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Blockbusters to be revived by Comedy Central

Dara O'Briain to host. (October 2018)

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GO
gottago
Only 20 episodes commissioned across two series, so I'm guessing they're not looking to strip it daily. Frankly though whichever channel it ended up it's return didn't exactly excite me.

I think they’ll be putting it in the weekly 8pm slot like Your Face Or Mine which has been a success for the channel and is now in its sixth series.
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
I was going to say its got a chance of lasting more than one series as no other incarnation bar the original run lasted longer than that, though in terms of episode count Sky's 1994 attempts (which to all intents and purposes was exactly the same show bar theme and shortened titles) lasted the longest after ITV dropped the show. Still I suppose two series of ten episodes is better than nothing.

Blockbusters is still a great format though, and the fact its been rehashed for a fifth time suggests there's life left in it yet. Shame America just didn't take to it much like we didn't take to Jeopardy which has been on the air in the States since the 1960s.
NB
NicB1971
Good grief, barrel-scraping or what? Why have Fremantle desecrated such an iconic and much-loved show by putting it on to an obscure channel with an egotistical know-it-all eejit? It's almost as bad as ITV giving that utter twonk "Keith Lemon" airtime (I wish someone would shove that irritating character over Beachy Head)

Bob Holness must be spinning in his grave at the same rate as the flashing hexagons on the game board.

What next, "Alan Partridge" hosting University Challenge?

*slowly shakes head in disbelief*
JA
Jamesypoo
Good grief, barrel-scraping or what? Why have Fremantle desecrated such an iconic and much-loved show by putting it on to an obscure channel with an egotistical know-it-all eejit? It's almost as bad as ITV giving that utter twonk "Keith Lemon" airtime (I wish someone would shove that irritating character over Beachy Head)

Bob Holness must be spinning in his grave at the same rate as the flashing hexagons on the game board.

What next, "Alan Partridge" hosting University Challenge?

*slowly shakes head in disbelief*

Calm down
SP
Steve in Pudsey
Yes, having a general knowledge quiz hosted by somebody known for being a knowledgeable bloke is a really bad idea.

Particularly if said bloke is a comedian and it's being commissioned by a comedy channel, that would never work.
TT
ttt
I was going to say its got a chance of lasting more than one series as no other incarnation bar the original run lasted longer than that, though in terms of episode count Sky's 1994 attempts (which to all intents and purposes was exactly the same show bar theme and shortened titles) lasted the longest after ITV dropped the show. Still I suppose two series of ten episodes is better than nothing.

Blockbusters is still a great format though, and the fact its been rehashed for a fifth time suggests there's life left in it yet. Shame America just didn't take to it much like we didn't take to Jeopardy which has been on the air in the States since the 1960s.


The US version never had the student angle which I suspect was the reason it was so successful in the UK. None of the rehashes have worked.

The US version didn't flop, really. The original with Bill Cullen lasted two years, which given that it went out five days a week continuously for that time was a decent enough run -- especially as the early 80s was when game shows generally started their decline there, and there were very few successful new formats.

In fact I think BB may well have been one of the most successful new shows of the 1980s there -- the only genuine hit new show I can think of before Win, Lose or Draw was probably Press Your Luck, and that itself was a rehash of a '70s flop.
Last edited by ttt on 4 December 2018 9:53am - 2 times in total
NG
noggin Founding member
ttt posted:

The US version never had the student angle which I suspect was the reason it was so successful in the UK. None of the rehashes have worked.

The US version didn't flop, really. The original with Bill Cullen lasted two years, which given that it went out five days a week continuously for that time was a decent enough run -- especially as the early 80s was when game shows generally started their decline there, and there were very few successful new formats.


Was Countdown a game show in the US? Here it always felt far more like a quiz show - where the taking part was far, far more important than any (usually low key) prize.
JO
Jon
Yes, here’s a clip of the brief run of the US Countdown.
Last edited by Jon on 4 December 2018 12:19pm
DA
dafydd
I like Dara O'Briain but a 'comedy' quiz show with him saying "ehhhh" a lot is not appealing.
RO
rob Founding member
There is a version of Countdown shown in America, but with its tough letters and numbers rounds, it had to be dumbed down. It's called Sesame Street.

Seriously though, there was a pilot made in 1990.

http://www.usgameshows.net/x.php?show=Countdown1990&sort=0
WH
Whataday Founding member
Well that was offensive.


You're American? You should've said.
MO
Mouseboy33
Does it matter?
I'll just put this here.

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