Game Show Garbage - The Krypton Factor '95

[Sigma: Current SRW Champ!]

After being given a dire choice from YouTuber Kim Justice, I decide to review Krypton Factor's 2nd lowest point in the franchise's history!

The 1995 Krypton Factor Series, complete with Super Round, Penny Smith and no emotion whatsoever!



Hope everyone enjoy's it.

[Herman The Tosser]

I remember this ill-advised revamp.

I also have a thing for Penny Smith.

Weirdly, I thought "Simon", the one guy who got disqualified looked familiar. Sure enough, it's stand-up comedian Simon Evans!



(language/content warning)

[DiBiase is Good]

Penny Smith is utterly adorable but The Krypton Factor did not need her co-hosting, Gordon Burns was all the host it ever needed.
I don't think this is the second lowest point, I think it's the lowest point. At least the 2009 version was trying to be more modern whilst still keeping relatively true to the classic format. The 1995 version was quite simply the Powers that be seeing how popular The Crystal Maze had become and turning The Krypton Factor into a second-rate version of it.
And I think the classic format (particularly the late 80s peak period) is one of the greatest game shows ever. Probably second only to The Crystal Maze in the "part physical/part mental" category.

[SmashTV]

For years it had the same format - individual general knowledge test, observation round, assault course (everyone's favourite), mental agility and then a quick fire round. Why it was changed, who knows? It was fine as it was.

This was the last series, wasn't it? Hardly surprising, if so.


EDIT: The 'Super Round' explanation made my ears bleed. Whosawhatnow?

[DiBiase is Good]

Apr 30, 2017 14:21:19 GMT -5 SmashTV said:

For years it had the same format - individual general knowledge test, observation round, assault course (everyone's favourite), mental agility and then a quick fire round. Why it was changed, who knows? It was fine as it was.

This was the last series, wasn't it? Hardly surprising, if so.

And then they added the response round, which started off as a manual dexterity test but soon morphed into the classic "flight simulator" test when the contestants had to land a plane (in one final, they actually literally did land a plane).

[SmashTV]

Apr 30, 2017 14:11:12 GMT -5 Herman The Tosser said:

I remember this ill-advised revamp.

I also have a thing for Penny Smith.

Weirdly, I thought "Simon", the one guy who got disqualified looked familiar. Sure enough, it's stand-up comedian Simon Evans!



(language/content warning)

I've seen him sparingly, but both times he's made me laugh out loud. His Krypton Factor experience could be a routine in itself.

[SmashTV]

Apr 30, 2017 14:26:47 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

Apr 30, 2017 14:21:19 GMT -5 SmashTV said:

For years it had the same format - individual general knowledge test, observation round, assault course (everyone's favourite), mental agility and then a quick fire round. Why it was changed, who knows? It was fine as it was.

This was the last series, wasn't it? Hardly surprising, if so.

And then they added the response round, which started off as a manual dexterity test but soon morphed into the classic "flight simulator" test when the contestants had to land a plane (in one final, they actually literally did land a plane).

Really? God, the insurance waivers on that must have been interesting...

[Hit Girl]

Nothing beats Gordon Burns and that awesome theme music.

[DiBiase is Good]

Apr 30, 2017 14:38:24 GMT -5 SmashTV said:

Apr 30, 2017 14:26:47 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

And then they added the response round, which started off as a manual dexterity test but soon morphed into the classic "flight simulator" test when the contestants had to land a plane (in one final, they actually literally did land a plane).

Really? God, the insurance waivers on that must have been interesting...

Well, it was a dual control plane and the pilot on board technically did the actual "wheels down" final part but they were in control for a large part of it.

[Jiren]

God Krypton factor was awesome (Gordon Burns era obviously).

Def in my top 5 game shows

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

Apr 30, 2017 14:11:12 GMT -5 Herman The Tosser said:

I remember this ill-advised revamp.

I also have a thing for Penny Smith.

Weirdly, I thought "Simon", the one guy who got disqualified looked familiar. Sure enough, it's stand-up comedian Simon Evans!



(language/content warning)

Did the same double take on Simon, always been a fan of him, weird seeing him before with the curly hair.

[Sigma: Current SRW Champ!]

Apr 30, 2017 14:19:12 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

Penny Smith is utterly adorable but The Krypton Factor did not need her co-hosting, Gordon Burns was all the host it ever needed.
I don't think this is the second lowest point, I think it's the lowest point. At least the 2009 version was trying to be more modern whilst still keeping relatively true to the classic format. The 1995 version was quite simply the Powers that be seeing how popular The Crystal Maze had become and turning The Krypton Factor into a second-rate version of it.
And I think the classic format (particularly the late 80s peak period) is one of the greatest game shows ever. Probably second only to The Crystal Maze in the "part physical/part mental" category.

