Page: 1 2 3 4 5
Messup434
Administrator
Joined: 12-2014
Post Count: 13005
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
Oh yeah, completely agree on the intros. Why not just let Camille introduce them?
A couple of other things I noticed are that there were only 10 teams. I'm sure it was originally going to be the usual 12? Also, some player's names aren't even revealed. I don't think any of the last names are, strangely. Also, don't like how the nicknames feel like they're pre-selected - prefer the Johns coming up with them "on the fly".
Lots of little details from the original missed which is a bit disappointing.
Also, rewatched the promo and don't see a single thing that's different, aside from the first obstacle. 
Edited by Messup434, 3/Apr/21, 3:43 am
|
|
3/Apr/21, 3:38 am
|
Link to this post
PM Messup434
|
Brekkie
Giving the Big Balls
added bounce!
Joined: 03-2009
Post Count: 2865
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
Maybe reading the disappointing reviews first was a good thing because I'm finding myself surprisingly positive about this. Still alot to fault, but nowhere near as bad as I feared.
Agree the editing on the qualifier was poor and didn't showcase either the contestants or the obstacles that well. It's a bit disappointing all the obstacles are somewhat familar but I like the new Jigglelator and the Body Blender proved it's worth reviving the Poundabout. Also Sweep and Weep is a nod to a classic, and didn't hate the Nutcracker either. Indeed the Big Balls seemed the weakest and barely shown - think the bouncy variation here might have been wise, and think changing the colour may have helped too.
What I really like though is the colour scheme - I thought the original run lost something when it moved away from the red and blue of the early years and I think the blue and yellow really works, giving it a fresh look. Also like the graphics but would prefer a running clock with milliseconds as well.
Talking of graphics a shame there were no titles at all, but the break sting and scoreboards were nice - though the music is weak compared to the original. Unlike others I didn't hate the intro packages either.
On to the Gauntlet and they just about got away with ditching a round here, though I think playing it twice a week means it'll get repetitive very quickly. Carous-hell may have worked well enough as a round in its own right.
I liked the more basic Muddy Mile but felt we didn't get to see it properly - we just saw people entering it, one or two tackle the wall squeeze and then people at the end. There seemed to be something else in between we just didn't get to see properly.
The Pummel Pool was perfectly functional though nothing we haven't really seen before. Ultimately the Gauntlet is three quite basic rounds in one when perhaps two more complicated rounds would serve the show better, whether as a Round 2 & 3 or just using them alternately with two heats of one one week and the other the next.
As for the Wipeout Zone - the relay format smacks of laziness and halving the time they have John and Nicole on site, something which I don't think added anything. The first half we've all seen before - decent enough obstacles, but nothing new. The 10-minute rule would have felt fairer as a disqualification and I'd have hated it even more had that team ended up winning. The second half was more interesting - felt the turntable needed a sweeper bar or two to tackle once they land, or something at least. I quite liked the final obstacle though - it felt like something new.
Really though I'd rather the Zone was designed for two people to run together rather than a standard zone split in two. They need to have a launch they can do together, then maybe one obstacle each for them to tackle and a joint one at the end.
As for the hosts - Camille didn't seem to have much to do and wasn't even present at the Zone. What we saw was nothing to worry about though - she fits the role well.
As for John and Nicole - or Nicole and John. Firstly there was a slight controversy here in the UK over TV duos almost always having the male on the left hand side with it being justified by the male usually being taller and it not looking right having the taller host on the right. This proves that - John and Nicole were wrong way round. I think though the tone of commentary was much better than season 7, concentrating on the funny rather than the fast.
Individually I don't think either were bad at all - but I really didn't think there was much chemistry between them at all. And it felt so wrong Nicole getting the "Goodnight and Big Balls" line. I also think some of the humour was possibly misjudged here - a family show like Wipeout almost always has jokes for the adults that the kids won't even notice but this felt a bit like they were trying too hard to be edgy.
