I knew the boys from Outnumbered would be safe - the audience wouldn't be comfortable with kids having to do the forfeit.
A lot of the show was quite dull and I agree with those who say the format doesn't really work. However, I did think the forfeit was pretty good; I did get a sense of genuine peril, even if there wasn't.
Awful. Awful. Awful. The new presenter is terrible. The Outnumbered teens were really akward. The chats with audience were flat. And the moment with the boy and the brick made me cringe, delete the episode and wipe my series link. Bad TV, plain and simple.
Not really - Tyger Drew-Honey is an experienced TV presenter as well as doing loads of acting work and voice-overs and CBBC stuff, and was able to speak and present quite confidently.
Daniel Roche *was* more shy and awkward, but he's not a "teen" (he's only 12).
I only bothered to watch this episode because Tyger Drew-Honey had been tweeting about it reminding us to watch it, and without him I probably wouldn't have bothered (or remembered).
Most of the "tricks" were fairly standard and guessable, and none of them were outstanding - although it was entertaining enough.
When they did the "forfeit" at the end, I was a bit dubious because they didn't tell us what "metal" it was. The fact that they claimed that the celebrities were doing the forfeit without having practised it beforehand meant that it must have been thoroughly safe - with only a pretence of genuine danger - or they might have been economical with the truth about how much they rehearsed beforehand.
I can't help thinking that health & safety laws would have prevented them from allowing two under-16 year-old boys to do anything which was even remotely dangerous with fire or "molten metal", so that fact alone was enough to take the drama out of it.
----
P.S. It is interesting to read some of the comments saying that this has "returned" for a "new" series, and that it's "live" this time. I must have missed the earlier series completely because this is all new to me.
Loving how they put a BBC "act" on (Joe Mcberry) for that other trick with those two boys. . Seems as if BBC use their own talents and so does ITV
I don't understand what you are on about. Joe McElderry isn't a "BBC act"! He is a singer who happened to win two talent shows - both on ITV! :rolleyes:
I'm clearly in the minority on this thread, but I enjoyed it. I have no idea how some of the tricks were done. If you're a skilled magician or someone who knows a lot of the mechanics of magic, then obviously it's going to be a disappointment to you. But for the general public I think it's a decent bit of entertainment.
I didn't see the first series because it was Lenny Henry and too celebrity-based. This seemed okay though. The presenter was a little stilted, but I'm sure he'll get into it.
And I only watched because Tyger was tweeting about rehearsals all week. The power of Twitter!
I'm clearly in the minority on this thread, but I enjoyed it. I have no idea how some of the tricks were done. If you're a skilled magician or someone who knows a lot of the mechanics of magic, then obviously it's going to be a disappointment to you. But for the general public I think it's a decent bit of entertainment.
I didn't see the first series because it was Lenny Henry and too celebrity-based. This seemed okay though. The presenter was a little stilted, but I'm sure he'll get into it.
Yeah, you're not alone. I didn't think it was so bad. It was much better produced than the first series which looked terribly cheap, and I think the two new magicians are better than the one's they replaced as well. It was still pretty clunky and rough round the edges but worth doing live to add some atmosphere after how flat the last series often felt.
The main stumbling block is how the celebrities have to be incorporated pretty unconvincingly into routines. Magic is all in the performance and the audience patter, and the guests just don't have it. It makes some decent tricks feel less impressive than they might otherwise be. I know they use the competition element to try and give some much needed structure to the show - but they perhaps want to try paring the competitive aspect back a bit (to a couple of rounds each) and introducing new rounds or features that are for the professionals or guest magicians only. It would up the quality of performances substantially.
The presenter was clearly nervous as hell - but then its his first show on like UK primetime, so I'm sure he'll improve. You've got to give people a big break sometime - and I'm sure folks on this thread would be equally miserable if the BBC had turned to one of their familiar faces. I thought he was a vast improvement on Lenny Henry, in any case.
I only bothered to watch this episode because Tyger Drew-Honey had been tweeting about it reminding us to watch it, and without him I probably wouldn't have bothered (or remembered).
Most of the "tricks" were fairly standard and guessable, and none of them were outstanding - although it was entertaining enough..
