The following is a draft re-write of Raven (game show), proposed for review on 2007-01-22.
Raven is a BBC Scotland children's adventure game show, currently showing on CBBC in the UK and on BBC Kids in Canada. It is hosted by James MacKenzie in the title role, who conducts a troupe of children over 5 days through a series of tasks and feats. At various stages in the adventure, the troupe loses the least successful 'warrior' until only two are left.
Format
editThe show is intended to be shown in blocks of five programmes, one per day over a week. Each week starts with a new set of six warriors and one warrior is lost each day (except on the first day) until there are two warriors left at the end of the week who go through to the final. Each warrior is granted a number of lives, which are lost by losing a game; should all lives be lost, the warrior is eliminated.
The player with the lowest number of lives at the end of each day faces elimination in The Way of the Warrior, a very difficult obstacle course.
Each warrior is given a standard with their lives and treasure rings on it. There are six different designs and colours to differentiate the contestants. The warriors are also given quasi-Celtic names, using phenomes in their real-life names.
Series winners
edit- Lamar - Mark McLaughlin
- Grema - Emma Grace
- Jaddo - Jamie Wood
- Linma - James Findlay
- Arnor - Lorna Wright[1]
- Kenat - Katie Tesoon
In series one, the prize was the warrior's heart's desire - in effect, a holiday; from series two, the ultimate warrior also got their own staff of power.
Production
editThe series was first produced by BBC Scotland in 2002. It was shot in the grounds of Castle Toward 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Dunoon, near Toward Point and the village of Toward. The production included many innovative CGI effects throughout, including the appearance and disappearance of objects and characters (including contestants), rapidly encroaching lava flows, burning targets and fizzing gases and the zoomorphism of raven in the title sequence. The show won a BAFTA award for 'Best Children's Programme' in 2003 and 2006.
Series 1 was directed by Brian Ross and Bob Harvey, series 2 and 5 by Bill McLeod and series 3 and 4 by Paul Hineman.
Raven: The Island
editRaven: The Island is a spin-off from the original format which aired in the UK on the CBBC channel in August 2006. In this series, the Island of Alaunus, which is said to be Raven's homeland, has been taken over by Nevar - 'the enemy of all that is good and true' - and his demons. In this series, three groups of four warriors compete in many challenges with the aim of defeating Nevar. They are watched over by Princess Erina (Lindsay MacKenzie), Raven's sister, and her sprite companion, Haryad (voiced by Jo James). The series also featured the character of Cyrus the Astronomer (Michael MacKenzie - the real-life father of James.)
A key difference between the two series is that, should a warrior be caught by demons or fail to successfully negotiate one of the enchanted obstacles, he or she is instantly eliminated and plays no further part in the quest. There is no exchanging of rings for "lives" and no Way of the Warrior.