1-4 or 5-8
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Ouch, I'll struggle to make a choice on this issue. I think 1-4 always carry some sentimental significance, being the introduction and the early development of the game. And, I think they got it superbly right by S3: brilliant. The year before that was smashing as well. I do agree with the points of the opposition being more eerie and mysterious in the earlier series.
However - moving onto the later years - I think that as they tried to integrate more characters in there and operate the game more around interaction and communication rather than general knowledge and quick wit, the whole prospect of the opposition was a good focus, and still added major tensions, by knowing that the dungeoneer would be hunted from pretty much the first steps rather than encounter them later on. There was always a belligerent and competitive rail to the game in the later series as well, as Lord F was the embodiment to interact with the Powers that Be.
I don't think it totally fair to comment on the development as a whole, because certain aspects would have become possible for the later years that weren't in the earlier - and while I think S2 was good, taking a great step up to S3, and then disappointing with S4; I feel this is somewhat repeated by S5 being pretty good (recovery), taking real leaps to S6 and S7, and then disappointing a bit in S8.
If I answer the question in terms of achievement, perhaps - I think S5-8 would just edge it for me in watchability (altho. 3 is my fav, 7, 6, 2 and 5 are my following four, which would suggest the second half is just balanced in favour of the later years) - but S1-4 were of the best achievement. I'd always pinpoint in a show of this nature that the first years were the most important, because they hold the key to any future for it. KM started with a flourish, which was a real plus, and the level of consecutive improvements in the following two years to hit such a monumental S3, which in many ways set the show up for as far ahead as it wanted to run, was totally incredible - so I fight to a point each.
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Thanks Redknight for your well thought out and balenced views . Its somtimes nice to see an alternative view point so when I eventualy see some of the other series again I can look at them in that way. We agree on one main point, S3 was classic, 3 question clue rooms, danger in most rooms and some great teams. Unfortunatly it lacked the one thing, a winning team, but hey at least we know it wasent a fix.
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I hate 'Virtually Impossible'
Never heard of the 'Adventure game' er
Oh I totally agree with you on Virtually impossible you wouldnt belive how much I wanted to grab that stupid fish by its tail and slam it into the walls left and right.
The woman villian was a joke too she set em 40.000 points every week when she claimed she was gonna make it higher lol lame.
BRING BACK KM damn it!!
in response to the question ill go with 5-8 however 4 is a fave of mine too so i like series 4 - 8 hehe.
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What pissed me off about Virtually impossible was in the letter we got after Knightmare went off the air told us that Broadsword where doing this Virtually impossible show and i quite keen to see what i was like... i was looking forward to it... well after watching the 1st couple of episodes that was it...hated it.
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I prefered the earlier seasons (partially coz of Martin Tool n the gang) and this sounds silly but the later series lacked the crap graphics that really made up knightmare. The first series were really creative as well, the later ones were to, almost, cartooney, with lord fear and the good versus evil type plot.
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Ermm. Hello all!
Well, have to contest slightly, sir. I would hardly call the computer graphics for the earlier series 'crap'. I know you used that in a positive argument, but still - I think David Rowe's flair has always been fantastic where Knightmare was concerned, and his room creation artwork brilliant. Ok, it looks less advanced now than it did at the time, but for me, it still looks the part - the more vivid colours and slightly flatter looking and less dimensional images give me that more medieval and magical feel than the later years, which became more diemnsional - where the likes of 'Goth' and Levels '3a and 3b' of Series 8 give a much more sinister and macabre feel, which is what was created by the ever increasing intensity of the opposition and the challenges.
Other arguments would look at the technology available at the time, and also the budgeting towards a show with two years of building success rather than, for instance, series 7, when the show was a proven success and had the assurance of several great years behind it.
Yet I will agree that the earlier graphics 'made' Knightmare - the medieval look was classic, and complemented the gameplay to the highest possible extent. KaM
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One thing that I loved about the earlier series: Mildread and the Medusa.
No one was safe, not the advisors not even Treaguard! It would have been great if everyone was in danger in the later series!!!!
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Hmmmm... She was on the wall in Knightmare, but in the mythlogy she was a lady, completely off the wall
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Thats true enough....so there are more Medusas. Scary
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Hey all. Thanks for the contributions to the thread, much appreciated and enjoyed.
Well the score now is 5-3 in favour of the earlier series, and one person undecided. I think I'll call that a result unless somone votes in the next 24 hrs.
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i would go for the 5-8 series simply because of lord fear plus the tence music and the heartbeating made it even more suspenceful for example on series 6 team 4's death jeez that music and the heartbeat made it a classic death also that skull made a welcome return
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So its now 5-4 and one undecided in favour of the earlier series. Voting extended.
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The people who actually read my blabbering on this forum will probably expect me to say 1-4. Most of my tongue lashings are usually saved for the later series, and I've never found much wrong with Series 3.
But I'm really not very sure (and am hoping by the end of this post I make up my mind). In some ways, I'd like to not answer the question or daintily sidestep to my left around it. I wouldn't really put want to put Series 4 in with the first three, since it seemed to mark something of a transition. Also, Series 8 doesn't completely fit with the three before it in style.
There are definitely things I don't like about the later series. A lot of it is too linear, too based on success on certain obstacles, too obvious, too defined with respect to good v. evil, for my liking. I think a lot of the mystery of the early series was gone. I rather like the fact that we didn't know what Mogdred's motives were, whereas with Lord Fear things became a little obvious and predictable (admittedly, especially when you're no longer watching it as a 13 year old). I also thought some of the storylines in the later series were a bit lazy, although I suppose one could say "at least there were storylines". It became far too easy to get to Level 3, in my humble opinion. Hmmm, this getting rather long already, so I'll keep my other criticisms of the later series short. Eye shield. Reach wand. Ridolfo. Lack of good wall monsters. Brother Strange. Ridolfo. Too many spyglasses. Ridolfo.
Having said all that, the early series weren't perfect, and the later series has much to commend them. The graphics were better, I much preferred the later titles and theme music, and the backing music during some of the tenser moments was fantastic. Most of the puzzles themselves in the later series were gorgeous. A lot of people mention the sentimental value of the early series, but for me most of any sentimentality is centred on the latter ones, since those are the ones I firmly remember watching the first time around. I think the later series had the best complete set of characters too, especially on the Opposition side. I do think that the humour was occasionally pushed too far, but I still enjoy watching Sly and Lissard a great deal.
As I mentioned before, despite having some fantastic elements and setting up the programme in all its glory, the early series had some aspects I didn't like. Some are specific to specific series, and some of my criticisms of the later series hit Series 4 too. Hmm, enable criticism short mode again. Often slow paced. Sometimes more of a story would be nice. Supermad Treguard. Velda. Merlin taking about two minutes to cast a spell. Velda. Oh, throw in Velda and her overacting again for good measure.
I suppose we could go on forever on this type of topic. I haven't even mentioned either of the characters who make up my username here, for example. Although it's a tough decision, I'll go for 5-8 since I like doing what people don't expect.
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