The Crystal Maze (1990–2020) User Reviews

One Of The World's Great Game Shows

[jparten · 9/10 · 22 October 2009]

I only recently discovered surfing the Web, and even more recently discovered "The Crystal Maze". And I have come to the conclusion that this is one of the world's great game shows. I have not known such an enthusiasm since around 2000, when I discovered the "Harry Potter" books.

There are reasons for this enthusiasm. First, there is ingenuity. The various games that the contestants have to play are usually clever, well-thought out challenges. Some are based on classic puzzles that have teased brains for generations. Others are inspired by tropes found in movies and television. None are "gimmes", and some of them prove to be so difficult that nobody ever got them.

Then, there is efficiency. There is none of the endless analysis found in some of today's game shows. There are no whiny postmortems If a contestant wins a challenge, it's cheers all around. If he or she loses, it's "never mind", and "what do you want to play and who do you want to play it?".

All this is so because the most important element of the show is the game--not the prizes with endless plugs, not the soap-operatics of the various contestants, but the game! This extends even to the endgame in the Crystal Dome.

The theme music catches the ear, and does not let go. I knew I was hooked when, a day after I'd seen my first episode, I found myself entering a shop, and couldn't get the theme song out of my head!

Richard O'Brien adds immensely to the festivities. He seems to be enjoying himself immensely, and it shows. There is a certain elfin quality about his work that makes this show all the easier to take. He is not some bland pretty-boy with sparkling teeth and pomaded hair.

As I have been watching the show chronologically, I have not yet gotten to the episodes hosted by Ed Tudor-Pole. He must have thought it a thankless job, having to follow O'Brien. I'll find out in due course if he's up to the job.

All in all, it's a show that I am happy to tout to those of my friends who are into game shows. It's a winner, all the way around!

Unique, Original, Different And Yet Very Challenging

[wchngliu · 9/10 · 28 October 2007]

The Crystal Maze was not so much a quiz show but almost more of a 90s version of an 80s based UK challenge show entitled: 'The Krypton Factor'. Presented by the impeccable and upbeat Richard O'Brien from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Crystal Maze was a stimulating, yet challenging and fun- filled programme where a group of six contestants take part in a range of games that taxed their mental and physical abilities and skills, in an attempt to obtain as many crystals as they possibly can. In the time limit that they are given they have to get out of the room, regardless of whether or not they have the crystal, otherwise they'd be locked in. Once the person is locked in, he/she cannot be released unless their team decides to forfeit one of their crystals. The difficulty levels of the tasks range from the very easy to the extremely difficult.

Each crystal is worth 5 seconds and thus, the more they get hold of the more time they have in the crystal dome- the so-called finale where they have to collect as many gold tokens. The silver tokens would attribute to the overall total by means of the deduction of their gold tokens. And so if, for e.g., they have more silver tokens than gold ones, then the team would've lost in the end. But if they get more gold tokens and the grand total is over 100, then they would win the contest.

The programme was very taxing, engaging and a rarity coming from Channel 4 themselves, given they are not usually renowned for showing quiz shows and challenging TV shows, well apart from Fifteen to One and Countdown. But The Crystal Maze was just a brilliant effort and Richard O'Brien made a great presenter and guide. At times, he'd even offer encouragement and help, if the group was really struggling with a particular task.

Ed Tudor Pole, wasn't as good as Richard O' Brien when he replaced him during the latter series of the show but still The Crystal Maze was a good effort, up until its unfortunate cancellation. Like many quiz shows, you'd be screaming and shouting at the TV towards the contestants and even go on record and say 'I could do that task'.

There will never be a show of this type ever again -and yet as there is a time for a new series of the show- with the state of TV nowadays at an all-time low , it is most definitely now.

The 90s, like the 80s, was a great decade for TV shows, and The Crystal Maze is and certainly was one of the them. Great concept, intriguing tasks and engaging this was fantastic

Top-Drawer Entertainment

[screenman · 9/10 · 18 September 2008]

Like most of the other commentators, this was one of my favourite shows. Richard O'Brien of 'Rocky Horror' fame was perfectly suited to the task of guide, counsellor and inquisitor all rolled into one. I can think of no-one who could have done the job half so well at the time. His personality conveyed just the right mix of fun and authority.

