Series 7 Appreciation Week
Posted: 22 Feb 2015, 11:52
I won't be in Knightmare Chat this evening as I have a prior engagement. But there's no reason we can't run this anyway, as it's cross-platform. And if nobody turns up to Chat without my divine influence to guide them there, we can always extend it another week.
It may take two weeks to discuss anyway, because Series 7 is my favourite series. I won't go so far as to say it's the best... but it's still my favourite, for a number of reasons. It's the one I remember the most clearly from the original CiTV run, and it's got a lot of factors I like. Some of them are:
[*] The Opposition. Lord Fear's biting sarcasm is brilliant here - the pre-credits scene at the beginning of Episode 1 is, in my opinion, him at his ascerbic best. Maybe he's not as scary as he is in his first two series, but he's funny and biting and he genunely works well with Lissard (who I prefer over Skarkill - better lines, makeup, acting...). Hands and Raptor get some screentime here and Hands is hilarious, especially when singing the ten goblins song!
[*] The Brollachan. I think this is a bit of a wasted opportunity as he was never really going to kill anyone, as he had no memories left - but it was a good bit of technology, he was quite scary to look at, and it draws well on Cornish mythology - where the Brollachan did appear on rocks and stones, etc., and was just eyes and a mouth. Grimaldine was good too - although perhaps only a one-series character. Lord Fear's ribbing of the Brollachan was brilliant.
[*] Some, but not all, of the PTB. I like Majida (she took a while to grow on me, but I like her feitsy attitude better than the more subservient Pickle), Marta, Romahna (I'd like her in Smash Bros.!) and Brother Strange. I adore Rothberry too - another funny, gentle character to add to MK's roster.
[*] Floor puzzles - deadly ones. This one really amps up the tricks and traps that could (and did) kill. PYCR - quite a simple concept, really - was brilliant. Two dead on the Trial By Spikes - nasty one, that one - a few near-misses in the sliding floor chamber, and Barry very nearly getting chopped in the CoB! Fantastic stuff, and making anyone who got past all of those a very worthy dungeoneer indeed.
[*] The final three quests. Ben's quest ended spectacularly - maybe a little unfairly in some ways, but still a good quest. Two excellent winning quests followed, each different in their own way but fully deserved in every aspect, followed by a fantastic ending. Bulstrode actually making it to Knightmare Castle - and the fact that they could hear him coming - was chilling and an excellent ending, and the bit with the Brollachan moaning in LF's ear was inspired!
Some bits I don't like are:
[*] The constant relying on SIGHT potions and seeing-eye spells. I don't actually mind the new helmet - yes, I am in a minority here but I think it's okay - but it was clearly changed to add a visor in it and every quest had a seeing thingy at least once. Barry's "Blimey!" was good, though...
[*] Fidjit. What an irritating git this character was - and at the expense of Motley too! Infuriating.
[*] Pookas - there are only a few!
Series 7 was stylistically different from a lot of other series as it had some new CGI locations. I liked the misty Rift of Angar where Smirky landed, the Sewers and Black Tower of Goth, and more Wolfenden in Level 1. Frankly, I don't think it's as threatening an environment as Series 6... but then it does have goblins and trolls providing a bit of danger to the series, and is as different and original as it needs to be.
As I said - I won't be in Chat tonight. But let's get a discussion going!
It may take two weeks to discuss anyway, because Series 7 is my favourite series. I won't go so far as to say it's the best... but it's still my favourite, for a number of reasons. It's the one I remember the most clearly from the original CiTV run, and it's got a lot of factors I like. Some of them are:
[*] The Opposition. Lord Fear's biting sarcasm is brilliant here - the pre-credits scene at the beginning of Episode 1 is, in my opinion, him at his ascerbic best. Maybe he's not as scary as he is in his first two series, but he's funny and biting and he genunely works well with Lissard (who I prefer over Skarkill - better lines, makeup, acting...). Hands and Raptor get some screentime here and Hands is hilarious, especially when singing the ten goblins song!
[*] The Brollachan. I think this is a bit of a wasted opportunity as he was never really going to kill anyone, as he had no memories left - but it was a good bit of technology, he was quite scary to look at, and it draws well on Cornish mythology - where the Brollachan did appear on rocks and stones, etc., and was just eyes and a mouth. Grimaldine was good too - although perhaps only a one-series character. Lord Fear's ribbing of the Brollachan was brilliant.
[*] Some, but not all, of the PTB. I like Majida (she took a while to grow on me, but I like her feitsy attitude better than the more subservient Pickle), Marta, Romahna (I'd like her in Smash Bros.!) and Brother Strange. I adore Rothberry too - another funny, gentle character to add to MK's roster.
[*] Floor puzzles - deadly ones. This one really amps up the tricks and traps that could (and did) kill. PYCR - quite a simple concept, really - was brilliant. Two dead on the Trial By Spikes - nasty one, that one - a few near-misses in the sliding floor chamber, and Barry very nearly getting chopped in the CoB! Fantastic stuff, and making anyone who got past all of those a very worthy dungeoneer indeed.
[*] The final three quests. Ben's quest ended spectacularly - maybe a little unfairly in some ways, but still a good quest. Two excellent winning quests followed, each different in their own way but fully deserved in every aspect, followed by a fantastic ending. Bulstrode actually making it to Knightmare Castle - and the fact that they could hear him coming - was chilling and an excellent ending, and the bit with the Brollachan moaning in LF's ear was inspired!
Some bits I don't like are:
[*] The constant relying on SIGHT potions and seeing-eye spells. I don't actually mind the new helmet - yes, I am in a minority here but I think it's okay - but it was clearly changed to add a visor in it and every quest had a seeing thingy at least once. Barry's "Blimey!" was good, though...
[*] Fidjit. What an irritating git this character was - and at the expense of Motley too! Infuriating.
[*] Pookas - there are only a few!
Series 7 was stylistically different from a lot of other series as it had some new CGI locations. I liked the misty Rift of Angar where Smirky landed, the Sewers and Black Tower of Goth, and more Wolfenden in Level 1. Frankly, I don't think it's as threatening an environment as Series 6... but then it does have goblins and trolls providing a bit of danger to the series, and is as different and original as it needs to be.
As I said - I won't be in Chat tonight. But let's get a discussion going!