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English: Jim Bowen 2008

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LOOK at what you could have won!

This was the moment on game show Bullseye when host Jim Bowen rubbed salt in the wounds of the defeated contestants by showing them the prize they'd missed out on. It's a phrase that has become part of popular culture.

Even if the participants were lucky enough to win, they often didn't come away with anything very useful. The ranged from the cheap - a remote-controlled toy car - to the superfluous, like the couple from Walsall who won a speedboat.

This was all part of the appeal of the 'super, smashing, great' darts game show, and is what makes the news that Bullseye is making a comeback in America so surprising. The Stateside producers are offering a huge jackpot of $1 million.

Warning

The Yanks have realised that 'you can't beat a bit of Bully' and the show is being re-made by the team who took The Weakest Link across the Atlantic.

Apparently, darts is much more popular in America than we might expect.

Bullseye was a Sunday afternoon treat that pulled in up to 19 million viewers and was, for the most part, made in Birmingham.

The first nine series were recorded at ATV, and then Central's, Broad Street studios. Then in 1990, production moved to Lenton Lane in Nottingham.

The show featured three pairs of contestants, each of which had a player good at darts and one good at general knowledge.

In the final round, the pairs were faced with Bully's Prize Board and the warning: "Keep out of the black and in the red, there's nothing in this game for two in a bed."

They won a prize for each red segment they hit, but if they hit that segment twice, the prize was lost.

The winning pair were then given the chance to gamble for the star prize, hidden behind screens, which they won if they scored 101 or more with three darts.

The consolation prize was a set of darts and a rubber doll of the show's mascot, called a Bendy Bully. If they lost out on the star prize, Jim also offered to throw in their BFH - bus fare home.

The show also featured a celebrity or professional darts player, who threw nine darts to raise money for charity. Some were better than others - a clearly drunk George Best managed to miss the board completely.

Darts commentator Tony Green kept score throughout.

Jim became known for his gaffes, such as this exchange with a contestant. "What do you do for a living?" "I'm unemployed, Jim." "Super".

Bullseye reappeared in 2005 as part of Ant and Dec's Gameshow Marathon, with celebrities Vernon Kay and Bill Roache taking part in an hour-long show with Eric Bristow and Andy Fordham.

Following this success, Bullseye was revived by digital channel Challenge.

Dave Spikey hosted two series of the show in 2006, using the original theme music and set.

ROZ LAWS


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The Walken Dead

By Steve Wollaston on Dec 4, 11 12:27 AM

After years of ever-diminishing returns, Paramount decided to put one nail in the coffin of the Star Trek TV franchise with Star Trek: Enterprise.

To be honest, it was actually better than the dull-as-ditchwater Voyager, but I could never, ever forgive the show for the god-awful theme song.

I remember the first time I saw it I presumed the opening ditty was just for the pilot. I mean, there's no way they'd keep if for the series, right? Wrong.

The visuals were actually OK. But every time it came on I would always reach for the mute button.

Who wants a Rod Stewart soundalike singing some sugary-sweet balad? Buck Rogers it was not.

An all-time classic from the days of Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno.

It mixes a cool voice over, a big green bloke and, err.., melancholy, which is unusual for the sci-fi intro.

A friend of mine taught himself the piano just so he could play the theme tune!

Dark Knight 1966 style

By Daniel Smith on Nov 16, 11 02:15 PM

Retro cool!

Vampire Spike's Santa's special

By Daniel Smith on Nov 16, 11 01:56 PM

spikehandbackneck.jpg

TV vampire Spike is heading back to his old London haunts for Christmas.

American actor James Marsters, who played the undead superstar in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel, is planning a Christmas with all the trimmings in the UK.

He will be appearing in concert at St Paul's Church - fondly known as the Actor's Church - in Covent Gardeon on Saturday, December 3.

The TV favourite will also be hosting a Christmas bash earlier in the day with seasonal songs, photographs, autographs, performances ... and a free gift for everyone who attends.

Go to www.jamesmarsterslive.com for ticket details.

The Winter Memorabilia Show at the NEC this month is offering a star-studded line from film, TV and sport.

Doctor Who/Torchwwod's Colin Baker (The Sixth Doctor), Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams), Kai Owen (Rhys Williams) and Sir Derek Jacobi (the Master) will be among the sci-fi special guests meeting fans and signing autographs.

mcm expo kai owen torchwood.jpgKai Owen (Rhys Williams) shows how it's done

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of the best intros ever created, starting with some cool military plane stuff before a crash, some immortal words in the voice over and then ending with the best 70s' tracksuit you an buy!

With Steven Spielberg and the director of Paranormal Activity on board this definitely has potential.

Looks a little bit Lost in places, and to me looks like it would be betteras a film than a series?

See what you think...

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Classic 80s kitsch sees the once invincible Jan-Michael Vincent steal a high-tech helicopter with the help of everyone's favourite uncle Ernest Borgnine.

The plot was pure hokum with stupid names - freelance CIA agent Stringfellow Hawk and FIRM boss Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III - and even stupider scenes - Hawk serenades an eagle with his cello.

However, the into sequence was nothing short of magnificent.

Throwing in scenes of hi-tech computer stuff, guns, explosions, intrigue and the coolest copter there ever was (sorry Blue Thunder), Airwolf was the bees-knees if you were an eight-year-old boy at the time.

They don't make 'em like this anymore.

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Authors

Paul Cole

Paul Cole - Paul Cole - Lost, Torchwood, Sci-fi, Dr Who and anything worth getting the Anorak on for

Steve Wollaston

Steve Wollaston - Wookie-loving Star Wars fanatic with a love of all things Dharma and sci-fi. Our resident You-Tube trawler.

Daniel Smith

Daniel Smith - Would-be scientist who can't add up. Believes Sisko is the best captain and Ronald D Moore is some sort of god.

Jaymeetee

Jaymeetee - Marty Mcfly loving film buff, on a mission to watch and review all of the imdb.com top 250 movies

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