Every now and then, we cover some non-video game-related news here on Time Extension purely because we can't resist – and today is one of those days.
Thanks to a new video by Stuart Millard, we're now up to speed on the failed UK game show Scavengers, which was given a prime-time slot on Saturday evenings back in July 1994.
With monster designs by Bob Keen (Star Wars), narration by David McCallum (The Great Escape, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) and the hosting talents of ex-Blue Peter presenter John Leslie, the show was part Alien, part Red Drawf and part Crystal Maze. Contestants were expected to take on various physical challenges in order to reclaim useful material from the stricken spaceship Cyclops.
Aided by a female android (Anna Galvin of Smallville and The New Adventures of Robin Hood fame) and facing the evil Lord Tanarge, the two-person Scavenger teams would take part in events such as 'Crusher', 'Bomb Disposal Chamber', 'Solar Tower' and 'The Final Abyss'. In each episode, Leslie (as the Commander) would indulge in action sequences which were intended to further the wafer-thin storyline.
The show's huge set was built at Pinewood Studios at the cost of £2.5 million. According to the website UK Game Shows, the programme's working title was Aliens: The Game Show, but Ridley Scott refused ITV permission to use the name.
If you don't recall Scavengers, then don't feel too bad – we didn't, either. It was a ratings disaster and would be dropped mid-run in 1994. The second half of the series was shown in the summer of 1995; it occupied the Monday morning 9:25 AM time slot, where it was seen by even less people.
We'd highly recommend you set aside 20 minutes of your day to watch Millard's video above; this thing has to be seen to be believed.