot made in 2006 which had Richard Ayoade reprise his role as Moss alongside Joel McHale as Roy in what was essentially a shot for shot remake of the first UK episode and that exercise in futility led nowhere. Davina McCall's The Million Pound Drop was hugely successful during its run here but The Million Dollar Money Drop hosted by actor Kevin Pollack only lasted 12 episodes.

What's successfully designed, written and crafted for one audience may not resonate with an entirely different target market. We love black pudding but there's some places where fried pigs blood just won't fly. So when I found out that The Crystal Maze was going to be adapted for US TV, I was apprehensive. This is a show I've a had special connection with since I was the grand old age of 1 and a bit. Ask a Whovian how they'd feel if NBC decided they were going to remake Doctor Who and I'd imagine the fear and anxiety levels would skyrocket. We correctly deduced that they'd use the current UK set, flying in contestants Fort Boyard style to make use of existing, and expensive, facilities so at least the zones and dome would look right. We also said it probably won't get past the pilot stage so it's a score draw for predictions. However the show is more than just an elaborate set, it's about having a host who does more than just throw contestants into games, it's about being fun and imaginative, it's about it entertaining us from start to finish and having us shouting at inept contestants on screen.