So care to enlighten us then Mr Expert? Start with coins through handkerchief then move on to hanging something on a laser beam
I totally agree with the last few posts - most of you on this thread are so cynical!
The show is something different from the formulaic usual entertainment shows of recent times, and I think it was incredibly ambitious, not only to aim High with the live magic, but also a new host and new magicians. It was also really well produced I thought.
All in all I think this will grow into a hit for the BBC - and i actually think it does something that only SCD does and appeals to the family viewers. My 5 year old watched it with my granddad and both loved it. That shouldn't be taken lightly.
I don't understand what you are on about. Joe McElderry isn't a "BBC act"! He is a singer who happened to win two talent shows - both on ITV! :rolleyes:
So you're right...I always though PSTOS was on BBC (I don't/haven't watched it)! I stand corrected.
So care to enlighten us then Mr Expert? Start with coins through handkerchief then move on to hanging something on a laser beam
Whoah, chill out there !!!.
Never fails to amaze me how, when somebody says they've figured it out it winds others up.
Figuring out a trick isn't a sign of superiority, its just that some folks minds work in a way that makes these things a bit more obvious.
And why the heck explain how the tricks work and spoil it for everybody just to prove to you that he's worked it out, when as I mention above, its no big deal anyway.
Never fails to amaze me how, when somebody says they've figured it out it winds others up.
Figuring out a trick isn't a sign of superiority, its just that some folks minds work in a way that makes these things a bit more obvious.
And why the heck explain how the tricks work and spoil it for everybody just to prove to you that he's worked it out, when as I mention above, its no big deal anyway.
Its nothing to do with superiority its to do with most people talking crap when they write that,write it in spoiler tags .
So you're right...I always though PSTOS was on BBC (I don't/haven't watched it)! I stand corrected.
PSTOS was a good programme and not too long - eight weeks I believe. It was better this year without Alan Titchmarsh who was irrelevant last time. Joe was a worthy winner and has done well since with a top two album and a lovely Christmas album as well.
Oh so all a matter of "She just looked like an actress" then?
I thought you had her equity number or at least bumped into her at RADA.
I'm going to try that sort of posting from now on. (Thinks about the Prime Minister)
The Prime Minister is an alien robot from Pluto! That's a fact because I say so!
ahahahahahaha... Oh the mirth:yawn:
"Looked like an actress"? She didn't look like anything in particular. She just didn't react 'normally'; far too effusive, more so than your average punter collared in a shopping centre. As if they said "act surprised" and she really went for it. Plus when she returned she stood exactly in the right spot - rarely do punters move about so efficiently!
Plus they booked Joe McThing in advance (it wasn't real magic you know). There's a difference between pulling a playing card out of someone's pocket that they 'didn't know was there' and happening upon someone who had just chosen his CD in HMV - a CD that only got to No15 in the charts.
Oh the cynicism! Of course they booked him in advance. I knew all about it before hand anyway. However the girls who were there were genuinely surprised at the way he appeared from the mirror. Or so they say!
The main stumbling block is how the celebrities have to be incorporated pretty unconvincingly into routines. Magic is all in the performance and the audience patter, and the guests just don't have it. It makes some decent tricks feel less impressive than they might otherwise be..
I saw some of Peter Firman's trick and from the way the way the woman picked the card I could tell from then on that the celeb...who just seemed to be spouting rubbish to justify him standing there would not really be needed for the trick as Firman had already done the work required.
There really doesn;t need to be any structure through voting..the structure could simply be magicians doing tricks to entertain the audience...a bit like Paul Daniels did for years on TV successfully.
You can imagine someone trying to simply get a show showcasing magicians onto the tv:
Person: 'I think it's time we can capitalise on the resurgence of magic on TV and do a magic show.'
Commissioning Editor: 'Ok, I can see that. So, what do you suggest.'
Person: 'Well, we get magicians on each week to do tricks and illusions.'
CE: 'OK, but whats the concept?'
P: 'Um, what?'
CE: 'You know what's the hook to make people watch it.'
P:'Well, magicians doing tricks?'
CE: 'I know you've said, you want to so a show based around magicians...so, how do we package them.'
P: 'Well, we don't we have a show with just magicians doing tricks...maybe a singing break.'?'
