Well, what did you think of that then?

What do they win? Or is it just that they solved it?

Could have been very good. However, I thought the questions were a bit pathetic. Reminded me of a Key Stage 2 activity pack. What next? Pin the ancient tail on the donkey artefact?

It was a bit simplistic wasn't it? And the "It must be 1944 as he said 19th Century" comment left me wincing.

I'd heard some poor reviews so I wasn't expecting much. It was a bit better than I thought.

However as Steffan says the actual challenges are a bit simplistic. For the first question one of the options for the symbol was a jet ski!

Tony was desprately trying to raise the tension and kept going on about 'fabulous treasure'. I'm sure that there is a great programme in there somewhere, but they need to try harder.

I thought it was dire, Crystal Maze meets The Weakest Link

I see now that it's all tied in with a new service being launched by Microsoft.

Live Search

Didn't you see the sponsers bit at the start and end of every ad break, Tet?

I think they won a Cox & Wotsit "private" tour of Egypt/Jordan/wherever.

I've only watched the first half and must say that the star of the show is definitely the BM - the atmospheric lighting makes it even more impressive than it is in the flesh!

Harmless entertainment aimed at the general public (not those with a specific history interest) from what I've seen so far. I'll watch it again, make the effort to record it if I'm out, but I won't cry and throw the remote if I forget to record it (my definition of a really good programme! ).

quote:

Originally posted by melter:
Didn't you see the sponsers bit at the start and end of every ad break, Tet?

I lost interest before I saw any adds

RANT ON

I watched it - the full 1st programme -> to see if it got any better, and both of us at home said.."never again"!!!

In fact it was so bad and purile that it prompted me to register on this forum and post this comment - so if any programme makers watch this from C4 - bin it - ASAP!!!

As someone else commented - it was like being at primary school again..a KS2 themed hour or something - having read the title credits of the show - I suspect it was conceived by a junior "education" dept assistant of the BM. He/she should go on a media&marketing course at the OU and see what actually works!!!

RANT OFF

Could have been better..... could have been worse...

My fave was the loko on their faces when they were told 'thats it... you stay here.... but don't touch anything!"

I was daring the contestants to prod the UR Standard and watch it fall to the floor ... whoops.... " we will be back with more fun after this break" ... now I will be back to watch just one slip up..... will a contestant accidentaly rip teh arm off a mummy? Drop a priceless Vase...

At the end I really did not care... and it looked like the other contestants did not care either..

quote:

Originally posted by BAJR:
At the end I really did not care... and it looked like the other contestants did not care either..

Yes, I failed to see what incentive there was for the losers to break the code at the end.

Interesting idea and certainly worth making considering the dumbing down of many BBC shows. Yes, the questions were simplistic, and I wished they'd allow the viewer more of a chance to view the puzzles and join in, but it at least joined the games with historical narrative.

Not sure just having a bunch of experts mulling over matters that the viewer hasn't a clue about would be the right way to go.

One question: did those eliminated, but left to crack the codex, win anything? It seemed unfair as they effectively helped the remaining contestant win the big prize.

I liked it more than I thought I would, but I also wondered why the "loosers" were expected to help the winner at the end, unless it was a team effort & they all won the final prize?

I wanted to see more of the codex too, is it avaiable online?

Codex

Your prayers have been answered, Eileen!

If only everyone else in my life were as easy to please!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Eileen:
I liked it more than I thought I would, but I also wondered why the "loosers" were expected to help the winner at the end, unless it was a team effort & they all won the final prize?
QUOTE]

I did too. I feared the worst but it was better than that

quote:

Originally posted by decrypted:
One question: did those eliminated, but left to crack the codex, win anything? It seemed unfair as they effectively helped the remaining contestant win the big prize.

Nope - although Liv was worth making an effort for - I desperately wanted to hate her for winning, but she was just so damned nice....

Please also bear in mind that by the time the final scene came round, we had been up for nigh on 28 hours You try looking enthusiastic then!

Majik (aka Mike on the show)

In case anyone missed it on Sunday, it is repeated next Sunday (19th) on More 4 at 11.45am

Mike - thank you for your firsthand input!

One question - the atmosphere in the BM was heightened to the viewer by the uplighting and other visual/lighting effects. When you watched the programme back on tv, did it give a true picture of the atmosphere there or was it a case of what we saw was nothing like what you experienced? Was it really just a heaving mass of crew and cameras and cables and totally ordinary?

I think it was perfect for Tony Robinson.
He doesn't have to try to be funny & he doesn't have to pretend he's an historian or even do any half @rsed research.

Not a patch on Takeshi's Castle. You wouldn't have won that either, Mike. No one ever does.

quote:

Originally posted by MajikNWA:
Nope - although Liv was worth making an effort for - I desperately wanted to hate her for winning, but she was just so damned nice....

Please also bear in mind that by the time the final scene came round, we had been up for nigh on 28 hours You try looking enthusiastic then!

Majik (aka Mike on the show)

If that's really you Mike then hello to you. It's Liv's boyfriend here. It was good to meet you back in April. I hope things are well with thee?