idiosyncratic_anomaly Reviews

Derren Brown Plays Russian Roulette Live (2003 TV Special)

A truly terrifying illusion

[20 January 2004]

While only the most credulous believe in the psychic phenomena, Derren Brown does not profess to possess supernatural powers. Rather, he claims the ability to identify those individuals most susceptible to manipulation, based on their subconscious behaviours, whose conduct he may then influence for the purpose of his illusions. This whole concept of mind control, irrespective of its actual validity, can therefore be presented far more plausibly and adds a curious bent on traditional magic.

In this one-off show broadcast live, a member of the public - whittled down by Brown from 100 initial applicants - placed a bullet in one of six barrels of a revolver. The assistant was then asked to slowly count from 1 to 6 on the pretext that this would enable Brown to correctly determine the chamber in which the ammunition lay. Commencing at a barrel thought to be safe, the illusionist pointed the gun to his head temple and pulled the trigger, with this process continuing until such time as he reached the chamber believed to contain the slug, whereupon the revolver was directed at a sandbag and the bullet discharged.

In a preamble of publicity which preceded the show's broadcast, viewers were informed that the stunt was to be performed from an overseas location - later confirmed as Jersey - ostensibly to circumvent strict gun control laws on mainland Britain. The breaking news that US TV's Mr Magic, Roy Horn, had been critically injured in a tiger mauling, served to strengthen any perception that the stunt may imperil its star's well-being. Child welfare groups also sought to prevent the show's airing, based in their belief that the illusion would "trigger" - every pun intended - fatalities among impressionable teens seeking to emulate the master illusionist. In the event, the stunt passed of innocuously.

We all feel the need to endure on-the-edge experiences, albeit vicariously. Brown's genius is therefore in his ability to take his audience on a rollercoaster of emotions where we undergo the full gamut of feelings from excitement to terror to relief, with the tension, at times, almost unbearable. In contrast, US street conjuror, David Blaine, fails to inspire since we do not see him suffer.

Following the programme's transmission, a spokesman for Jersey Police revealed that Brown had enlisted the services of a pyrotechnics firm to achieve the illusion's effects and, at no time, was anyone endangered. While a minority may feel cheated, most will marvel at Brown's presentation and influencing skills and ponder the secrets to the stunt.

Russian Roulette must surely rank as one of the great TV moments in this entertainment genre. Brown should be applauded for reviving interest in his craft.

Live from Her Majesty's (1982–1988)

Variety in the finest tradition

[29 November 2003]

A mainstay of ITV's Sunday night schedule for five years, host Jimmy Tarbuck introduced a medley of artistes, both established and otherwise, from the worlds of singing, dancing, comedy and musicals. During its run, Dionne Warwick, Shirley Bassey, Roy Orbison, George Benson, Bruce Forsyth and Donny Osmond all topped the bill at least once.

In all, three seasons of shows were screened from Her Majesty's theatre with David Bell as producer and Alasdair MacMillan his director: Season 1 (1982/83) - 8 episodes x 60 minutes; Season 2 (1984) - 8 episodes x 60 minutes; Season 3 (1985) - 6 episodes x 60 minutes. A pre-recorded montage of the series' most memorable moments, interspersed with Jimmy Tarbuck reminiscing, also aired as "Laughs from Her majesty's".

1986 marked the serial's first change of venue and programme title with a further 6 shows (x 60 minutes) broadcast from London's Piccadilly Theatre, again with Bell and MacMillan at the production helm. Unlike Her Majesty's, however, "Live from the Piccadilly" was not a ratings success, mainly due to poor guest selection, although a rival BBC maritime soap opera - Howard's Way - screened at the same time, was also in the ascendant.

In 1987, the programme switched venue for the final time to the London Palladium, airing as "Live from The Palladium" thereafter. In total, a further 3 seasons of shows were televised, this time with Marcus Plantin (later to head the ITV network) as producer, alongside director Ian Hamilton: Season 5 (1987) - 6 episodes x 60 minutes; Season 6 (1988) - 6 episodes x 60 minutes; Season 7 (1988) - 4 episodes x 60 minutes plus 1 episode x 90 minutes.