CE: 'Well, thanks for the idea...it's obvious you know nothing about TV but we'll see if the magicians idea will run and see what we can do with it to make it original and inviting to the BBC consumers.'
3months later:
CE:'Well, we've brought in some show image consultants who put together a number of high concept ideas of how to package the magicians into something people will watch and I think we've come up with something really original that can sell magic to the consumers.'
P: 'OK, do tell...'
CE:'Well, magicians *always* have assistants..'
P: 'Really?'
CE:' Yes, so we have...wait for it...celebrities as the assistants, and then we get people to vote on the tricks and the one with the least votes...'
P:'Get's voted off?'
CE:'...no that's so last year..they do 'a forfeit'...isn;t that great?'
P: 'So, basically, you've got a show involving celebs, voting and forfeits? Wow, no-ones ever tried anything like that before.'
CE: 'I know! And I think it will gie these magicians the boost they need to show off what magic can really be when it's hit with the zeitgiest of celebs, the thrill of viewer interaction and the novel 'forfeit' feature. Now *thats* how you package something like 'magic' to make it appeal to the consumer.'
P: 'So, just having a bunch of magicians introduced by maybe another even more famous magician wouldn't work.'
CE: 'of course not, where's the hook? Where's the concept?'
Comments
Keep that twunt of tv, he is the showbiz equivalent of a disgusting wet fart.
I've seen and helped Pete and he is a scream live.
Bit of a change on a Saturday night to the usual reality muck clogging up the schedules.
A lot of the show was quite dull and I agree with those who say the format doesn't really work. However, I did think the forfeit was pretty good; I did get a sense of genuine peril, even if there wasn't.
Yes, I heard it too. Somehow it was the best part of the trick.
Not really - Tyger Drew-Honey is an experienced TV presenter as well as doing loads of acting work and voice-overs and CBBC stuff, and was able to speak and present quite confidently.
Daniel Roche *was* more shy and awkward, but he's not a "teen" (he's only 12).
Most of the "tricks" were fairly standard and guessable, and none of them were outstanding - although it was entertaining enough.
When they did the "forfeit" at the end, I was a bit dubious because they didn't tell us what "metal" it was. The fact that they claimed that the celebrities were doing the forfeit without having practised it beforehand meant that it must have been thoroughly safe - with only a pretence of genuine danger - or they might have been economical with the truth about how much they rehearsed beforehand.
I can't help thinking that health & safety laws would have prevented them from allowing two under-16 year-old boys to do anything which was even remotely dangerous with fire or "molten metal", so that fact alone was enough to take the drama out of it.
----
P.S. It is interesting to read some of the comments saying that this has "returned" for a "new" series, and that it's "live" this time. I must have missed the earlier series completely because this is all new to me.
I don't understand what you are on about. Joe McElderry isn't a "BBC act"! He is a singer who happened to win two talent shows - both on ITV! :rolleyes:
I didn't see the first series because it was Lenny Henry and too celebrity-based. This seemed okay though. The presenter was a little stilted, but I'm sure he'll get into it.
And I only watched because Tyger was tweeting about rehearsals all week. The power of Twitter!
Exactly!
I fully expect to see :-
Strictly ego massaging on ice,
by unknown and forgotten people who think they are somebody
Yeah, you're not alone. I didn't think it was so bad. It was much better produced than the first series which looked terribly cheap, and I think the two new magicians are better than the one's they replaced as well. It was still pretty clunky and rough round the edges but worth doing live to add some atmosphere after how flat the last series often felt.
The main stumbling block is how the celebrities have to be incorporated pretty unconvincingly into routines. Magic is all in the performance and the audience patter, and the guests just don't have it. It makes some decent tricks feel less impressive than they might otherwise be. I know they use the competition element to try and give some much needed structure to the show - but they perhaps want to try paring the competitive aspect back a bit (to a couple of rounds each) and introducing new rounds or features that are for the professionals or guest magicians only. It would up the quality of performances substantially.
The presenter was clearly nervous as hell - but then its his first show on like UK primetime, so I'm sure he'll improve. You've got to give people a big break sometime - and I'm sure folks on this thread would be equally miserable if the BBC had turned to one of their familiar faces. I thought he was a vast improvement on Lenny Henry, in any case.
