I've always heard it as "happy elf".

I am hearing "happy elf" on relistening to it.

I also don't like the way Pickle's exit was written, departing so abruptly without even bothering to say goodbye, and apparently without a kind word to pass along

Made worse by Treguard's own unkindness: deciding that Pickle's an alcoholic based on the sight of one mystery bottle, and making an aside to the watchers about Pickle being demented.

even though he'd developed a decent relationship with Treguard and seemed to be enjoying himself by Series 6.

The last time we saw Pickle, he and Treguard thwarted Lord Fear and saved Knightmare Castle hand in hand (almost literally). Arguably that's more than a decent relationship. It's hard to reconcile that with the mutual bitterness of Pickle's departure.

All in all, I wasn't expecting that post-credits scene, I didn't enjoy it and it cast a shadow over Series 7 for me. (Given that today is exactly three decades later, the phrase "30 years of hurt" comes to mind. This means it's also 30 years since Lissard's introduction and the origin of my username.)

A better farewell for Pickle, and a less antagonistic introduction for Majida, might have helped those of us who struggled to appreciate her character at first. What if Pickle had left a note for Treguard, directly explaining why he had to go and leaving the new Helmet of Justice as a parting gift?

The only thing I dislike about her is that unlike Pickle she knows nothing. Pickle was useful being introduced in S4 as he knew things about the forests and elf paths outside of the dungeon walls just as Treguard knew about the things within the dungeon walls.

Majida doesn't really offer anything like that. She serves a purpose with being a "voice" for the audience, asking questions for Tregaurd to answer. Basically he's explaining things to the viewer without it seeming like he is.

And she does a really good job of playing the role in my opinion. I like her sassy-ness. She has a fun relationship with Treguard and is more feisty than Pickle despite being less knowledgeable. But the lack of knowledge does give her a lack of depth somewhat IMO.

I like "to be happier" being used as opposed to "to be happy": it suggests that Pickle didn't have an entirely miserable time assisting Treguard and observing quests.

I've always heard it as "happy elf".

"He leave you message ... he say cannot stand damp creepy castle any more: its rotten food, no pay. He go back to forest to be happier."

I like "to be happier" being used as opposed to "to be happy": it suggests that Pickle didn't have an entirely miserable time assisting Treguard and observing quests. Other than that, I don't like 'He resigned and moved back home' as the reason for a familiar character to leave.

I'm imagining an alternative explanation. After helping to bring down Red Death at the end of Series 6, Pickle visited the Cloudwalker to return the lightning rod to Captain Nemanor - and, finding himself on the Great Ocean, felt a calling to follow his elvish predecessors, complete the crossing and "never to return". Perhaps Elita did the same.

There would still need to be an explanation of how the bottle containing Majida, informed of Pickle's departure, came to be in the Knightmare Castle antechamber. Perhaps Pickle took advantage of whatever magic sends dungeoneering objects back to the castle after a quest fails. And did Majida choose to be Treguard's assistant or was it more complicated than that? I'll leave it to anyone who fancies flexing their fanfic muscles.

Opening scene had a new character Romahna, the guardian of Smirky. Absolute howler from Simon, who called her a liar, forgetting that she could hear him when he spoke to his advisors. That went down like a lead balloon.

In the clue area they took the grimlock & keys. They also took a lot of time....

Next up was another new character Rothberry, an friendly apothecary with some dismal puns. Traded the grimlock for a spyglass. This revealed LF with his new entity, the brollachan, which seemed like a kind of menacing hybrid of wall monster, door monster and blocker.

Then another new character, Fidjit, who was an amiable lock-picker. Traded their keys for a "SIGHT" spell.

In the next courtyard, they passed on their knowledge to Romahna, which got them out of her bad-books.

In the dwarf tunnels they received a heavy prompt from Majida (well, she basically told them) to use their spell. Not sure why, it looked like the advisors could see as well as teams usually could....

This opening episode seemed rather slow-paced. Not sure if it was due to the introduction of several new characters, the team's indecisiveness or a general slowing of the plot. There seemed more eye-shield sequences than were typical in S6.

Team 1 are certainly enthusiastic. Their approach reminds me of series 5 team 3, who also had a dungeoneer who was rather outspoken and who were also very indecisive. Wonder if it will cost this team dearly as well....

Rhomanna: No!

Simon (offended) Why not?!

I love the way Rothberry produces the spyglass seemingly out of nowhere, it's very well done.

Nice how Lord Fear describes Simon's current location as "the third subsection of Level 1" - he is indeed in the third room, not including the dwarf tunnels at the start.

i wonder how long it took before they realsied they actually have to include a quest somewhere in the episode.

I know I enjoyed it back when it was first on TV, but now it was little more to me than an over-scripted play rather than the unpredictable game Knightmare was supposed to be.

The magic is there, just not as strong.

Any remake of Knightmare now needs to step further back in time than most of the later series, especially this one and series 8.

'Thicky'

And so we begin series 7, which by the way, is my least favourite series. Before we begin, I have developed a niggly little habbit of using nicknames for characters, so try to bear with me...and here we go!

Quite a knice opening. Lissard very dissapointing, but Lord Fear shines in these dark and dreary times. Lord F gives a personal demonstration on how to assert yourself before the credits remind us just how good the originals were. Treguard jumps to conclusions before re-enacting a scene from "When Magic Goes Wrong". Enter Majida. One look at her and we know it's all downhill from here. Especialy when the not-so-gay banter starts. Majida really is an annoying scumtard, but I don't talk about that. The advisors are summoned and the middle advisor looks a little dim. Sorry, but he does. Majida introduces the new abomination. Did I say abomination? I meant helmet. Quest starts, and Treg is rather patronising. Though some tunnels to meet Rotten Moaner, the not-so elegant Egotist. Majida is catty, then Beardovision features what appears to be the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Clue room next, and a very obvious scroll clue. Team took Keys and Grimlock. Next room, and the debut of Rothberry the dubious chemist. Rothberry reads from Peter Kay's big book of crap jokes before trading the Grimlock for a spyglass. Intermission followed by the spyglass scene. Lord F chats with Reprobate the pirate. Brollachan is welcomed with open arms. End sequence leads into Beardovision which leads to an encounter with the most annoying man on earth, Thicky. Thicky does an impression of a parrot before trading the keys for a spell. More Beardovision leads to Rotten Moaner who is far too easily convinced. In the tunnels we see Reprobate skulking before Time Out. Summary? Majida needs a slap.

Anyone got an answer? I've lost track of the episodes I need to see.

I did.

I do.

And, er, Ciao!

Well, you could mean me, you could not. But I'm just a little late. Rviews for episodes will return on monday. Till then, Sayonara.

Good thing I'm six months more mature, then.

Anyhoo, after an introduction that lasts about a year (and I wondered why there were so few teams in this series), we have much more of a plot and more banter than ever before. It's almost like it was the very first episode made.

However, this was the beginning of the new era, one that goes on to this day. mmm, Virtual Reality. I could have sworn back in the day it would be Virtually Impossible to do such a thing.

But the quest. Well, it's not been terribly challenging yet, has it? At least there's been an appearance of Rothberry, one of the under-rated characters (and tragically underused in s8).

But what I could really do with here is an in-depth analysis of the ep, a comprehensive overview of what happened by one or two of the forum members. You know who you are.

(That, and they just happen to be great to read).