Raven (game show)
| Raven | |
|---|---|
| File:Raven title.jpg | |
| Genre | Children's Game Show |
| Starring | James MacKenzie |
| Theme music composer | David Brockett |
| Country of origin |  United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 140 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Colin Nobbs (Series 1) Matthew Napier (Series 2-) |
| Production locations |  Scotland |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC |
| Release | 2002 – Present |
Raven is a BBC Scotland children's adventure game show, currently showing on CBBC in the UK and on BBC Kids in Canada, with seven series so far. It is hosted by James MacKenzie in the title role, who conducts a group of children, known as warriors, over 5 days through a series of tasks and feats. At various stages in the adventure, the group loses the least successful warrior until only two are left.
Format
The show consists of six warriors who compete in various challenges, set over five shows in one week, and three groups per series; as such, each week brings a new set of six warriors. One warrior is lost each day except for the first, until there are two warriors left at the end of the week. These two go through to the fourth and final week to compete against the winners of the other two heats.
At the start of their quest, each warrior is granted a number of lives, represented by raven feathers on a standard, and a particular element or feature (such as a mountain or the sun) which appears on their standard and outfits. Warriors then compete in challenges in which lives may be lost by failing, and regained by collecting rings during the challenge, which are placed on the warrior's standard until enough rings are collected. In the first three series, each warrior was granted seven lives, and needed seven treasure rings to win back a life. Since then, this number has changed to nine lives and nine rings.
Should all lives be lost, that warrior is eliminated; in addition, the warrior with the fewest lives and rings at the end of the day must face The Way of the Warrior. If they complete this difficult task, they continue their quest, and the warrior in second-to-last place must take up the challenge. If two warriors have an equal number of lives and rings, a black feather is drawn from a bag to decide who must face elimination.
Characters
Raven (James Mackenzie): Originally from the Island of Alaunus, Raven is an ancient, immortal Scottish warlord and the warriors' guide throughout the quest; his name refers to his ability to shape-shift into a raven at will. His mortal enemy is Nevar, who he fights to prevent darkness from afflicting the land.
Both serious and dryly humorous, he urges and pushes the warriors to do their best in all challenges, quick to both praise their success and point out their failures, but always with a kind word for the warriors who are eliminated. He carries his Staff of Power with him at all times, topped with a carving of a raven's head, which allows him to bring warriors back when they lose a game, reveal the warriors' thoughts, recap what has happened previously, and both give and take away the warriors' lives from their standards. He has an elaborate style of speech, which has generated some catchphrases, including, "Are you ready? Then let the challenge... begin", and "may the luck of the Raven's Eye be with you".
Nevar: A mysterious figure who wears a black-hooded cloak and an iron mask, introduced in the second series and whose name is the reverse of Raven. The forging of the six symbols long ago, which brought sorcery back to Raven's land, also brought the scourge of Nevar who attempts to spread darkness once more.
All that can be seen of Nevar's true form is his eyes, which have red irises and red-pink, scorched skin around them. Nevar is described as "the enemy of all that is good and true" by his arch-enemy Raven, and is responsible for the demons featuring heavily in the warrior's tasks in an attempt to impede their progress. He is often seen watching the warriors' progress in his castle and only appears in person at The Last Stand where he does his best to stop the last three warriors from winning.
In Raven: The Island, Nevar's story was relayed by Princess Erina to Haryad. He has ruled the Island of Alaunus with his dark magic for four years, making Staffs of Power from the Enchanted Oak to arm his demons, in order to stop the warriors from reaching his fortress. Nevar was once a normal human, but became twisted and corrupt when he stole a staff from the Enchanted Oak and used it for selfish deeds. As a result, half of his life-force was taken away, and of that, half again. His iron mask was partly hatched from the second series, and became a full mask in series four.
In Raven: The Secret Temple, Nevar is thought to have been slain, until the last ten seconds of the show, where he is shown to have survived the temple falling on him.
The Warriors
Warriors are given four, five or six-letter names composed from letters selected from their real surnames and first names. 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. There is a red standard containing a sun, a beige standard containing a cloud, a yellow standard containing a mountain, a green standard containing a tree, a blue standard containing a wave and a grey standard containing a moon. The designs have slightly changed through the series, and the contestants wear these colours themselves from the second series, making identification much easier.
