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jparten
Reviews
The Krypton Factor (2009)
Still makes "Jeopardy!" look like a walk in the park!
An episode of this new incarnation of "The Krypton Factor" is available online. I've seen it, and can tell you that, even with the changes made over the years, this show still makes "Jeopardy!" look like a walk in the park by comparison.
I am not British, and never saw the original shows. I do remember seeing--and liking--the 1981 version run on ABC starring Dick Clark. Otherwise, I don't have the same frames of reference as other commentators.
Can this show be improved? Surely yes. "The Kube" will do for an isolation booth, but we don't really need the heart-monitor sound effects to tell us how stressful the Mental Agility round is. The current Assault Course is a meandering mess, totally lacking in drama. If the producers wanted to go back to the original military Assault Course (as depicted in a 1978 issue of "TV Times"), then tweak it to modern tastes, that might work better.
Of course, it could also be worse. The contestants might have to do the Mental Agility round immediately after the Assault Course, without any rest period!
The Crystal Maze (1990)
One Of The World's Great Game Shows
I only recently discovered surfing the Web, and even more recently discovered "The Crystal Maze". And I have come to the conclusion that this is one of the world's great game shows. I have not known such an enthusiasm since around 2000, when I discovered the "Harry Potter" books.
There are reasons for this enthusiasm. First, there is ingenuity. The various games that the contestants have to play are usually clever, well-thought out challenges. Some are based on classic puzzles that have teased brains for generations. Others are inspired by tropes found in movies and television. None are "gimmes", and some of them prove to be so difficult that nobody ever got them.
Then, there is efficiency. There is none of the endless analysis found in some of today's game shows. There are no whiny postmortems If a contestant wins a challenge, it's cheers all around. If he or she loses, it's "never mind", and "what do you want to play and who do you want to play it?".
All this is so because the most important element of the show is the game--not the prizes with endless plugs, not the soap-operatics of the various contestants, but the game! This extends even to the endgame in the Crystal Dome.
The theme music catches the ear, and does not let go. I knew I was hooked when, a day after I'd seen my first episode, I found myself entering a shop, and couldn't get the theme song out of my head!
Richard O'Brien adds immensely to the festivities. He seems to be enjoying himself immensely, and it shows. There is a certain elfin quality about his work that makes this show all the easier to take. He is not some bland pretty-boy with sparkling teeth and pomaded hair.
As I have been watching the show chronologically, I have not yet gotten to the episodes hosted by Ed Tudor-Pole. He must have thought it a thankless job, having to follow O'Brien. I'll find out in due course if he's up to the job.
All in all, it's a show that I am happy to tout to those of my friends who are into game shows. It's a winner, all the way around!