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The Crystal Maze to return for a full series (minus Stephen Merchant)


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Old 07-12-2016, 18:06
dave_windows
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Im glad Merchant isnt hosting the series. Didnt like him.

Why is it channel 4 wont bring Richard OBrien back to host. They should at least ask him or failing that give us David Tenbnant. Its what fans wanted.
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Old 07-12-2016, 18:35
John_Lochery
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Why is it channel 4 wont bring Richard OBrien back to host. They should at least ask him or failing that give us David Tenbnant. Its what fans wanted.
its probably because Richard is now 74 years old now and although he is, as far as I know, well and healthy, running about a massive maze for an hour every day for how many weeks they take to film a series is a lot for a 74 year old. And I say an hour, I don't know how they film shows like Crystal Maze. They probably filmed it throughout a day taking breaks in between which would be long and tiring for Richard. I doubt they just filmed the show continuously for an hour and that was it

I would love Richard to come back but I highly doubt he will unfortunately. The sad thing is if he was 10-15 years younger he probably would have came back. The fact that he was involved in the Stand Up To Cancer special shows that he still loves the show and is proud to be associated with it
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Old 07-12-2016, 18:58
omnidirectional
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If you found the celeb special in the London Crystal Maze experience "impressive", then you have either never seen the original series or have a high tolerance for tosh.
It's impressive given the space (and especially height) limitations they faced. It would be impossible to re-create something on the scale of the original Crystal Maze in an office block.
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Old 07-12-2016, 22:15
CanonMan75
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They probably filmed it throughout a day taking breaks in between which would be long and tiring for Richard. I doubt they just filmed the show continuously for an hour and that was it
Apparently it was two to three days per episode, and they were long days at that!
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Old 08-12-2016, 07:49
dave_windows
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its probably because Richard is now 74 years old now and although he is, as far as I know, well and healthy, running about a massive maze for an hour every day for how many weeks they take to film a series is a lot for a 74 year old. And I say an hour, I don't know how they film shows like Crystal Maze. They probably filmed it throughout a day taking breaks in between which would be long and tiring for Richard. I doubt they just filmed the show continuously for an hour and that was it

I would love Richard to come back but I highly doubt he will unfortunately. The sad thing is if he was 10-15 years younger he probably would have came back. The fact that he was involved in the Stand Up To Cancer special shows that he still loves the show and is proud to be associated with it
Really he should get first refusal.
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Old 08-12-2016, 08:05
FluxCapacitor
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If you found the celeb special in the London Crystal Maze experience "impressive", then you have either never seen the original series or have a high tolerance for tosh.

The new maze experience venue being built in Manchester is still primarily for the general public as with the London one. It will lack all of the character and unique look of one made specifically for TV shows, dumbed down and too small guaranteed.
I think the OP meant the London venue is impressive as an attraction, not that it looked impressive on screen. And it really is.

Regarding the new set, I think you have to reserve judgement, as the Manchester venue is surely being built with care to make it work as a TV show, as well as being a public attraction.

And regarding your "dumbed down" comment, having been to the London CM, the games were actually dumbed down FOR TV, not because it's a public attraction. Some of the games played in the one off show are more complex and in-keeping with the original in the public versions at the venue.
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Old 08-12-2016, 14:01
Baz_James
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its probably because Richard is now 74 years old now and although he is, as far as I know, well and healthy, running about a massive maze for an hour every day for how many weeks they take to film a series is a lot for a 74 year old. And I say an hour, I don't know how they film shows like Crystal Maze. They probably filmed it throughout a day taking breaks in between which would be long and tiring for Richard. I doubt they just filmed the show continuously for an hour and that was it

I would love Richard to come back but I highly doubt he will unfortunately. The sad thing is if he was 10-15 years younger he probably would have came back. The fact that he was involved in the Stand Up To Cancer special shows that he still loves the show and is proud to be associated with it
I don't really understand this belief that he would if he could. He made it plain on leaving that whilst he had no regrets in doing the show it was not something that he had any desire to continue. Why, if he was done with it whilst the programme was still running would he be interested in coming back for a revival? I don't see anything in his involvement in the one-off, a 30 second recording made in his New Zealand home, which supports this belief.
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Old 08-12-2016, 15:16
Ten_Ben
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Apparently it was two to three days per episode, and they were long days at that!
It was two days. One day was the playing of the games and the crystal dome and the second day was used to reshoot parts of it to get different angles and close-ups. Not to redo anything or change anything but just to generate enough footage for the edits. I'm not sure if Richard was there on day 2 or not. There's a great article from last year which explains how the show came about and how it was made:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/patricksmit...jwy#.ligX40nN7

I daresay that modern technology and techniques, such as small remote-controlled cameras and the like would make the filming much more efficient these days.
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Old 08-12-2016, 15:57
WhoAteMeDinner
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I don't really understand this belief that he would if he could. He made it plain on leaving that whilst he had no regrets in doing the show it was not something that he had any desire to continue. Why, if he was done with it whilst the programme was still running would he be interested in coming back for a revival? I don't see anything in his involvement in the one-off, a 30 second recording made in his New Zealand home, which supports this belief.
Sadly, you are probably right. But the OP shares my view that Richard O'Brien made the Crystal Maze. He was like some sort of alien beamed down to earth to guide a bunch of dull middle-class accountants, engineers, programmers and students around this alien world.

