Series 3 - Episode 5
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Heh, I have a GSCE and AS-Level in Media Studies, and all my lessons have taught me to be a little too critical over the years. Though it's handy sometimes, I do tend to spot things that other people don't.
I remember Treguard's "in the wrong order" bit - I always interpreted it to be "backwards", for some reason.
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Hi to Melisandrinoff, and any others posting on this thread that I haven't said hello too within the last few days.
Just to add a bit of extra weight, albeit my not-very-much, onto these little debates. As far as the disspelling goes, it was distinctly the case that as long as the team had learnt the particular spell name, it was allowed for them to disspell it without them actually casting the spell in the first place. Many examples besides Leo's quest involve Mogdred, such as the 'Toad' spell with Ross' quest against McGrew in S3, the 'Shroud' spell in Mogdred's vale in S2, and Alan's team dispelling 'Samurai' to save Ah-Wok in S6.
In fact, it was a good test, in my opinion, to see if the team could pick up on this knowledge, because the first sword set upon Leo's team in L3 could maybe have been dodged to collect the M and allow Merlin to remove the irritant, but it would have been most unfair had they not been allowed to disspell the second, in the L3 clue room - that would have been a majorly unfair death. [Also, on the dancing score - since a couple of seconds had passed with the correct action being taken, think it was well justified the step appearing - although they did trust to fate a little ]
Also, on the point of letter-order used to disspell, I don't believe there was any strict ruling other than providing any anagram of the letters in the incorrect order. I think that it became customary for teams to spell it backwards because it's quite simply the easiest - and I could have imagined them being advised to perform it this way. Given the example above of Mogdred's ledge in S2, where the team made a rather comical hash of disspelling 'Shroud' (although they did try to spell it backwards at first) - it would appear that the action would be a lot simpler as an advisor just running your pencil along the word backwards while spelling it out, rather than creating some wild order and making it trickier for themselves.
Hey, Ma'am K.C. - being especially critical is a great thing ~ thanks for bringing these things to our attention. More please!
~KaM~
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The Oracle's voice was a bit hard to understand - but I liked it when it "descended into drivel", talking about the Wizard of Oz, because, because
I liked when Leo did a dance to invoke the first step! Did you notice how he very nearly stepped off the edge, but the step appeared just in time?
Merlin was a bit slow with his ENERGY spellcasting! Scored 2/2 on his riddles though, and earned a SWORD spell. I liked how they tried to make contact with the huge toad in the cave . Notice how they also manouvered Leo round the stalactites in case they fell on him! (that's never happened to any team)
Scary noise in the L2 red tunnel!
Hordriss seemed to be more of the 'opposition' than on the side of the Powers that Be in this series. They tried to say 'I have no fear' to Hordriss, but then decided to use the SWORD spell. They had to disspell the SWORD after it frightened Hordriss away otherwise it would turn on Leo!
Did you notice you could see the bridge through the bottom of Hordriss? I guess he wasn't faded in fully!\
One of the advisers mentioned that the Corridor of Spears was a 'timing exercise'!. I also think the dungeoneer got spiked twice in the feet, and hit by the skull once, but were let off for some reason!
In the mine cart room, one of the advisers thought that Motley was a mime!
This is where the team goofed up the "crazy rabbit and counterfeit money" joke, and Motley wasn't too impressed when he heard the real joke! Still, he let them through the mine shaft.
A Knightmare first here, the mine-cart ride from Level 2 to Level 3! Entered a 'funny room', as one adviser said Avoided the skull and entered the next room. Here there were two cavernwights, as well as two objects they needed! First a piece of the chalice, and also an energy tree. Just managed to get both without getting caught by the Cavernwights! Didn't really need to put his arm out, but still managed to get the items
Had to disspell the SWORD again in the next room, before calling Merlin, who gave them two spells!
Then into a 'corridor', which was more like a stomach! Were there really skulls in the wall, as an adviser said?
Next, the Medusa again! This time they didn't need the magic shield and the advisers to take turns - instead, they used the GRIP spell to freeze the Medusa long enough to get past it.
Didn't know the answer to the Gargoyle's riddle, so didn't get get any magic or information! I didn't know the answer anyway, what was it - Avebury or something?
Did they film the person's mouth upside down to get the 'sad' appearance?
Level 3 clue room, but Mogdred appeared as soon as they reached the table... and timed out right there!
Knice close-up of the Medusa over the credits.
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Didn't know the answer to the Gargoyle's riddle, so didn't get get any magic or information! I didn't know the answer anyway, what was it - Avebury or something?
I think it was Avesbury, but I'm not sure either. I think that was the ultimate riddle, and for the gargoyle to imply Leo was ignorant was very harsh I thought! I think few people would know the answer to that, at least not youngsters.
Anyway I really like this episode, even though that cliffhanger leaves you begging for more. I can't think of a dull moment.
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Yup, it did indeed look like tiny skulls in the picture whilst walking through the stomach-like corridor.
I have a nasty feeling the team's in losing status now, just because of the sole incorrect riddle (which I didn't have a clue about). I noticed Mogdred's face appearing just before TD, could he kill them off there and then early on in the next episode? Still, I did like the way Treguard's face morphed into Medusa's at the end!
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I liked when Leo did a dance to invoke the first step! Did you notice how he very nearly stepped off the edge, but the step appeared just in time?