I'd probably rate it a 6.5/10. Not as bad as I expected and I'll certainly try and watch more of it. Creativity is a bit of a let down - I said on Twitter before watching it that from other reviews it appeared to be more of a budget remake than a blockbuster sequel, and though having now seen it I think it's probably more somewhere between the two I think the show needs to mix a bit more new in with the old than we saw in the opener if it is going to have any longevity.
Edited by Brekkie, 3/Apr/21, 1:54 pm
---
"It's a bit like water boarding. It's got water in it... and I'm bored!"
Charlie Brooker on Total Wipeout
|
|
3/Apr/21, 1:47 pm
|
Link to this post
PM Brekkie
|
LS6
#1 Smackwall Enjoyer
Joined: 09-2020
Post Count: 502
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
I'm not going to create a topic on the next episode until it's out, but I saw something in it's description that peaked my interest.
"Forensic scientists, radio DJs and a pair of "Wipeout" legacies face the most challenging course in "Wipeout" history for a chance at $25,000."
I'm REALLY hoping Wipeout Legacies means old contestants returning. I'd absolutely love to see a duo consisting of NGUNS and Chaz Hands or really just any returning contestants. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the Vests return either.
|
|
3/Apr/21, 10:24 pm
|
Link to this post
PM LS6
|
Messup434
Administrator
Joined: 12-2014
Post Count: 13005
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
You're free to make the topic whenever you want to start gathering info. Or anyone else can if they feel like it! Hopefully we'll have a bit more on episode 2 soon anyway 
Returning competitors would be cool, but it'd be 100x better for me if they'd do an episode with all returnees (maybe just another Winners & Losers). I do think if they're doing teams they should go with particular pairings each week (siblings, parent & kid, exes, friends, for example) as it makes each episode feel a bit different each week. Plus it just seems weird having all of the different types of pairs together.
I was surprised that the Big Balls (from the little we saw of them) didn't seem too easy. It was like the early days of the original with hardly anyone passing the second ball, right? Or maybe the 15 people we didn't see all aced them and that's why we hardly saw them 
Yeah, the Muddy Mile was really choppy. It wouldn't be very interesting to see much more of the Wall Squeeze/Hurtle sections, but the way it was edited it didn't feel very sequential. When I was making the episode guide I had to go back and watch it again (and keep pausing!) as I had no idea of the obstacles or their order  The editing reminded me of how they edit the Takeshi's Castle Obstacle Course Special games 
|
|
4/Apr/21, 6:28 am
|
Link to this post
PM Messup434
|
BruceLing
*Choose a Title*
Joined: 07-2014
Lives in: Behind Tug of War door.
Post Count: 158
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
Finally got the hands on Episode, the first part fell apart. Wipeout Zone commentary is way better since most of them are adlibs (still, many part can be re-recorded over)
Most of the problem I have seen is from post production, the course potential is there, the cast potential is there. The editing and direction is not there, that can be fixed. That's the matter of time.
Themes, Tunes has been redone and I don't quite like it much. Speaking of sounds, the soundtrack and sound effect is rubbish. I thought that Total Wipeout was cringy, but this one is plain bad
Again speaking of Total Wipeout, US Wipeout also remove the decimals of the timer, I don't think that too necessary to care either since there arent so many decimals different finishes. Just pointing something out.
Apart from the problem people say. This season can still be good, just need some more edit. Otherwise it felt like Wipeout lost its charm. Like the Premier.
---
Alone in the back of the door.
|
|
4/Apr/21, 6:29 am
|
Link to this post
PM BruceLing
|
Brekkie
Giving the Big Balls
added bounce!