I called it the second lowest because the 1990 US version is infinitely times worse than the 1995 series.

[DiBiase is Good]

Apr 30, 2017 16:26:18 GMT -5 Sigma: Current SRW Champ! said:

Apr 30, 2017 14:19:12 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

Penny Smith is utterly adorable but The Krypton Factor did not need her co-hosting, Gordon Burns was all the host it ever needed.
I don't think this is the second lowest point, I think it's the lowest point. At least the 2009 version was trying to be more modern whilst still keeping relatively true to the classic format. The 1995 version was quite simply the Powers that be seeing how popular The Crystal Maze had become and turning The Krypton Factor into a second-rate version of it.
And I think the classic format (particularly the late 80s peak period) is one of the greatest game shows ever. Probably second only to The Crystal Maze in the "part physical/part mental" category.

I called it the second lowest because the 1990 US version is infinitely times worse than the 1995 series.

Ah ok, I never knew they did a US version. It must have been pretty f***ing awful to be worse than the 1995 version.

[DiBiase is Good]

And thanks to this discussion of classic 80s game shows, I might just drag out my recordings of The Interceptor. That was one great show too!

[Sigma: Current SRW Champ!]

Apr 30, 2017 16:28:08 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

Apr 30, 2017 16:26:18 GMT -5 Sigma: Current SRW Champ! said:

I called it the second lowest because the 1990 US version is infinitely times worse than the 1995 series.

Ah ok, I never knew they did a US version. It must have been pretty f***ing awful to be worse than the 1995 version.

I reviewed it last week for my Games Of '90 series. I was baffled on how something that should be so great could be so shit.

[SmashTV]

Apr 30, 2017 16:30:09 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

And thanks to this discussion of classic 80s game shows, I might just drag out my recordings of The Interceptor. That was one great show too!

Hell yeah! Scottish guy with a 'laser gun' firing from a helicopter, a young Annabel Croft, what more could you want?

[karl100589]

Great induction. I have always used Krypton Factor 95 as a perfect example of how not to revamp a show. Another key flaw I would have mentioned is that the Super Round ended up negating the entire first half of the show; a contestant could dominate the first five rounds, but a terrible Super Round performance could see them knocked out. IIRC the series winner never won a single round throughout the series.

If you're looking for other godawful British gameshows I've got some suggestions:

- Catchphrase (post Roy Walker)
- The Shane Richie Experience (Contestants compete for a live wedding through a series of It's A Knockout style games)
- Flockstars (ITV attempt to cash in on the GBBO fad with Celebrity Sheep-herding)
- Win, Lose or Draw (Televised Charades... need I say more)
- Shattered (Heavily promoted C4 show hyped as a successor to Big Brother. Somehow watching people trying to stay awake didn't capture the imagination)
- The Grand Knockout Tournament (Celebrity version of It's A Knockout with the Royal Family as captains)

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

May 1, 2017 8:03:23 GMT -5 karl100589 said:

Great induction. I have always used Krypton Factor 95 as a perfect example of how not to revamp a show. Another key flaw I would have mentioned is that the Super Round ended up negating the entire first half of the show; a contestant could dominate the first five rounds, but a terrible Super Round performance could see them knocked out. IIRC the series winner never won a single round throughout the series.

If you're looking for other godawful British gameshows I've got some suggestions:

- Catchphrase (post Roy Walker)
- The Shane Richie Experience (Contestants compete for a live wedding through a series of It's A Knockout style games)
- Flockstars (ITV attempt to cash in on the GBBO fad with Celebrity Sheep-herding)
- Win, Lose or Draw (Televised Charades... need I say more)
- Shattered (Heavily promoted C4 show hyped as a successor to Big Brother. Somehow watching people trying to stay awake didn't capture the imagination)
- The Grand Knockout Tournament (Celebrity version of It's A Knockout with the Royal Family as captains)

Win, Lose or Draw was televised Pictionary.

Give us a Clue was televised Charades, and was pretty successful from what I remember.

[DiBiase is Good]

May 1, 2017 3:07:40 GMT -5 SmashTV said:

Apr 30, 2017 16:30:09 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

And thanks to this discussion of classic 80s game shows, I might just drag out my recordings of The Interceptor. That was one great show too!

Hell yeah! Scottish guy with a 'laser gun' firing from a helicopter, a young Annabel Croft, what more could you want?

I LIKE IT MIKEY!
It's a shame it only lasted one series because it was a really unique show.

[Jiren]

Another garbage game show is "Pick Me"