Challenge TV - September 2011 onwards

There's a 1992 episode on right now, where the chit chat between Jim and the contestants has been edited out completely! Feels like I've missed something now. I could understand the 'see you next Sunday' bits. Unless some episodes were longer than 30 mins when they were first transmitted on ITV, but I don't remember that being the case.

Will be strange to see the start of Deal again...it only seems like yesterday since I was sat down watching Channel 4 thinking 'This looks like another gameshow destined to last 1 series then never be seen again'

Which it most probably would have been had Noel Edmonds not been involved.

For me the early days of tuning in every day meant I knew all the contestants quite well. These days it is just a case of switching on now and again and just enjoying the games as if the contestant were a total stranger!

Did Jim often welcome contestants to "Central Studios here in Nottingham"? I thought Central preferred to call Lenton Lane "The Television House"?

I think you're exactly right. The heart in Deal or No Deal was what sucked me in to begin with.

It was, for a while, unmissable. I was quite drawn in with the cameraderie of the contestants, I was willing them all to do well.

Ultimately, I got emotional fatigue, and kind of gave up on it after losing track of the contestants.

But if I'm not working, and I catch it in the afternoon on 4, then I'd probably watch. I can see why is has retained its viewers. It is consistent, and sometimes still quite absorbing.

But I've lost that "must see" feeling about it.


I guess things were less corporate in those days. Jim Bowen wouldn't have received an email about how to promote the Central brand and values on screen.

May be an issue only with Series 11, which originally ran September 1991 to March 1992. This was when the "BHF" tagline was introduced. Pity the editing isn't consistant from episode to episode, which would make it slightly more plausible.

Sky did receive new prints of at least one series of Bullseye earlier this year. Having gone back through the forum it appears to have been series 10. Scheduling might have a heck of a shock if the channel receives new prints of Series 11

They probably haven't, but have Challenge ever shown the episode of Bullseye from 89 which featured the murderer from last night's episode of True Crime?

http://player.stv.tv/programmes/real-crime/2011-11-07-2300/

Based on absolutely nothing, I think they probably have at some point.
[media:74e324565b]http://up.metropol247.co.uk/davidlees/bullseye2.flv[/media:74e324565b]
"Oh yes, I enjoy a bit of murder, Jim."

The break bumpers seem to be silent now for some reason?

Giving DoND a try. God knows why, same insufferable "vibe" nonsense that inspired 4 years worth of insufferable formats.

When watching the original Deal or no Deal episodes I have noticed how small the studio seems to be! Did they move studios early on to the current set-up or just utilize the space better?

No, it's the same size. Those of us who have been lucky enough to make the pilgrimage to the dream factory at the paint works in Bristol will tell you how much smaller the set seems in real life. I'm sure it's just matter of angles.

During the first episode shown today, a blank Deal or no Deal graphic appeared at the bottom of the screen towards the end of the programme. Noel Edmonds made no reference to it. I'm guessing this would have contained the "Lines now closed" message when this episode originally aired.

If that really is what I saw, I am surprised that the graphic was inserted by the programme and not by Channel 4 (although I guess the actually text was inserted by Channel 4) and I am also surprised that Endemol didn't supply Challenge with a clean version.

This episode also featured Edmonds saying "Before we find out who has been lucky watching the show...".

The editing of the viewer competition is still terrible though. See also 3-2-1 and Catchphrase.

Short of remastering the program (which is impossible to justify, budget-wise at least), what can they do?