Until a few weeks ago, I hadn't watched this show for nearly twenty years (and I'm in my mid-20's now).
I still have vague memories of the last ever show, the 1988 Christmas special. It had a panto theme, Linda Nolan was in it. That's about all I remember.
Yet somehow - SOMEHOW - I got the urge to watch it on Challenge TV recently. Possibly because I've just discovered the fine TV Ark website and ITV's 50th birthday celebrations have made these old gameshows part of primetime again.
And...well, it really made me cringe.
The one I watched was from the last full series, in 1987. I struggled to sit through a couple of the entertainers (the infamous Brian Rogers connection and yet another rendition of I Will Survive) yet the sight of a then unknown Shane Richie, an amusing Ken Dodd and Kenny Baker (yes, R2 D2) made the entertainment a little more bearable.
Add the quiz round (possibly the most interesting part of the show, and that's saying something), the mildly amusing Dusty Bin, Ted Rogers and his 3-2-1 hand movement, some tacky prizes, some pretty decent prizes, some pretty clueless answers to questions, the puzzling cryptic clues...
Why did I watch this, even as a child? I think, in spite of everything it had going against it, there was something...well, welcoming, probably endearing about it. After all, you had prizes, entertainment (if you could call it that) and a money-winning quiz in one. That, and in its prime, most of 3-2-1's entertainers were really appreciated.
But I'd have to agree with UK Gameshows here and say that Ted Rogers was the one who really "carried the show off". He pretty much summed up 3-2-1 to a T; harmless and kind of likable, with several funny moments and not ashamed of what it was.
It's the kind of show you just don't get nowadays.
That said, I hope they never resurrect it. It's more than had its time, and I think Ant and Dec are doing more than enough "resurrecting" of old gameshows at present...
I still have vague memories of the last ever show, the 1988 Christmas special. It had a panto theme, Linda Nolan was in it. That's about all I remember.
Yet somehow - SOMEHOW - I got the urge to watch it on Challenge TV recently. Possibly because I've just discovered the fine TV Ark website and ITV's 50th birthday celebrations have made these old gameshows part of primetime again.
And...well, it really made me cringe.
The one I watched was from the last full series, in 1987. I struggled to sit through a couple of the entertainers (the infamous Brian Rogers connection and yet another rendition of I Will Survive) yet the sight of a then unknown Shane Richie, an amusing Ken Dodd and Kenny Baker (yes, R2 D2) made the entertainment a little more bearable.
Add the quiz round (possibly the most interesting part of the show, and that's saying something), the mildly amusing Dusty Bin, Ted Rogers and his 3-2-1 hand movement, some tacky prizes, some pretty decent prizes, some pretty clueless answers to questions, the puzzling cryptic clues...
Why did I watch this, even as a child? I think, in spite of everything it had going against it, there was something...well, welcoming, probably endearing about it. After all, you had prizes, entertainment (if you could call it that) and a money-winning quiz in one. That, and in its prime, most of 3-2-1's entertainers were really appreciated.
But I'd have to agree with UK Gameshows here and say that Ted Rogers was the one who really "carried the show off". He pretty much summed up 3-2-1 to a T; harmless and kind of likable, with several funny moments and not ashamed of what it was.
It's the kind of show you just don't get nowadays.
That said, I hope they never resurrect it. It's more than had its time, and I think Ant and Dec are doing more than enough "resurrecting" of old gameshows at present...