Advertisement

TV revivals: then and now – from The Crystal Maze with Richard Ayoade to the new series of Twin Peaks

Rex
Rex

If you’ve switched on the TV recently, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were undergoing a pretty serious case of déjà vu.

Don’t be fooled - your mind isn’t playing tricks on you, this isn’t some kind of telly time warp and you don’t need to adjust your set.

A little like how all ‘new’ music these days won’t quit sampling classic tracks from the Nineties and Noughties, it seems TV bosses just can’t give up on the classics of yesteryear.

From Channel 5’s Blind Date with Paul O’Grady to the upcoming new series of Will and Grace, we play spot the difference between the original shows and their modern revivals.

Blind Date

Cilla Black with contestants on the original series of Blind Date (Rex)
Cilla Black with contestants on the original series of Blind Date (Rex)

Then: Blind Date ran for almost 20 years from 1985-2003, attracting 18.2 million viewers on Saturday nights in the peak of its popularity. The show’s format was simple - a singleton posed questions to three potential suitors who were hidden behind a screen, then picked the contestant whose responses they like best.

But it really wasn’t about the singletons or their suitors, Blind Date could arguably have been called The Cilla Show, as it was the cheeky charm of presenter Cilla Black that made it so memorable, with her catchphrases like “lorra lorra laughs” repeated round the country.

Another favourite was ‘Our Graham’, the show’s voiceover who provided witty summaries of potential suitors.

The show was also known for its holiday date destinations which varied wildly in quality, with locations including anything from a staycation in Wales to an all-expenses paid trip to the Maldives.

Paul O'Grady with contestants on the new series of Blind Date (Channel 5)
Paul O'Grady with contestants on the new series of Blind Date (Channel 5)

Now: After 14 years off screen, the new series of the dating show sees Paul O’Grady step into old friend Cilla’s shoes - he says to rescue the programme from reality TV stars after Vicky Pattison was rumoured to be lined up to present. Meanwhile Mel Sykes will be on voiceover duties as the new ‘Our Graham’.

Though it hasn’t been on screens for long, Channel 5’s revival is already proving a hit with viewers, 2 million of whom tuned in to watch the show’s premiere.

The format remains almost exactly the same but O’Grady has teased there with be some updates for new audiences, leading some to speculate the show could feature same sex couples.

Twin Peaks

Kyle Machlachan as Agent Cooper and Sherilyn Fenn as Audrey Horne in the old series of Twin Peaks
Kyle Machlachan as Agent Cooper and Sherilyn Fenn as Audrey Horne in the old series of Twin Peaks

Then: Despite receiving rave reviews David Lynch’s offbeat crime drama went off-piste in the second series and was cancelled due to falling viewing figures.

In the 27 years since it went off air the series has earned a cult following and a revival was long-hoped for, as the final episode of the second series teased as much, with the spirit of murdered homecoming queen Laura Palmer telling Agent Cooper “See you in 25 years.”

Kyle Machlachan reprises his role in the new series of Twin Peaks (Suzanne Tenner/SHOWTIME)
Kyle Machlachan reprises his role in the new series of Twin Peaks (Suzanne Tenner/SHOWTIME)

Now: Back just about 25 years later (give or take a few years), one of the most immediately noticeable differences between the original show and the revival are the ages of the cast members.

Though it’s explained away by that quarter of a century gap, it’s still somewhat startling to see. Otherwise, the new series is far from a simple throwback to days gone by. Episodes aired so far suggest a slower-paced approach to storylines.

The Crystal Maze

Richard O'Brien in a scene from the original series of the Crystal Maze
Richard O'Brien in a scene from the original series of the Crystal Maze

Then: A huge draw in the original series was wacky host Richard O’Brien, whose withering put-downs, jazzy ensembles and comedic asides during tasks won him many admirers. Fun fact: O’Brien was the brains behind the legendary musical The Rock Horror Picture Show.