Joined: 03-2009
Post Count: 2865
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
Quote:
Messup434 wrote:
Yeah, the Muddy Mile was really choppy. It wouldn't be very interesting to see much more of the Wall Squeeze/Hurtle sections, but the way it was edited it didn't feel very sequential. When I was making the episode guide I had to go back and watch it again (and keep pausing!) as I had no idea of the obstacles or their order The editing reminded me of how they edit the Takeshi's Castle Obstacle Course Special games
Yes - someone mentioned the Zipline but all I saw of that was somebody grabbing the bar - don't think we even saw someone do it. We also don't know if they "Wipeout" whether they go back to the beginning of the whole section, though it seems to be a course actually in the water rather than about trying to avoid falling in the water.
I think the Zone is the biggest disappointment - not so much for the rules but for the obstacles. I think if they'd had original obstacles for the launch and second obstacle it would have felt far fresher.
---
"It's a bit like water boarding. It's got water in it... and I'm bored!"
Charlie Brooker on Total Wipeout
|
|
4/Apr/21, 12:59 pm
|
Link to this post
PM Brekkie
|
Takeshi1
*Choose a Title*
Joined: 04-2018
Post Count: 694
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
My off-the-cuff thoughts:
Qualifier: Good obstacles but poorly edited and commentary wasn't great - sounded like they were trying to be funny and it fell very flat, especially the frankly unnecessary blatant references.
Gauntlet: Fairly good course, second heat shows how good it can be at its best, first heat bared its flaws at its worst - a long round like this is only entertaining when the teams are somewhat competitively matched, but if they are it's highly entertaining (well except that last pink ball).
Zone: Strange format but works much better than I thought, although only doing two obstacles each makes the zone seem a lot less tense than the original and we don't see the same exhaustion towards the end of the course. Live hosting in the zone helped a lot coz these two scripted are not brilliant - they work much better being themselves so I hope we get more of that as the series goes on, hopefully the producers will learn to trust their talent.
I'm glad they kept the overall fast pacing of the original, feel this could have dragged otherwise. My main worry is the show getting stale quickly from a lack of variation - especially a problem as despite the intro clips before and during runs, I feel we know the contestants less well than the original so this could feel like 10 weeks of the same episode (especially as we've seen the same re-skinned smackwall starting obstacle appearing in 4 or 5 of the episodes).
Overall much better than expected but not close to the original by any stretch. Still an entertaining (albeit cringey at times) watch.
Edited by Takeshi1, 4/Apr/21, 2:20 pm
|
|
4/Apr/21, 2:19 pm
|
Link to this post
PM Takeshi1
|
BruceLing
*Choose a Title*
Joined: 07-2014
Lives in: Behind Tug of War door.
Post Count: 158
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
Point is, Gauntlet takes half of the episodes anyways, why not make the round 2 and 3 like they used to be. The amazing race is spectacular, but it is so punishing for the team lacking behind.
---
Alone in the back of the door.
|
|
4/Apr/21, 5:58 pm
|
Link to this post
PM BruceLing
|
Brekkie
Giving the Big Balls
added bounce!
Joined: 03-2009
Post Count: 2865
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
I think the Gauntlet would be better without the first pool actually. Just start it with the Muddy Mile so it is a straight out race to get to the Pummel Pool, then expand that course slightly to flesh it out a bit more (even if just having contestants do both the Fast Fries and Lollipop).
Caroushell is just about enough to be a round in it's own right.
---
"It's a bit like water boarding. It's got water in it... and I'm bored!"
Charlie Brooker on Total Wipeout
|
|
4/Apr/21, 7:15 pm
|
Link to this post
PM Brekkie
|
LS6
#1 Smackwall Enjoyer
Joined: 09-2020
Post Count: 502
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: The Big Balls Are Back, Baby!
As much as I love The Gauntlet, I would still prefer 4 rounds. Like Brekkie said, starting at the Messy Mile would have been better because it'd free up the circle pool. Personally, I'd want a round that's endurance or a large contraption round because I think that there's still room to innovate with both.
|
|
4/Apr/21, 8:29 pm
|
Link to this post
PM LS6
|
Page: 1 2 3 4 5
You are not logged in ( Login)
|
