A review by mickb on ITV - Catchphrase February 25th, 2001
Author's product rating:
How good are the presenters?
Ordinary
How good is the content?
Ordinary
How does it compare to similar programmes?
Ordinary
How good is the concept?
Ordinary
How do you rate the overall style and design?
Ordinary
How good are the contestants?
Ordinary
Advantages:
OK if there's nothing else on
Disadvantages:
Better when Roy Walker was host
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I'd not seen Catchphrase for quite a while when I happened to catch it on a recent saturday teatime
This show is now hosted by Nick Weir who took over from longtime presenter Roy Walker. The format remains largely the same as when it started and is based around animated cartoon pictures appearing on screen which have to be identified by the two contestants as a well known saying or catchphrase. For example, on the programme I saw one cartoon showed a Kangeroo dropping from the sky into the hands of a person waiting below. After a couple of wrong guesses the lady contestant gave the correct answer, which was Kangeroo court. Unfortunately for her she was taking on a bloke who was lightening fast at spotting the phrase and with more money being won for answering the quickest he easily won.
After each normal catchphrase there is a bonus round which consists of one of the regular type of cartoons being revealed bit by bit until somebody guesses it, again more cash is won for a quicker correct answer. With the male contestant being so quick he amassed a Catchphrase record amount of over £4,000, although the lady still went away with over £1,000. This gave him the chance to go for the star prize of his dream holiday. To win this he had to move across a screen made up of a five by five grid of letters in under one minute by correctly identifying more catchphrases. If he got one wrong he would have to move around the grid to work his way from left to right. Being so good he got five straight answers correct with plenty of time to spare and won a safari holiday, taking his winnings to over £9,000.
Nick Weir’s presenting style is different to Roy Walker’s and the old favourite of “It’s good, but it’s not right” is no longer part of the programme. Rather than comments about how unlucky or close the contestants are with their answers, Weir actually gives them clues to help them, which makes the game a bit easier and means there are no catchphrases that go unanswered, making more money for the players.
The show has gone through a bit of a makeover with a new presenter and all the screens being brought up to date, essentially though it is still the same old show. Personally, I would have preferred them to have kept Roy Walker because his comments and mannerisms will always be associated with the show and I think they may as well have scrapped it if they wanted rid of Roy. A pleasant enough half hour filler show for ITV and less embarrassing than Family Fortunes. OK if there’s nothing else on.
Advantages: Good prize Disadvantages: No Roy Walker
Well Catchphrase is still fun, but I do miss Roy Walker. The graphics appear to have changed too, I miss the little space man who used to appear on some of the titles. I still find it a reasonable programe to watch though, I guess I like to try and beat the contestants, but then don't we all?? The holiday prize adds to the excitement and even as a viewer, we have a chance to win with the viewers catchphrase.There does however now seem to be a little ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Family fun Disadvantages: new presenter
Bring back Roy Walker he was the best. His replacement turns this great show into a dull affair. Roy's unique charm and great since of humour and famous 'say what u see' lines made this show. The show itself has become duller and in my opinion easier for contestants as this new man keeps giving the answers to the contestants. I thinkk that the catchphrases have also got a lot easier and just aren't the same without Mr Chips. But the show still deserves ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: ITs more modern Disadvantages: No more roy walker
"RIIIIIGHT!" used to be the excited scream from Roy Walker. Not anymore. Now we have Nick Weir doing the old funny man routine. He is no Roy Walker. He has never appeared on the commedians either( under 20's will not know this, ask your parents) and has not got the charisma of the cheeky lad from Belfast. The show may have improved catchphrases with new computer generated graphics but a funny goat bearded gentleman wearing a purple smock on the big ... ...B generated character that was Mr Chips. Also, Is it me or have the catchphrases got harder? They are not only Harder but are now no longer catchphrases. Now they can be anything from places to Pop band names!!! It is nothing to do with the show title anymore!! Its good, but its Not riiiiight!!!! Bring back Roy.] And they dont even have the cheesy music. Oh and The Anorak of Childrens BBC does the voiceover!! ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Catchphrase has always been a great show, with its unique contestants and fantastic prize money. This show is popular with young and old. But! where has Roy Walker gone this man was a genious at presenting the show, and is badly missed. The current presenter is just not up to scratch, he has no talent and no idea. The show has become less enjoyable less fun and too easy for contestants. The answers are been given to the contestants taking away the ...
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Advantages: Classic shows (with Roy) are still shown on "the Gold" channels occasionally Disadvantages: The new presenter is not Roy Walker
Dear oh dear, yet another perfectly good cheesy game show ruined by a change of presenter. Roy come back! We all miss your accent, your own annoying catchphrases: "It's good but It's not right", "Say what you see", "Take a square", and "There's no bell" (?!?) We all miss your fondness for "Mr Chips" - your computerised swing-bin shaped friend, and his pained onscreen antics to try and help the contestants guess the completely meaningless catchphrases, ... ...simply does not have the cult following that it once did, with Roy as our leader, we knew - it was okay to wear bad jumpers, and have bad perms - it was okay that we actually *liked* the 1980s neon pink and blue sets, and the revolving contestant platforms - it was okay that, even if you were as thick as two short sheep, you could win a holiday to the Bahamas. The new "Catchphrase" is drab, the catchphrases themselves, ridiculously contrived and ...
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.... Or more importantly admitting the same, and having their Gran spit our her Horlicks in disgust as she sees her precious grand-daughter/son say the word “bonk” before the watershed.
Now, Cilla has a dream, dear readers. Bear with me. Once upon a time, two Blind Daters actually tied the knot. Cilla’s greased hand became a blur that weekend, as a one-off special was screened. Cilla bought a hat (obviously got a bonus…), and wore it to the wedding. Ever since, her hand has been decidedly dry. No more weddings. No more one off specials. She was reduced to presenting some other ITV show, which I don’t actually know the name of. So now, her catchphrase (apart from the obligatory “ta-raa!” at the end of the show), is “Can I buy a hat?!”, ever hopeful that her hand will once more be greased...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
19.11.2001
