BLOCKBUSTERS is back-with Dara O' Briain Comedy Central

Hi guys,

I could have posted this in the retro forum no less Parenting or AH- but Blockbusters is back!!!

First episode screened this evening- and by all accounts it hasn't lost it's magic. However, it's much more low key now- only showing once a week (Thursdays on Comedy Central) - so not the weekday fest that it used to be in the 80's when arriving in from school.

I thought Dara did a great job this evening - some good nostalgia here for those with some years on them.:P

But great family viewing.

Not quite as good as the hey-day though and I don't understand why ITV or similar wouldn't bring this back as a daily show for the younger folk- it's as good as The Chase, Tipping point, Pointless etc - in fact probably better as there's more questions and less filler.



https://tv.bt.com/tv/tv-from-bt/blockbusters-is-back-and-papa-millennial-dara-briain-is-the-perfect-quizmaster-of-this-80s-game-show-reboot-11364345873796

Basq

Was solid enough but very quick and only weekly.. can't see it making that much of an impression.

Dara is good but had the original show teenagers as contestants? Thought they were in uni?

Basq

Basq wrote: »

Was solid enough but very quick and only weekly.. can't see it making that much of an impression.

Dara is good but had the original show teenagers as contestants? Thought they were in uni?

The female was 17 according to the announcement at the start-no uniform- the guys were a little younger. They were wearing school uniforms but not all schools have uniforms. Similar to the original series in that not all contestants wore uniforms.

Yes, I agree- it needs to be daily to gain traction- you'd wonder is it done for 45+ year olds as a nostalgia show - O'Briain is certainly in his element and he would have been the target audience in the original show- I really think it could go full on re-boot on daytime (school home time) TV - with social media it could really catch on with kids across the UK and it would be decent enough TV for them, considering how little they say they watch these days- I think the producers (and indeed marketeers) are missing a trick here.

Wasn't it a blockbuster dictionary they used to give out to the losers? It would be a good trick to introduce a "book" as a losing prize.

Speedsie

Basq wrote: »

Was solid enough but very quick and only weekly.. can't see it making that much of an impression.

Dara is good but had the original show teenagers as contestants? Thought they were in uni?

The original has secondary school pupils as contestants.

A section from wikipedia here on this new series:

On 22 October 2018, it was reported that Blockbusters would return once again. Produced by Thames TV, the format will remain the same. It was announced on 3 December 2018 that Dara Ó Briain would host the revived version for Comedy Central. 20 new episodes, broadcast over two series, were recorded in the winter of 2018 and will include two celebrity specials.[10] The first episode will air on 21 March 2019.[11]. The new reboot aired on Comedy Central at 20.00 on Thursday 21 March 2019 with Dara O'Briain. It's true to the original as Dara tries to act as the old duffer same as Bob Holness albeit with the comedic flair of a 21st century reboot. The newest additions to this new series are a hexagon standoff instead of a third round of the original game. The two teams try to answer one question, if they get it correct they go to the Gold Run, however if they answer incorrectly the opposition goes through. The other refreshing change is that the Gold Run prize is revealed before the team attempts to win it. The team retires only after one episode though.


More on the history of Blockbusters here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockbusters_(UK_game_show)

Basq

Speedsie wrote: »

The original has secondary school pupils as contestants.

Ah.. maybe it's just because I was younger but I thought they were late teens / early 20's.

Basq

Basq wrote: »

Ah.. maybe it's just because I was younger but I thought they were late teens / early 20's.

It was always about schools- contestants could win prizes for their school like a video recorder or computer etc in the gold-run.

Skid X

This has already been revived loads of times and never did anything since Bob finished, I don't really see the point of another go (especially just once a week)

Dara does a decent enough job but it's not anything special.

pleas advice

Bring back blackboard jungle

So this is interesting. They've jumped to University students- probably 1st year but still- after just one episode it's moved on to University students.

Skid X

Skid X wrote: »

This has already been revived loads of times and never did anything since Bob finished, I don't really see the point of another go (especially just once a week)

Dara does a decent enough job but it's not anything special.

It needs to be daily to engage students- but really it needs to decide, is it school or college students. Probably both will bring in equal ratings- I'm no expert- but they need to decide that. In the meantime, there's a bit too much "acting" on behalf of the contestants - it just feels a bit contrived.

It could have been a contender.....:p

lbc2019

These look like secondary

lbc2019

lbc2019 wrote: »

These look like secondary

They announced their University at the start of the show.

Welsh Megaman

1983-present: I’ll have a P, please.



1992: I’ll have an E, please.

:cool: :cool: :cool:

lbc2019

So they are teenagers seems to be the criteria

Welsh Megaman

Welsh Megaman wrote: »

1983-present: I’ll have a P, please.



1992: I’ll have an E, please.

:cool: :cool: :cool:

2019- After I Q, I'll have a P, while I'm waiting on my (legal high) E, please, Bob, or Dara, or Darine, or whatever name you'd like to be identified with.

lbc2019

lbc2019 wrote: »

So they are teenagers seems to be the criteria

If you lived in the 1980's there's a big difference between schools programming and University programming. This was a huge programme for school going kids in the 80's- Universities had their own shows. We're just trying to determine what audience this is being pitched at.

Exclamation Marc

Britain's Got Talent special next week with David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon.

I like Walliams in light entertainment stuff so should be good.

Exclamation Marc

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Britain's Got Talent special next week with David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon.

I like Walliams in light entertainment stuff so should be good.

Hey, get out of my thread on Blockbusters


:P

Exclamation Marc

Deleted User wrote: »

Hey, get out of my thread on Blockbusters


:P

Huh

Anyway good episode. First two rounds were pretty tough, delighted that they raised money for charity on it!