Nothing lasts for ever. Eventually he was replaced by Mr Tudor-Pole, who possessed all the charisma of a house-brick and seemed to have been chosen for the express purpose of winding it down. Certainly the program was doomed from that moment.

Perhaps the simple fun and enjoyment that was a measure of its time just wouldn't work in the cynical third millennium. Better that it died when it did than attempt to live on beyond its age. Still, it's fondly remembered and sadly missed. Top-drawer entertainment with a top-drawer entertainer. Clever, well thought-out, but not overly slick. A very British product.

I LOVED THIS SHOW!

[JohnnyJohnHildegaard · 23 November 2000]

I use to live in Hong Kong where the show was broadcasted. It was THE most enjoyable game show I've ever seen.

This show had the strangest but witty host as he gathered 6 people to battle through Physical, Mental, Skill, and Mystery challenges (To get the elusive crystals and to not get themselves locked in) as they go through the Aztec, Future, Medieval, Ocean (then Industrial) worlds. I loved how his witty comments and the complexity of it all to get all the crystals to win stuff in a duration of seconds inside the Crystal Dome. If I were in England, I would watch this show endlessly and never get bored!

Crystal Maze - The Birth of Entertainment

[raulkulkarni · 10/10 · 11 December 2012]

I grew up watching this show in the 90s. I don't quite remember the time it used to be aired on TV but I am sure it was some time in the evening after school. Richard O'Brien, being a true entertainer would keep me engaged for the entire hour. What's more. My mom used to love the show too and watch it with me whenever possible.

What an idea for a game show! Different games with versatile genres like Mystery, Physical, Mental, etc., spanned 2-3 mins across different Zones : Aztec, Medieval, Industrial, and Futuristic (chronologically arranged, now i get it) , collecting crystals for obtaining 5 seconds in the beautiful Crystal Dome. I used to admire the entire set of The Crystal maze. What a well-crafted effort the whole crew of the show had put up there. A true team-effort. Kudos to the designers, the cast and crew and the entire production unit for making my childhood exciting! How much I have wanted to praise you guys. I guess IMDb has to be the right platform!!

Why I liked the show is also for the basic scientific approach it took. Perfectly balanced levels of difficulty, Perfect level of details in each zone, for example - the sun-dials in the Medieval zone as opposed to digital watches in the Futuristic Zone, Bubbling acids in the Industrial Zone, etc. There was no room for error! Finally when you enter the maze, "Will ya start the fans please".. and soon we see contestants convert their hard-earned time into glory.

Throughout the entire show, what keeps the adrenalin pumping is the Theme tune of The Crystal maze entitled Force Field composed by Zack Lawrence. I can never forget that track in my lifetime. I always thought it brought a Star Wars kind of feeling with it. At that time, this track was at another level.

All in all, when I look back at the show from the Futuristic Zone of 2012, I am driven into nostalgia and I must say that I was and will continue to be a true fan of this wonderful show.

It was truly the birth of quality entertainment!

One of the few true "game shows"

[k_mobius1 · 10/10 · 18 June 2008]

Not so much a maze as The Crystal circuit of four inter-connecting play areas, or "time zones", called Aztec, Industrial (later Ocean), Medieval and Futuristic. A team of 6 contestants would make their way through a huge variety of challenges across 4 "zones", winning crystals which give them time in the final challenge, the crystal dome. Collecting 100 gold tokens would win them the star prize. It was consistently entertaining to watch the challenges, and even more so when they failed! It was one of those shows which would always get you talking to the TV, it had me shouting regular phrases such as "Come on, that's it", "You've got it", "Come on, that's easy!" "It's RIGHT THERE! Use your brain!" etc.

The two presenters of The Crystal Maze, Richard O'Brien and Ed Tudor-Pole, both played eccentric roles in their own unique way, even providing some strange anecdotes in the middle of the games. It was ultimately the hosts that helped make the programme what it is. The programme ended when still at the height of its popularity, and I'm glad it did as it couldn't have been done any differently to how it was. A winning formula all the way.

Best Game Show Ever!

[Izak86 · 10/10 · 16 January 2008]

The Crystal Maze was the highlight of Thursday TV viewing in the early 1990's, no game show before or since has managed to capture the brilliance of this show.

The Crystal Maze started in February 1990 and ran for six series until August 1995. The aim of the game saw six contestants making their way through four 'time zones': Futuristic, Aztec, Medieval and Industrial (which became Ocean in 1992). Within these zones, the contestants played between three and four themed games to win crystals. Each successful game gave the team one crystal which equalled five-seconds of time in the 'Crystal Dome'.