That bit's the best step invocation in the entire series in my opinion. It's just such a great improvised dance
Scary noise in the L2 red tunnel!
The background noise in the dwarf tunnels is different for each level, although as Leo's team doesn't go through any of the beige dwarf tunnels for some reason (maybe they hadn't decided at that point in the series what they'd look like?), we'll have to wait until later to hear the spooky noise
One of the advisers mentioned that the Corridor of Spears was a 'timing exercise'!
Yes, some of the teams in this series have clearly done their homework.
Then into a 'corridor', which was more like a stomach! Were there really skulls in the wall, as an adviser said?
It's the same tunnel as another team ends up walking through when they exit the snake-tongue room that was Lillith's lair in previous series through the snake's mouth. And they do look like skulls to me, too
Didn't know the answer to the Gargoyle's riddle, so didn't get get any magic or information! I didn't know the answer anyway, what was it - Avebury or something?
Yes, Avebury - it's a big stone circle in Wiltshire. How big? Well, it has a small village inside it.
Edit: slightly edited to remove possible spoilerage for those watching series 3 for the first time
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I liked when Leo did a dance to invoke the first step! Did you notice how he very nearly stepped off the edge, but the step appeared just in time?
Merlin was a bit slow with his ENERGY spellcasting! Scored 2/2 on his riddles though, and earned a SWORD spell.
Yes I liked the dance also. I'm surprised you didn't mention anything about Merlin appearing slightly before the lightning. Also I was hoping that Leo's lifeforce didn't runout before Merlin finished spellcasting.
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Opened with Treguard cleaning his sword.
Listened to the Oracle who told them to go left and that the third step was the bow. Enjoyed the quotes from
the Wizard of Oz and Jaberwocky.
Into Merlin's room where they had to take steps, they just about danced out off step 1.
Gained a SWORD spell before trying to talk to a frog.
Climbed over the table to pick up part of the chalice before meeting the "dark grey" Hordriss on the bridge.
Used SWORD spell.
Gave MOtley the joke, felt a bit for the advisor whose party piece was ruined.
"Mad bunny" and "bad money" and a conterfiet rabbit.
Fantastic minecart sequence and met the cavernwights again this series. Had to collect the chalice and
through the energy sprite.
It was quick thinking to dispell the sword, possibly this caught the production team by surprise. Were given
spells ENERGY and GRIP.
Throught he snakes stomach and grippe dthe Medusa to "give her a taste of her own medicine.
The gargolyes riddle was very tough, a similar riddle but asking them to name Stonehenge might have been
fairer.
Timed out listening to Mogdred in the clueroom.
There are a couple of seconds of close-up and "clean" Medusa footage before the credits start in case anyone is interested.
All in all, a great ep!
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It's weird the passage ways used in level 3. I note that in later quests it was changed to resemble the l1 and l2 style (hope that's not a spoiler). I don't think the l3 corridors looked right in this quest.
Hordriss is much scarier in this series than later ones.
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The Gargoyle's riddle was particularly difficult and it's not surprising Leo's team didn't know the answer. I'm sure most people wouldn't have known it at 15, or whatever this team's age is. It is kind of unfair, because they are a very communicative and confident team - they are quick to act and act well. Many teams have you wincing because of their slowness!
This quest has to rank in the top ten of quests!
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Sorry but i have to comment on the way that the guy danced to get across the pit..lol He must have really felt stupid  it almost cost his the quest, he came so close to falling off the edge thanks to his little giggle
23 years later said dance was renamed Gangnam Style and became a worldwide sensation...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIRW7h2_ZiA (not my video)
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23 years later said dance was renamed Gangnam Style and became a worldwide sensation...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIRW7h2_ZiA (not my video)
That's rather funny. That clip also suggests that Leo was guilty of tilting back his head to get a better view of what's in the room else there is no way he could have known there was a chair on the other side (the advisors don't mention it but I suppose that could have been cut!) I wonder if he was blindfolded for that or let off with a warning? When he's on the bridge after the Hordriss scene he specifically asks "is there any gaps or anything?" so at least he learns that if the floor looks solid to him that's not necessarily the case!
Later during the excellent mine-cart squenece Leo is extremely calm, perhaps they should have had a couple of production team giving it a shake to get a more genuine 'help I'm travelling in a runaway cart' feeling...
Some changes to Level 3 since we last saw it in series 2, for instance the gargoyle now has a moving mouth. However it doesn't have quite the same sense of peril and imminent danger it has last series, maybe it's just the lack of music?
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That clip also suggests that Leo was guilty of tilting back his head to get a better view of what's in the room else there is no way he could have known there was a chair on the other side (the advisors don't mention it but I suppose that could have been cut!) I wonder if he was blindfolded for that or let off with a warning? When he's on the bridge after the Hordriss scene he specifically asks "is there any gaps or anything?" so at least he learns that if the floor looks solid to him that's not necessarily the case!
Welcome back to the zone, Harvey! It's good to see an old forum stalwart with us again.
The only way they could get Merlin to fade in and out would be to have John Woodnutt in a separate bluescreen void (we know that there were two in the studio for this purpose). There must have been an equivalent seat for John in the other void too, allowing the throne in the dungeoneer's void to be left empty.
This means that in Merlin/John's case, the character would have met several more dungeoneers than the actor did. Likewise for Hordiss/Clifford Norgate and others. It might be interesting one day to work out the ratios.
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