Is what was relevant in 1976 relevant today? I didn’t get to where I am today without knowing the answer to that kind of question, but the BBC has answered with an unequivocal yes by choosing to remake The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. Originally starring Leonard Rossiter, this saw Sunshine Desserts office drone Reginald Perrin gradually finding the boredom of everyday life taking its toll on his sanity. He starts to daydream, having fantasies about his secretary and just about everyone else, including his mother-in-law (always accompanied by a picture of his hippopotamus), and starts to act out in bizarre ways – before eventually faking his own death.
Reggie Perrin, as it now is, stars Martin Clunes as Perrin, now gainfully employed by Groomtech but still finding life to be somewhat disappointing. As indeed, are we.
The story of Merlin and King Arthur has been around for centuries, so it’s not surprising that every so often, someone wants to retell it*. Most recently, we’ve had the BBC series Merlin, but there have been numerous other retellings including the Sam Neill mini-series Merlin, the movie Excalibur, the Clive Owen historical, King Arthur, and mild American 70s sitcom Mr Merlin.
Back in the 80s though, there was a more subtle adaptation of the myth set in modern times. Starring Patrick Malahide (Minder et al) as the Merlin-esque ‘Magnus’ and Stephen Dillane (Hamlet, Spy Game, Welcome to Sarajevo) as Nick, the King Arthur of the piece, The One Game posited the question: “What would have happened if Arthur had been made King with Merlin’s help – and then Arthur had kicked him out?”
This being the 80s, however, for the retelling Nick was the MD of a games company and Magnus was the creator of his best-selling game, thrown out and sent to a mental asylum after he couldn’t handle Nick’s rejection of his newest invention. Magnus escapes from the asylum and using his near-magical skills, steals all Nick’s company’s assets and plans his further revenge.
What made The One Game so interesting and worthy of being described as a Lost Gem was its then-unique concept: during the course of the four episodes, set over a Bank Holiday weekend, everyone Nick meets – including friends and loved-ones – and everything he does and comes across may be part of ‘The One Game’, a live-action and possibly deadly game invented by Magnus to teach Nick a lesson.
It was only ever shown once on ITV1, was released on DVD but is no longer available. It’s The One Game and it’s a Lost Gem. Here’s the the opening titles to the second episode, Saturday, complete with theme tune sung in Patagonian Welsh and annoying 80s narrator recapping just enough of the plot for you to know what’s going on.
Time, once again, to let the rest of the world know what you’d (un)recommend from the tele this week.
I didn’t bother with Ashes to Ashes series two, which started this week, and at some point I’m going to have to play catch-up on The Unusuals, Southland, Sit Down Shut Up and Parks and Recreation – should I bother, guys?
I did love CSI and its fake Star Trek/BSG last week (which I only got round to watching yesterday) – nice cameo from Ronald D Moore, too, and the episode was quite poignant in its own geeky way.
BTW lovely wife, after giving up on Heroes during volume three on grounds of its general painfulness to watch, is playing catch-up and finding volume four to be “okay to good”, although the dullness of Building 26 sapped the joy out of things a little for her – I blame Mohinder and Matt. So it’s not just me who thinks everyone should be watching it, just in case you were wondering.
As always, no spoilers unless you’re going to use the <spoiler> </spoiler> tags, please? Ta!