Once contestants had been through all four zones, they went to the Crystal Dome, here contestants had to catch as many gold tokens as possible in the time limit, while they were blown about in the dome. Silver token were also collected but each one of these deducted one gold token from the total.

If the contestants collected over 100 gold tokens after silver deductions, they won some activities to do on a day-trip or holiday.

The Crystal Maze is a pretty unique game show that is as great to watch today (repeated regularly on Challenge) as it was on its first broadcast on Channel 4.

The Crystal Maze

[jboothmillard · 8/10 · 6 May 2005]

When I was younger I sometimes caught this game show, but it was when I got older when I managed to see it all again and appreciate it more for the great fun it is, or was. Presented by The Rocky Horror Picture Show creator and actor Richard O'Brien for four series, with his exuberant and eccentric personality, big coats and boots (often with leopard patterns somewhere), amusing put downs and breakaways from the game playing the harmonica (amusingly badly) and small stories of his Mumsie (played by Sandra Caron in a few episodes), and then presented by almost as eccentric but not as fun actor Edward 'Ed' Tudor-Pole. The game consisted of six contestants (three men, three women) following the presenter around four zones in The Crystal Maze all full of rooms with set puzzles to play, solve and win for a crystal, each crystal representing five seconds of time for the final game, the Crystal Dome. These zones were Aztec - a past jungle setting with sand and temples, Medieval - a past castle setting with table and cobwebs, Futuristic - a 22nd Century spaceship setting full of computers (including the talking one), metal and sliding doors, Industrial - a steel, iron or aluminium made construction like a factory full of pipes and metal, this zone was replaced after three series by Ocean - a 20th Century sunken ship setting with he main saloon staircase and boiler room. There are four categories of games that the players can choose to play, all involving what they say in the name, they are Skill (tests of dexterity and accuracy), Mental (tests of brainpower often involving maths or word association), Mystery (tests of logic and cunning) and Physical (tests of speed and strength). The games played by the contestants, chosen by the team captain (yes, also a player), took between two and three minutes to play, and if a contestant goes over they are locked in, and some games are "automatic lock-in" which means a contestant making more than a set number of mistakes will be locked in immediately. If a player did get locked in a game room the players had the option to buy them out using one of the crystals they may have won, taking away five seconds of their achieved time for the final game. So the final game, the Crystal Dome, a large see-through crystal shaped the time in the dome is determined by how many crystals they have won in the sixteen games, times five, e.g. five crystals = twenty five seconds, and the idea is to collect as many gold credits (gold bits of paper) as possible and put them through the letterbox, however any silver tokens collected are subtracted, over one hundred after deductions gets them the big prize, under they take away a commemorative crystal saying I cracked The Crystal Maze" (they also get this if they win). I would agree the show has become a cult classic since it ended, on TV its heyday was the O'Brien years, it lacked the same spark when he left, I am one of he hundreds of fans as it was and still is in repeats very popular, with O'Brien (and moments of Tudor-Pole) making you laugh, a fantastic theme tune, and the games all fun to watch, a highly enjoyable game show. It was nominated the BAFTAs for Best Children's Programme (Fiction/Entertainment) (twice) (for the children's specials) and Best Graphics. Very good!

brilliant

[rossrobinson · 19 September 2003]

I always loved the crystal maze as this was i think the best amazing adventure game ever. This first started in 1990 and finished in 1995. The contestents had to get each crystal in the challenges they choose. If they don't get out in time, then they are locked up. The contestents have a choice either to buy the player out with one of their crystals they got or to leave them.

Probably my favorite game show.

[NB2000 · 14 September 2002]

I used to love this show. It was one where you could easily be a contestant if you wanted to be. You didn't have to be really physical or really smart. You had a go and you had the rest of the team there to help you. Some of the contestants were really useless but most were really good. I've been watching Re-runs of the earlier series i.e. the ones with the industrial zone. And they bring back fond memories. Richard O'Brian was better at the presenting as he would help the contestants if they got really stuck and would occasionally play his harmonica or go off and do something else while they played a rather uninteresting game. Definitely my favorite Game show. Bring it back please.