They always looked nervous of him, which made it all the more fun.
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Old 08-12-2016, 15:59
WhoAteMeDinner
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its probably because Richard is now 74 years old now and although he is, as far as I know, well and healthy, running about a massive maze for an hour every day for how many weeks they take to film a series is a lot for a 74 year old. And I say an hour, I don't know how they film shows like Crystal Maze. They probably filmed it throughout a day taking breaks in between which would be long and tiring for Richard. I doubt they just filmed the show continuously for an hour and that was it

I would love Richard to come back but I highly doubt he will unfortunately. The sad thing is if he was 10-15 years younger he probably would have came back. The fact that he was involved in the Stand Up To Cancer special shows that he still loves the show and is proud to be associated with it
He is certainly hale and hearty, he is hitched to woman almost half his age. Gold old Dickie.
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Old 08-12-2016, 16:03
dave_windows
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He is certainly hale and hearty, he is hitched to woman almost half his age. Gold old Dickie.
I think channel 4 should ask him. Yeah hes in his 70s but he probably could still go.
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Old 08-12-2016, 17:30
Thom001
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Didn't they film the original series at a former RAF site?

I remember watching the revival recently and I was really disappointed with it. I really didn't enjoy Stephen Merchant's continual chatter about comparing what life was like in the 1990s to what it is now. One game in particular which was a Maths puzzle had been deliberately dumbed down. A poor show overall.

Anyway, I feel it was right he made the decision to stand down, but it will be interesting to see who Channel 4 can afford to get as a replacement for this proposed new series next year.
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Old 08-12-2016, 18:00
Ten_Ben
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Didn't they film the original series at a former RAF site?
The first series was filmed at Shepperton Studios. Series 2 to 6 used a hanger at North Weald Airfield right alongside the M11.
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:58
Thom001
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The first series was filmed at Shepperton Studios. Series 2 to 6 used a hanger at North Weald Airfield right alongside the M11.
I knew they used an airfield hanger, so that is why I was thinking it must have been an
RAF site.
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Old 08-12-2016, 23:36
Ten_Ben
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I knew they used an airfield hanger, so that is why I was thinking it must have been an
RAF site.
It was RAF util 1964 but the MOD sold it to the local council back in 1979.
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Old 09-12-2016, 01:53
WhoAteMeDinner
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I knew they used an airfield hanger, so that is why I was thinking it must have been an
RAF site.
Yes, great fact that, and it really showed in the later series, after series 1. The scale of the game worlds seemed epic, the Aztec zone looked like an entire village.

That is why, even though others have said the new CM experience being built at the old Granada TV Manchester studios, will struggle to match anything like the original show.
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Old 09-12-2016, 09:17
Ten_Ben
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Yes, great fact that, and it really showed in the later series, after series 1. The scale of the game worlds seemed epic, the Aztec zone looked like an entire village.

That is why, even though others have said the new CM experience being built at the old Granada TV Manchester studios, will struggle to match anything like the original show.
It doesn't have to "match the original show", it just has to be adequate for a decent TV series. One could argue that the original set was over-engineered for what it needed to be, and given the general praise and enthusiasm heaped on the SU2C show filmed in London, the limitations of the set clearly weren't that obvious to most people.

All that said, bearing in mind that the Manchester experience will be in constant use all day, every day, I'm sure the set will be perfectly robust, look the part and be capable of standing up to intensive use. The original set was only used for five or six weeks a year, anyway.

TBH I'm more concerned that any new series will have fewer games, more chatter and more advert breaks than the original did and that would be a great shame. The original format was spot-on from day one. It didn't need tinkering with over six series, and doesn't now 25 years on, although I won't hold my breath for any of those changes not creeping in, it's probably inevitable.

Still, any new series is better than no new series at all, no?
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Old 09-12-2016, 11:22
julie2009
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Patrick Stewart would be an inspired choice.
I enjoyed Steve Merchant that night. Both he and Josh Widecombe were very witty.

Did enjoy the cameo of Richard O'Brien though telling Merchant not to mess it up.

I had heard that David Tennent was the likely host to take over but like most people on this forum would love the return of Richard O'Brien.
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