Interceptor (TV series)
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- This page is about the UK game show Interceptor. For information on Interceptor aircraft, refer to that article.
Interceptor was a United Kingdom game show created by Jacques Antoine and produced by Chatsworth Television for Thames Television in 1989, and shown on the ITV network during that summer, with the last episode airing on January 1, 1990. It succeeded Treasure Hunt in production, and preceded The Crystal Maze.
The show was hosted by tennis player and former Treasure Hunt skyrunner Annabel Croft. The eponymous Interceptor was played by actor Sean O'Kane.
It was received well critically and by viewers, yet only eight episodes were made. Nonetheless, the show has something of a cult following, which influenced sporadic reruns on UK satellite channel Challenge TV from 2001. A public vote by The UK Game Show Page in 2002 saw the series voted the UK's 13th best game show.
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[edit] The format
Each episode of the series was based, like Treasure Hunt, in a region of the UK, and began from a local tourist attraction. The host would introduce the episode's two contestants, one woman (the yellow contestant) and one man (the blue contestant). Each contestant would be given a locked backpack - one would contain £1,000 in cash, the other merely weighted. Both backpacks had five large infra-red receptors on the back. The contestants would be blindfolded and deposited by helicopter in locations within the area. The challenge was for both contestants, under guidance from the host, to obtain the key to their opposite number's backpack - usually some distance away from their start point - and meet up, all within a 40-minute time limit.
A simple enough task, except for some obstructions placed in their way. Principal among these was the titular Interceptor, a tall man dressed in black, armed with an infra-red projector mounted on his left forearm (the technology for which was procured from the British Army), and possessed of an intimidating fish-eagle screech. It was his job to pursue the contestants and - to the accompaniment of post-production sound effects - 'zap' the receptors on their backpacks, causing the locks to jam. Thus, if the contestant carrying the money is 'zapped', neither contestant wins. Note that the Interceptor could only attempt 20 'zaps.'
Distance was also a major enemy to the contestant, causing them to beg or borrow any mode of transport available to them. During the course of the series, more or less everything from bicycles to Sea King helicopters were used. The Interceptor, too, was able to hijack available transportation, but had his own fleet available to him. The most-used of these was his black-and-yellow Agusta A109 helicopter, piloted by his long-suffering pilot and servant 'Mikey' (played by helicopter pilot Michael Malric-Smith). Also at his disposal was a Maserati Biturbo Spider sports car registration INT 1, and a Kawasaki ZX10 motorbike registration INT 2. There was also a hovercraft apparently available to him, though this was never used.
The contestant's other major enemy was the time limit. Once they had located their key, they often had to perform a task in order to obtain it. Examples included participating in a limited jousting exercise, or removing the key from a horse's braided mane.
[edit] Airing and cancellation
[edit] Airing
The eight existing episodes were recorded over the summer of 1989 and shown soon afterwards. The only notable exception was the eighth and final episode, which was intended for a Christmas airing but was instead shown in the new year. This episode included seasonal greetings from both Annabel and the Interceptor, which were removed in its Challenge reruns.
[edit] Cancellation
The series appeared to dignify itself admirably to public and critical view, garnering good ratings for its Wednesday prime-time slot due to its suspense-filled format. However, Interceptor was shown at the time when ITV was undergoing major changes, and it became a casualty of them.
Despite public outcry - even public polls - Interceptor was never recommissioned for a subsequent series. While Thames TV wanted to propose Interceptor for another ITV network commission in 1990, Thames was already responsible for a very large section of ITV prime-time television shows and other companies wanted a greater proportion. In addition, a new round of franchise bidding was impending, and Thames was concerned to improve its profitability; Interceptor was a relatively expensive show and was made by an independent contractor. (In the event Thames lost its franchise to Carlton Television which had put in a larger bid)
Despite its premature termination, Interceptor retained a cult following. Pressure exerted by these fans led to UK satellite channel Challenge TV taking the series up for rerun alongside other older game shows (among which were stablemates Treasure Hunt and the Crystal Maze). Here, the series gained a whole new generation of fans, and at one point even spawned discussion on Challenge's website as to production of a new series, fuelled by the channel's resurrection of the UK version of Fort Boyard. Unfortunately Challenge no longer has the licence to Interceptor and currently (August 2006) has no plans to reacquire it.challenge are looking to now reacquire
[edit] Memorable moments
The eight episodes of Interceptor generated their fair share of memorable moments, most of which followed the Interceptor and Mikey, and their almost pantomime banter. The contestants themselves, however, often contributed their own memorable events.
The most memorable incident of the series will most likely forever be the infamous 'tractor ambush', which occurred in its fifth episode, filmed in Derbyshire. This consisted of the Interceptor pre-empting a contestant's escape by arriving at their sole mode of transportation - a tractor - ahead of them, and bribing its owner to pretend that he worked for him. The contestant boarded the tractor's trailer, still convinced that the Interceptor was still in the trailing helicopter. The tractor rendezvoused with another waiting vehicle, which the contestant concentrated on boarding as well as avoiding the landing helicopter. During this, the Interceptor was able to 'zap' them at point-blank range. This contestant's backpack contained the money, so they would have lost the game, but they lost by default for failing to meet in time.
Another memorable moment occurred in episode 2 filmed in Norfolk. With time running out, the Interceptor hired a boat in order to try to catch the contestants and was breaking the speed limit in the boat. Despite accusing the owner of the boat of breaking the limit, the Interceptor was arrested by the river police. The contestants went on to win the prize.
[edit] Production trivia
Although each episode appeared to be filmed in real time, it was not. The introduction was filmed the day before the game itself, giving the producers opportunity to re-randomise the backpacks the contestants had chosen. The contestants would be blindfolded from their hotel and driven to a location used as a remote base by Castle Air, the helicopter charter company which supplied the aircraft. The 40-minute game time was also somewhat elastic, with filming and gameplay often suspended.
Two helicopters were used in the production of the series. One of these was the Interceptor's aircraft, the black and yellow Agusta A109, with the registration G-MEAN. The other was G-BHXU, the same Agusta-Bell Jetranger helicopter used in Treasure Hunt, piloted here by Jerry Grayson.