In the seventh series, the emblems feature more prominently. It is explained that the symbols were forged long ago from gold, and that upon their completion, the darkness that once shadowed the land was removed, and sorcery returned to the land.
Ultimate Warriors
The winners from each series are known as an Ultimate Warrior. In the first series, the prize was the warrior's heart's desire (in effect, a holiday), and in addition, from series two, the ultimate warrior was also seen to win their own staff of power on the show. However, they do not get to keep this: instead, the finalists each win a trophy, as well as the holiday. The winner's trophy bears a raven's head, whilst the trophies for the warriors in second and third place bear a silver and bronze ring, respectively, fashioned in the shape of the rings used in challenges. From series 7, rather than a holiday, the ultimate warrior won £500, and the runner-up won £200, as the BBC were making cutbacks.
| Series | Winner | Real Name | Emblem | Second | Emblem | Third | Emblem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamar | Mark McLaughlin | Green* | Intho | Purple* | Brhea | Brown* |
| 2 | Grema | Emma Grace | 
|
Varna | 
|
Kinia | 
|
| 3 | Jaddo | Jamie Woods |
|
Worjo |
|
Brena | 
|
| 4 | Linma | James Findlay |
|
Kinsa | 
|
Dejan |
|
| 5 | Arnor | Lorna Wright |
|
Kyson | 
|
Molyn |
|
| 6 | Kenat | Katie McKinnon |
|
Nejad |
|
Rohak |
|
| 7 | Versad | Adam Weavers |
|
Hanso |
|
Danil |
|
* Emblems not used in this series.
Interviews were shown on CBBC for Grema, Jaddo and Arnor, all of whom won holidays, to Tunisia, Barbados, and France respectively, as well as a Staff of Power; according to (h2g2), Linma went on a holiday to Cuba as his prize. Versad won £500 as his prize. No interview with Lamar, Kenat or Versad has been shown.
The Challenges
The many tasks and feats in which the warriors have to compete vary from series to series, some having been tweaked over time, and some only used in certain series. They test a variety of virtues, such as strength, agility, and teamwork, depending on the challenge. Warriors play games to win treasure rings, and should they fail the challenge, they will forfeit any rings gained playing the challenge, as well as lose one of their lives.
The Last Stand
This final challenge, played at the end of each week, is used to determine which warrior will go through to the final, and is also played to determine who wins the whole series. Like many challenges, it has changed over the course of the series.
In series 2 and 3, the remaining two warriors must collect four pillars without being blasted by Nevar. Doing so will make them lose a life, and they are eliminated if they lose all their lives. The winner is the first to collect the pillars and go through the portal.
From series 4 onwards, the Last Stand was changed into an assault course for the three remaining warriors, their remaining lives and rings determining the relative time they are released from their starting cages. They must drag a key across an overhead maze to unlock a cage containing puzzle pieces, which are assembled to vanquish the demon in their path. Retrieving a lever, they must scale a wall and crawl under a net to engage the lever in the slot, vanquishing a second demon. This will allow them to pick up a cylinder containing symbols, which they must attach to rope; after climbing up a waterfall and sliding down with the cylinder, it must be placed correctly in the slot to activate the portal to escape. After one warrior has taken out all their demons, Nevar attempts to attack the two remaining warriors; when two warriors have gone through the portal, his next shot causes instant elimination to the sole, losing warrior. In the final, the first warrior through the portal wins and the other two are blasted by Nevar. The final Last Stand of series 7 had only two warriors, so the first person to reach the portal won, while the losing warrior was blasted.
The Way of The Warrior
The Way of the Warrior is used to test the warrior in last place at the end of the day, excluding the first (excepting the final week of series 7, when eliminations began on the first day to produce two finalist warriors on the last). The warrior must cross a golden path, avoiding the obstacles and not touching the floor on either side. It is an intentionally hard challenge so as to allow the warrior a slim second chance, but difficult enough that ultimately, one warrior who undertakes the challenge in a given day will assuredly leave the quest.
There are many obstacles which are designed with the sole purpose of pushing the warrior off the path:
- A short tunnel, with two rubber scarecrows, which swing back and forth.