Chronological Conundrums

[P.Howls · 4 February 1999]

This was an excellent game show in which six contestants took part in Mystery, Mental, Skill and Physical challenges in four different time zones (Aztec, Futuristic, Medieval, Industrial and later Ocean).

The sets were fantastic ranging from sand-covered mexican temples to a cobweb ridden and a "Titanic"-like ocean liner.

Both Richard O'Brien and Ed Tudor-Pole were in their element, running around the sets leading contestants to either splendid victory or humiliating defeat.

Challenges your mind in a more 3 dimensional way.

[nova-23 · 5 January 2004]

I came across this game show while living in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a show which I have long wished would be shown on Australian television. But alas it never has been.

I found that even as a viewer this show challenges your mind in a more 3 dimensional way. Something that most run of the mill game shows lack in their questions.

It's a shame that is no longer in production....but there are always hopes of re-runs right?

The greatest game show ever made

[joeyjohn2005 · 1 June 2004]

This show is a classic and should still be made today. I have fond memories of this show and I never get bored of watching the re-runs on challenge TV. If this show was to be made again i hope richard or ed would return if not i think the actor who plays kryten in red dwarf would be good, he presents scrap heap challenge. This show is sooo good i love it when someone gets locked in, and the theme tune also made the show. Richard o'brian was a fantastic host he is sooo funny with he's silly comments, ed tudor pole also done very well taking over from richard, he was funny and witty. Someone please remake this but don't change a single thing about the show, in it's day it pulled 6 million viewers which I think is huge for a game show.

greatest show... ever (or so I remember)

[CaryNeil · 30 July 2001]

I remember this show fondly. But, alas, I remember this show only from the couple of times I saw it in my early childhood when I visited my grandmother in Scotland. It was the most entertaining game show I've ever seen and though I don't know how, I hope all of you readers will happen upon reruns (no matter how unlikely that seems.)

Excellent Show, One Great Presenter, One Awful One

[Ashekenaz · 19 November 2000]

What can you say about the Crystal maze that hasn't already been said? With Games of all sorts, fiendish puzzles, tests of skill, cunning, and communication, this gem has to become one of the classics of British TV. Its great strength (and later its bane) was its Presenters.

First we had Richard O'Brien. Odd, off the wall, eccentric. "Your genial guide to the crystal maze", he had personality and genuine style.

Then there was Ed Tudor-Pole. While maybe a fine presenter, actor and nutter in his own right, he did the unthinkable. he tried to be Richard O'Brien, he tried to get that eccentricity, that nuttiness, the general zany free-wheeling chaotica that helped make the crystal maze what it was. He failed miserably. Had he stamped his own mark on it, his own style, I could have really got to like him doing it. But he tried to copy Richard....and screwed it up.

Ahead Of It's Time

[Big Movie Fan · 13 December 2002]

When I first saw The Crystal Maze back in 1990, I thought, "Wow, this is ahead of it's time."

Richard O' Brien (from the Rocky Horror Picture Show) was the host initially and was replaced in the show's later years by Edward Tudor Pole. O' Brien was irreplaceable and whilst Tudor Pole did his best to make the show his own, he failed miserably.

The game show itself was like something from the future which is why I thought it was ahead of it's time. There were all sorts of shows set in Medieval,Aztec, Industrial or Futuristic worlds. The contestants played the games and tried to obtain time points which could then be used inside the Crystal Dome at the end where the contestants tried to obtain gold tokens which were flying about. The prizes were very good indeed.

All in all, The Crystal Maze was superb and way ahead of it's time.

O wheres Brian?

[words_like_violence_brea · 8 March 2006]

The crystal maze was in its own right a religion!

Different time zones where contestants (now looking dated from re-runs on challenge TV) run around following the shiny headed fur covered GOD! Richard O'Brian gave his life to that show only for its reputation to be destroyed by Edward Tudor-Pole. That is why the show failed after only two meaningless years of his terrible presenting....BECAUSE NO ONE LIKED HIM!

The crystal maze was a real reality programme not like the crap shown these days. Where ever Richard O'Brian is now he should come and make a great international come back with another series of "The Crystal Maze". I definitely would come and be a contestant, you would know which one I would be as I would be clinging to my gods leg, licking his feet.....no I mean it I mean everything i say. This is why when I grow up i'm gonna turn my house into the crystal maze and wax my head.

P.S I think that Richard O'Brian has a drink problem