In years ahead it'll be the show misquoted as the origin of the phrase "thick as two short planks".
As for the show itself I think only one episode (one of the celeb specials) has actually used the traditional movement around the maze, with all the others crisscrossing as some point. Now it used to annoy me in the original they never did that, but now really annoys me they do, and I find it quite odd considering in the pilot they went to the effort of not doing that even though the London experience wasn't built in the traditional order.
I am enjoying the new Maze but I do feel Ayoade needs to show a bit more enthusiasm rather than looking bored whilst presenting the programme. Even at the start, he was sitting down in front of the Maze as though it was an effort to be the Maze Master, as if he doesn't want to be there. Which is funny, but it probably will put some people off.
Last edited by Juicy Joe on 1 September 2017 11:09pm - 2 times in total
What you've got to think about really, is that Ayoade is already know and has already developed his character.
Both O'Brien and Tudor Pole weren't really established in terms of presenting, The Maze allowed them to develop their own characters because they were never seen in that type of situation before, Ayoade has had to adapt the show to his persona, rather than the other way round.
There's not really a better way to say this, but The Crystal Maze we are seeing now is a TV show, the 90s was a event that was put on TV, and it's simply down to the illusion, Ayoade makes reference to the fact that he is on a set and that editing is involved, O'Brien and Tudor Pole used the illusion to "guide 6 adventures through 4 zones, travelling through time and space", Ayoade (IMO) is there to please the camera, almost every moment he gets he is talking to the camera, to me O'B. and T.P.'s pieces to camera were more breaking the fourth wall. Now it's a case of "we know it's a revival, and they know it's a revival", they're trying to make it like the original and give a nostalgic feel, but they can't seem to do it without it being repeatedly referenced as a TV show.