Although the Palladium shows were largely a success, the capitulation of then LWT programme chief Greg Dyke to youth-obsessed advertisers, wishing to exploit the spending potential of southern softies, resulted in the demise of many shows popular with northern viewers, among them the "Live from...." series. A final highlights show - "Laughs from The Palladium" - did, however, appear in 1990.

Alyn Ainsworth, TV's Mr Music, supplied the orchestral arrangements and accompaniments for the serial's entire run, while the Brian Rogers Connection - an established dance troupe from ITV gameshow 321 - provided the fancy footwork during series 1-3 before being replaced by the Alan Harding dancers in 1986.

That the Bell/Plantin format possessed the magical x-factor can be attributed to a number of variables. Firstly, it represented the perfect vehicle for comedian Jimmy Tarbuck as the genial compere who, during his tenure of the programme, became British television's highest-paid entertainer. Secondly, with the exception of the Piccadilly shows, the serial had the right mix of guest stars and proved a launch pad for many of today's established acts. Les Dennis, Michael Barrymore, Brian Conley and Joe Longthorne, to name a few, were all rewarded with their own series after appearances on the show. And, for any who accused the format of being regressive, the programme even numbered the likes of Steve "Alan Partridge" Coogan and Hale & Pace among its "new wave" comedy stars who guested through the years. Finally, it was perhaps the unpredictability of live television, never more apparent then when fez-topped comic Tommy Cooper collapsed and died on the show, which enabled the armchair viewer to feel part of a variety spectacle.

As modern day television executives wallow in the mediocrity of cookery and home improvement shows, it's worth reflecting that the absence of "variety" programming has removed an important pathway to stardom for the new generation. This is evidenced in the lack of "legitimate" stars on the small screen today.

The Bill (1984–2010)

Live cop shop serves up a TV treat

[4 November 2003]

Two decades on from its launch and last Thursday night (30 October 2003) witnessed The Bill's first foray into live drama with a special live-to-air episode in celebration of the show's 20th anniversary.

During the last 10 years, greater proliferation of television channels in the UK and the audience fragmentation which ensues, has inevitably meant that for any terrestrial television serial to survive in a prime time slot, the screen has to keep moving. And, while Britain's most enduring police drama may ordinarily be renowned for its car chase sequences and location shoots in and around London - thereby depicting a gritty, social realism of modern policing - the logistics of a live broadcast dictated that this episode's action be primarily concentrated to a select number of studio sets, thereby posing a dilemma for programme chiefs in maintaining audience interest. Clever direction, however, using multiple mobile camera units, coupled with shorter-than-usual scenes, enabled the drama to build pace despite these limited confines.

When the programme makers behind TV's Coronation Street "went live" some three years earlier, there was little by way of a plot, while numerous actors fluffed lines and a small number of technical glitches were in evidence. Contrast this with the polished professionalism of The Bill and its powerful script, witnessing the murder of DS Juliet Becker (Rae Baker) and marking the reappearance of the wayward Des Taviner (Paul Usher). In the episode's closing stages, the apparent killer of PC Gary Best's father was also seen to fall to his death from the station roof, possibly the first time a major stunt of this nature has been performed live on television. And, for any who doubted the programme's "live" status, the script even included a cheeky reference to the birth of Sir Paul McCartney's daughter which was prominent in that day's news.

For the viewer, this episode was a triumph, seemingly passing off flawlessly with fine performances all round from a word-perfect cast. This was testament to its 40 per cent audience share. Indeed, if ever two actors were worthy of greater recognition, they are Mark Wingett (Jim Carver) and Trudie Goodwin (June Ackland).

I raise my glass to all at Sun Hill. It's clear there's still plenty of life left in the old woodentops yet.

The Word (1990–1995)

A downward spiral from cult-viewing to family fare.