Another beloved aspect of the Nineties version was the hopeless contestants who struggled to get their hands on those all-important crystals in the maze’s many rooms.

Richard Ayoade pictured on the new set of The Crystal Maze (Channel 4)
Richard Ayoade pictured on the new set of The Crystal Maze (Channel 4)

Now: Back in the Nineties, a big chunk of The Crystal Maze’s viewers were children which means that the 2017 revival will be quite the nostalgia trip for millennials.

Richard Ayoade, who rose to fame in sitcom the IT Crowd, will be stepping into Richard O’Brien’s shoes. The presenter promises to bring his own brand of quirk to proceedings and has requested a pair of gold Chelsea boots to wear with his colourful cord suits on set.

Contestant-wise, you’ll have to wait for the second show to find out if the civilian contestants are as hapless as they were in the original, as the first instalment of the show has been given the 2017 treatment, which can mean only one thing: minor celebs must be involved.

Episode one is a Stand Up To Cancer Special featuring Alex Brooker as team captain and Lydia Bright as vice-captain, with teammates Louis Spence, Ore Oduba and Vicky Pattinson all navigating their way through the Aztec, Industrial Medieval and Futuristic zones.

The maze itself will look familiar as it’s been designed by James Dillon who masterminded the original set, but, appropriately, the Futuristic Zone is new for this year.

X-Files

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as Mulder and Scully in the original X-Files (PRESS IMAGE)
Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as Mulder and Scully in the original X-Files (PRESS IMAGE)

Then: What attracted viewers (and kept them coming back for nine series) to the spooky science fiction detective series was the chemistry between David Duchovny’s Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson’s Dana Scully.

Mulder believed in the existence of aliens, while Sculder was more sceptical, but despite their differences the pair formed a close friendship that developed into a romance in later series.

Though the last two seasons of the show struggled with falling ratings, its subversive style combined with Duchovny and Anderson’s engaging performances have secured it cult status.

Now:

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as Mulder and Scully in the original show
Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as Mulder and Scully in the original show

After two fairly successful films, broadcaster Fox decided the time was ripe for a TV revival. And having secured writer Chris Carter, plus Duchovny and Anderson to reprise their roles as iconic duo Mulder and Scully, a new series arrived on screens in 2016.

The tenth run certainly recaptured the dark comedy of the original series, however many X-Files fans criticised the revival for lacking the depth of the original and failing to add anything new.

But mixed reviews haven’t put a stop to plans for an 11th series, with Fox confirming that Mulder and Scully will return to screens in 2018.

Will and Grace

Eric McCormack as Will Truman and Debra Messing as Grace Adler in the original series of Will and Grace (NBC)
Eric McCormack as Will Truman and Debra Messing as Grace Adler in the original series of Will and Grace (NBC)

Then: Back in the late Nineties and early Noughties, sitcom Will and Grace, which revolved around the lives of two roomates (one straight and one gay), broke ground for being one of the most successful TV shows with gay characters in main roles.

Though the show was criticised for its stereotypical portrayal of homosexuality, its arch comedy nevertheless won legions of both straight and gay fans, with actors Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally all winning Emmy awards for their parts.

Debra Messing as Grace Adler, Eric McCormack as Will Truman, Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland and Megan Mullally as Karen Walker in the trailer for the new series (NBC)
Debra Messing as Grace Adler, Eric McCormack as Will Truman, Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland and Megan Mullally as Karen Walker in the trailer for the new series (NBC)

Now: Over a decade after the show left screens, a teaser for the revival released during the US presidential elections, with the characters discussing whether to vote for Trump, went viral on social media.

Meanwhile a trailer for the new series sees Will persuading Grace to return to the show via the medium of musical theatre. But the new series is unlikely to be all-singing and all-dancing, at least in that way.

Mullally who plays Karen, told Digital Spy that the sitcom will still be progressive, but “the main priority is to have it be funny”. So expect the characters to give their sarcastic take on some very contemporary issues.