Fort Boyard

I'm feeling unacountably kind to the French, so I'll put this a bit straight. Fort Boyard is based on a TV series which began in 1990 called (surprise) "Fort Boyard". It was created by a French bloke, the Dutch and Belgians also ran their own versions. I'm told they would actually have international programmes where the three countries ran teams against each other.

Anyway, The Crystal Maze began in 1990 as well, so it's kind of difficult to work out which series was the 'original'. I suspect that someone, probably a frenchman, had an idea and sold it to various production companies. I also suspect that The Crystal Maze is the low budget version made for Channel 4. However, I can't verify those. Either way, Fort Boyard is not a "rip-off" of The Crystal Maze.

My personal opinion of the programme is that it was probably just as enjoyable as The Crystal Maze back in 1990, but by the time a UK company took it up it was dated and pointless. I'm pretty sure the only reason it became popular was the sight of Messenger and the contestants running about in lycra, and the Eastenders fans tuning in for Leslie Grantham, who was just hamming up his "Dirty Den" role.

This show is a rip-off of the fabulous tv maze show "The Crystal Maze", it was ingenious and fantastic to watch the contestants hopelessly get locked in when all they had to do was turn a key or a lever.

This is a remake of it, with a more visual and fear based version, though its pretty boring. This is because Fort Boyard, unlike Crystal Maze, is only one building filled with tigers, snakes, rats, things you'd hate - and the contestants must go into these "fear" rooms to recover a letter, each letter adds up to a password.

This password would then be used to unlock the gold, which had to be recovered before the gates closed. Now this is fine to watch, but it doesn't have the fun of Crystal Maze.

Melinda Messenger, famous for her larger than large breasts helps the contenstants who seem to wear skimpier and skimpier clothes each week. But she is nothing compared to the egnimatic Richard O'Brien - Brien is a marvel to watch - and rarely helps - the team had to find out how to do the task.

However in Boyard, Messenger tells them EXACTLY what to do and HOW to do it...what's the point of sending them in there if you know where everything is and how to play every game?

The Fort is protected by Leslie Grantham, who overly plays his evil Dirty Den character to the extreme and always ends up losing more and more gold. He has french people to help him out (well, it is a french show!). Grantham adds a lot of camp to the proceedings but not much else.

Apart from that, the show is pretty flat, the music helps the build up of tension, but the fact that the Fort is only one building makes it pretty boring very fast.

Bring back Crystal Maze, all is forgiven. 2/10.

I think Fort Boyard is a good series, it's like a similar squeal to the crystal maze that finished in 1995. I liked how Fort Boyars is set out as it's like on an island and the sea is around it. I give this programme a good result of 7 out of 10.

Obviously some people cannot handle progression. After reading one person's opinion of Fort Boyard in comparison to The Crystal Maze, which I must add is still one of my favourites, I thought I'd add my own comments being of broader mind than their's.

Fort Boyard is a marvellous program. It is true that The Crystal Maze tested one's skills and brains. But after a number of years it was time to move on. Fort Boyard tests a person's courage and stamina, as well as their ability to work as a team, not to mention gives a far more satisfying prize.

On top of this Leslie Grantham gives by far the best performance as the presenter and far from being just a replica of Dirty Den displays his character's contempt for weakness and no hopers to perfection. And seeing as the theme is for Melinda Messenger to find a team capable of stealing the gold it follows suit that she should aid wherever possible to ensure her success.

So before anyone else decides to slander a classic program just because it threatens their pet favourite please watch it properly and learn the ins and outs before writing your opinions on it!

For those who think that this is a remake of "The Crystal Maze", read this article about "The Crystal Maze": "Originally,Chatsworth Television intended to make a British version of the French show Fort Boyard, but when it became clear that the fort would not be available at the time of the pilot show, Fort Boyard's creator Jacques Antoine was consulted about developing an alternative format that could be shot elsewhere. As a result, the show ended up using a similar concept to Fort Boyard, but was substantially different in presentation and style."

Fort Boyard is original and well done.

9/10