[19 August 2003]

As a format, it was the show renowned for asking celebrities the questions their publicists most feared.

Initially a staple of Channel 4's early-evening schedule, the programme saw host, Terry Christian, do his finest impression of a northern f*ckwit alongside the hapless daddy's-girl-turned-television-presenter Amanda De Cadanet.

On realising the show's potential to build a large, post-pub audience, the show was swiftly moved to a late-night slot more suited to its risque material, where it quickly became entrenched as cult viewing. Best segments were 'The Mission' - a recorded insert famed for humiliating established Hollywood stars with footage of their early porn flicks - and 'The Hopefuls', which encouraged an assortment of nitwits to perform tastless stunts like vomit-drinking. Other memorable moments included a "freak circus" which witnessed one performer lift an iron with his genitals, not to mention the decision to ply p*sshead actor Oliver Reed with alcohol and secretly film the results backstage.

When z-list television personality, Paul Ross, took harness as programme editor, however, the show encountered a downward spiral from risque viewing of questionable taste to family fare. The guestlist increasingly resembled that of the mild talkshow, Wogan, with some personalities appearing in both studios on the same evening. By this time, an early-evening magazine spin-off from the programme - Access All Areas - was in place which, one suspects to be the key driver of the watered-down content. The spin-off show would often feature repeat footage aired in the late-night show which had to be "pre-watershed" compliant. The decision to supplant Christian as host with Mark Lamarr also backfired badly, since the Watford-born comic was something of a polished performer and therefore out-of-keeping with the show.

In the mid-1990s, the show was unceremoniously dumped from the schedules with programme chiefs citing record viewer complaints as the [improbable] cause.

And now for a final "The Word" commercial break teaser:

What have ex-Word presenters Terry Christian, Katie Puckrik and Hufty got in common?

The answer is they have all faded into relative or total obscurity since the show's demise.

World Professional Darts Championship (1978– )

Confusion reigns in feuding worlds of arrows' slinging.

[15 April 2002]

This annually televised darts' jamboree has, since its inception in 1978, sought to determine who is the best player on the planet. Its mix of beer-swilling stars, rowdy fans, light-hearted banter and tungsten-slinging action have made it a welcome inclusion to the Christmas festivities.

In 1993, however, following the formation of a rival, breakaway governing body - the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC)- two versions of the same championship have been staged at around the same time each year. The long-standing BDO Embassy tournament continues to be televised by the BBC, while the rival PDC spectre airs on Sky Sports.

Almost inevitably, the presence of each respective organisation has served to devalue the other's product, while dividing the game's top players. Consequently, darts is somewhat absurdly able to boast two world champions.

1999 witnessed a special one-off televised darts' challenge, which pitted the two respective champions in a head-to-head. This was won with ease by Phil Taylor, possibly the game's greatest ever exponent.

By 2002, of the world's top four players (Phil Taylor, Raymond Barneveld, Ronnie Baxter and Richie Burnett), only Barneveld remained with the BDO Embassy tournament, which was in crisis following the decision of the UK Government to outlaw its tobacco sponsorship by the close of 2003.

For historians of the game, the internal feuding, back-biting and sniping, ultimately resulting in the sport's schism, was chronicled in a BBC documentary (2001) - Blood on the carpet: poisoned arrows.

Jaws 3-D (1983)

Not a bad sequel - a terrible one!

[3 April 2002]

This has to rank as one of the worst movie sequels ever consigned to a film reel.

The plot has more holes in it than the shark's victims, while the acting is lame and the 3-D effects add very little.

The shark itself does not look real and is too over-exposed from an early stage. Moreover, it seems to have a perfect set of dentures of which any dental surgeon would be proud.

This movie also clearly misses the acting abilities of Roy Scheider (as the convincing Chief Brody) who presumably had seen the script.

All in all, a true stinker of a picture (2/10). Almost incredibly, however, worse was to follow in the form of Jaws: The Revenge