- A rope path, which zig-zags, with ropes above to hold on to (Series 2-4); replaced with a row of blocks on the path that rise and fall (Series 5+). On the second wooden section, a trapdoor will open above the warrior, releasing falling rocks.
- A swinging gate, followed by a carousel of heavy rocks that swing round repeatedly.
- An elevating boulder and elevating spiked barrel, above a zig-zag balance beam path; at the end, the warrior has to use a stone attached to a rope to aim for a target, which opens a drawbridge in front.
- Three shields that push in and out from the walls at different angles, followed by a large swinging spiked barrel, about two metres long, that the warrior must cross using ropes underneath the barrel.
- Four swinging blades and a wall with jaws that open and close vertically, after which the portal may then be accessed.
From series 7, the traps after the drawbridge were switched. The swinging blades must first be crossed, followed by the spiked barrel. The shields must then be avoided, and then the wall, before accessing the portal.
In the first series, any warrior could volunteer to do the challenge. If they won, they regained a life. Failing twice meant automatic elimination (for instance, Lydav in Week 1). If the warrior failed the task but was not in last place, the two joint last place warriors choose a hand and if they choose the black feather, they are eliminated (for instance, Glema in Week 3).
From the second series, the warrior in last place attempts the challenge and if the warrior succeeds, they get to survive for another day; the warrior in second to last place then attempts the challenge.
Up to series 3, the three finalist warriors in a week were whittled down to two so that the two remaining warriors could move on to the Last Stand. Kinia of series 2 and Brena of series 3, who were in second place, had to do the challenge as Varna and Worjo, who were in last place, escaped its wrath by accessing the portal.
From series 4, the Last Stand was undertaken by the final three warriors, and so in addition to the first day, it was no longer played on the final day.
The challenge is considered very difficult, with a large number of warriors mistiming the three shields that push in and out from the walls, which must be traversed quickly and in succession to avoid being pushed off. Only four warriors have completed the challenge so far, though none of these four won the series to become the ultimate warrior. From series 7, the successful warriors who have completed the Way of the Warrior are listed on a board outside the entrance to the challenge. These are:
- Ishal and Varna (Series 2), leading Dyasa and Kinia to attempt the challenge. Ishal repeated the challenge in the final week, but failed.
- Worjo (Series 3), leading Brena to attempt the challenge.
- Kinsa (Series 4), leading Wenra to attempt the challenge.
Since Series 4, the warrior who has come closest to completing the challenge is Danil of series 7 who, whilst crossing the final metal wall just before the portal, grazed his leg against the side, and was eliminated from the final week, coming third.
Production and Awards
The series was first produced by BBC Scotland in 2002. It is shot in the grounds of Castle Toward 8 miles (13 km) south-west of Dunoon, near Toward Point and the village of Toward. The production includes many 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 has won two BAFTAs for 'Best Children's Programme', in 2003 and 2006 for the previous years' shows.
The first series in 2002 was produced by Colin Nobbs, with all subsequent series produced by Matthew Napier. The directors have changed between series:
| Series | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Ross, Bob Harvey |
| 2, 5 | Bill McLeod |
| 3, 4 | Paul Hineman |
| 6, 7 | Dougie Napier |
Series 8
Applications for the eighth series, and a possible third spin-off series, were released in January 2008 and have now closed. Invitations are being sent out for first auditions, which will take place across the country and start towards the end of February.
Spin-Off Series
Two spin-off series have been produced. The first, Raven: The Island, takes place on the Island of Alaunus, Raven's homeland, taken over by Nevar and his demons. His trusted friend, Princess Erina, guides the warriors on their path. The series differs in that three teams of four warriors compete, and if a warrior is eliminated, they cannot return.
The second, Raven: The Secret Temple, features Raven taking four teams of four warriors to an Eastern land (India), after his home was frozen by Nevar. He and Satyarani, a friend fashioned from the earth itself, guide the young warriors in the hopes that they will reach the secret temple to retrieve an item that will allow his homeland to return to its former glory. Unfortunately, Nevar has followed him there and is determined to stop his warriors from completing their quest.
A third spin-off series will be made, set in Anglesey, Wales. (as confirmed at the auditions for warriors)