Majida and Treguard looking into pool, Series 8 Episode 1

Series 8: Overview

By Keith McDonald

What's new in Series 8 of Knightmare? A summary of the main differences.


Start of Series

Similarities and Differences

Teams now watch the adventure through a pool, which contained a television. Aerial shots were created by covering the inside of the pool with blue sheeting and filming the advisors looking in.

The entrance corridor of Linghorm, Lord Fear's palace in Series 8.

The team entrance changed completely. Now, the whole team enters the chamber together, rather than dungeoneers summoning their advisors.

Dungeoneers could now place objects in their knapsack, though a two-object limit remained.

There was also a new accessory, the Reach Wand. This could touch or open things at a distance. It was powered by AA batteries, which ran out on one occasion and had to be replaced!

Knightmare Series 8 Team 2. Dungeoneer Daniel uses the new reach wand.

Dungeoneers then began their quests through a gate that was manually operated. Everyone stood throughout the quest.

The Life Force status was changed to a pie for Series 8. When a dungeoneer collected food, this animation reset to full. It never influenced the quests at all.

Dungeon

The outside dungeon is replaced by a new CGI-generated dungeon with more advanced textures than Knightmare's earlier years. Many fans had requested a return to this style of adventure.

Transfer between levels took place using trapdoors. Smirkenorff had his own lair, but his only flight came at the end of the series.

The guard post within the Tower of Linghorm in Series 8 (1994).

Lord Fear also has a new environment, as the Black Tower of Goth (previously Level 3) now becomes Level 2. Below this are two Towers, Linghorm and Marblehead, which are separated by the Great Mire.

View the Series 8 dungeon

Characters

There are six new characters for Series 8, though more for the Opposition than the Powers that Be!

The newcomers include a warrior thief known as Stiletta and a sorceress called Maldame. There was also a welcome return for Motley after his absence from Series 7.

Series 8, Team 6. Stiletta charges the reach wand with a reveal spell.

Lord Fear's second experience with a red dragon went slightly better than the first. However, its split personality makes it erratic, so Fear has to take drastic measures to prepare it for larger missions.

View the Series 8 characters

Start of Quest

Series 8 Team 1 in antechamber before quest

The whole team runs through the door. Treguard gives the dungeoneer the quest objects.

The dungeoneer was led to a gateway which was opened and lowered by chains.

Dungeoneers climbed through the gate, which Treguard closed behind them. He then addressed the advisors.

Start with Team 1

Start of Episode

The progress report at the start of subsequent episodes.

An animated gate would rise to signal 'game on'.

Hordriss the Confuser casts a spell in Knightmare Series 8 (1994).

End of Episode

At "time out", an hourglass would appear and an animated gate would lower over the screen.

Episodes finished with banter between Treguard and Majida. (This is from Episode 9.)

Children's ITV in 1994

You Might Also Like...

The Quest 4.1: Through the Eye Shield

A cropped 1994 character shot of Honesty Bartram (Bill Cashmore).

Updates on what the Knightmare cast is up to outside the dungeon.

Treguard, the Dungeon Master

Treguard the Dungeon Master, in Series 1 (1987). Played by Hugo Myatt.

Treguard the Dungeon Master was the host of Knightmare. He presided over the gameplay from an antechamber in Knightmare Castle.

Nick Collett, Mark Knight, Cliff Barry

Mark Knight, Nick Collett, and Cliff Barry

Nick Collett (TimeBusters and Knightmare VR), Cliff Barry (Lissard), and Mark Knight (Lord Fear) discuss the Knightmare Geek Week episode.

See Also