Gordon Ramsay's Bank Balance: An Opinion

There's a new game show promising big money prizes and Gordon Ramsay swearing at contestants, people haven't been wholly complimentary about it, but I kinda like it.

Point one: it's been done. Sort of.

Different style, same principle, balance everything on the wobbly prop

Now I'm definitely in a minority, when I say I like it, judging by the torrent of unpleasantness I've seen on social media about the format being maybe too complicated, or that Ramsay has clearly just stolen a TARDIS to set up shop in, but I think the game itself is a fun watch.

Admittedly the rules are maybe a little complex to start but I found it pretty easy to follow after a watch:

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.

Cheapshow podcast visited the new Live Experience venue/Cheapshow cheap plug

Last week, as my podcast subscriptions updated, one of them started off with a brief description of one of a visit to the Trocadero on opening day.
'Cheapshow', hosted by Gamesmaster alumnus Paul and his pet gremlin Eli, is an unusual mix of Bottom, The Price is Right and Bargain Hunt.
I won't get too far into what was said as I'd rather leave you to find it and listen yourself. Although I will say if you aren't a fan of adult humour, foul language or charity shops, then the economy comedy podcast 'Cheapshow' isn't for you. It's got 'Explicit' on it for a reason, one of those reasons being I was once listening on an overnight coach and the point my Bluetooth headphones decided to disconnect was the moment one of them started repeatedly shouting the one word you can't say on TV until after 10pm. So if you don't want to listen, I'll sum his experience up with 'teething problems'.

First review of the BRAND NEW Crystal Maze Live Experience - West End, London

A critique of the new Maze Live Experience Venue on Opening Day

Just hours after our lucky involvement once again with the best show ever made, (that's all I can say for now), we had another Maze to attend to, and that's one I'm allowed to currently talk about - that's right, the brand new Crystal Maze Live Experience venue that recently relocated from Angel, to the heart of London's West End in the Trocadero. 

Our slot was booked for 3.15pm and we were the very first team to go through on opening day today, 29th March 2019. We walked in and were greeted by staff who were stood behind a very lavish mirrored Crystal desk. There was also a rather cool looking neon light fixed to the wall behind, with the immortal words 'Will you Start the Fans, Please".  We were told that they were still rushing upstairs to get the bar finished in time, and that the lift was not currently working. We were led up a lot of stairs into a briefing room, before entering the Maze. Unfortunately, teething problems were expected due to being the first team into the new Maze. This was the case in fact, at one point, some of us were left alone in the briefing area for a good five minutes, before eventually being led into the Medieval Zone. Two players had already started without us, and we were there before them! Not quite sure how that confusion had come about. It wasn't the best of starts for me and Adam. We had missed two games in Medieval. Our host was 'Enzo'.