So care to enlighten us then Mr Expert? Start with coins through handkerchief then move on to hanging something on a laser beam
The show is something different from the formulaic usual entertainment shows of recent times, and I think it was incredibly ambitious, not only to aim High with the live magic, but also a new host and new magicians. It was also really well produced I thought.
All in all I think this will grow into a hit for the BBC - and i actually think it does something that only SCD does and appeals to the family viewers. My 5 year old watched it with my granddad and both loved it. That shouldn't be taken lightly.
So you're right...I always though PSTOS was on BBC (I don't/haven't watched it)! I stand corrected.
Whoah, chill out there !!!.
Never fails to amaze me how, when somebody says they've figured it out it winds others up.
Figuring out a trick isn't a sign of superiority, its just that some folks minds work in a way that makes these things a bit more obvious.
And why the heck explain how the tricks work and spoil it for everybody just to prove to you that he's worked it out, when as I mention above, its no big deal anyway.
Its nothing to do with superiority its to do with most people talking crap when they write that,write it in spoiler tags .
Why do you think most people are talking crap when they say a trick is obvious --maybe to them it is ?
You shouldn't be feeling bad about it not being obvious to you -- you can just relax and be entertained which is the whole point.surely.
PSTOS was a good programme and not too long - eight weeks I believe. It was better this year without Alan Titchmarsh who was irrelevant last time. Joe was a worthy winner and has done well since with a top two album and a lovely Christmas album as well.
ahahahahahaha... Oh the mirth:yawn:
"Looked like an actress"? She didn't look like anything in particular. She just didn't react 'normally'; far too effusive, more so than your average punter collared in a shopping centre. As if they said "act surprised" and she really went for it. Plus when she returned she stood exactly in the right spot - rarely do punters move about so efficiently!
Plus they booked Joe McThing in advance (it wasn't real magic you know). There's a difference between pulling a playing card out of someone's pocket that they 'didn't know was there' and happening upon someone who had just chosen his CD in HMV - a CD that only got to No15 in the charts.
I saw some of Peter Firman's trick and from the way the way the woman picked the card I could tell from then on that the celeb...who just seemed to be spouting rubbish to justify him standing there would not really be needed for the trick as Firman had already done the work required.
There really doesn;t need to be any structure through voting..the structure could simply be magicians doing tricks to entertain the audience...a bit like Paul Daniels did for years on TV successfully.
You can imagine someone trying to simply get a show showcasing magicians onto the tv:
Person: 'I think it's time we can capitalise on the resurgence of magic on TV and do a magic show.'
Commissioning Editor: 'Ok, I can see that. So, what do you suggest.'
Person: 'Well, we get magicians on each week to do tricks and illusions.'
CE: 'OK, but whats the concept?'
P: 'Um, what?'
CE: 'You know what's the hook to make people watch it.'
P:'Well, magicians doing tricks?'
CE: 'I know you've said, you want to so a show based around magicians...so, how do we package them.'
P: 'Well, we don't we have a show with just magicians doing tricks...maybe a singing break.'?'
CE: 'Well, thanks for the idea...it's obvious you know nothing about TV but we'll see if the magicians idea will run and see what we can do with it to make it original and inviting to the BBC consumers.'
3months later:
CE:'Well, we've brought in some show image consultants who put together a number of high concept ideas of how to package the magicians into something people will watch and I think we've come up with something really original that can sell magic to the consumers.'
P: 'OK, do tell...'
CE:'Well, magicians *always* have assistants..'
P: 'Really?'
CE:' Yes, so we have...wait for it...celebrities as the assistants, and then we get people to vote on the tricks and the one with the least votes...'
P:'Get's voted off?'
CE:'...no that's so last year..they do 'a forfeit'...isn;t that great?'
P: 'So, basically, you've got a show involving celebs, voting and forfeits? Wow, no-ones ever tried anything like that before.'
CE: 'I know! And I think it will gie these magicians the boost they need to show off what magic can really be when it's hit with the zeitgiest of celebs, the thrill of viewer interaction and the novel 'forfeit' feature. Now *thats* how you package something like 'magic' to make it appeal to the consumer.'
P: 'So, just having a bunch of magicians introduced by maybe another even more famous magician wouldn't work.'
CE: 'of course not, where's the hook? Where's the concept?'