New series of Time Commanders on Mondays on BBC4

[Elk101]

Haven't watched it yet but Gregg "Shouty Man" Wallace kind of put me off.

What about Captain Blood taking over the reins for Season 4? I think he'd be very good.

[Sir_Theo]

Haven't watched it yet but Gregg "Shouty Man" Wallace kind of put me off.

What about Captain Blood taking over the reins for Season 4? I think he'd be very good.

I wasn't sure about Greg Wallace but I think he just about pulls it off he manages to put enthusiasm into the show that would otherwise be a little flat.  He basically runs back and forth between the teams bellowing enthusiasm.

[Charlie_]

I think youtubers Matt Easton (scholagladiatoria) and Lindybeige are going to be on it - the former posted a quick little video of them at the filming, if I understood what was going on correctly....

I remember watching the first series as a kid and loving it. Looking it up now on wikipedia, seems the original series were presented by Eddie Mair and then Richard Hammond.

[stone-cold-lead]

I wasn't sure about Greg Wallace but I think he just about pulls it off he manages to put enthusiasm into the show that would otherwise be a little flat.  He basically runs back and forth between the teams bellowing enthusiasm.

A bargain basement Brian Blessed?

[Elk101]

A bargain basement Brian Blessed?

Without the 'charm' of Brian Blessed?

If you've ever seen Horrible Histories' Historical Masterchef they do a rather good take-off of Mr Wallace.

This is quite a good Gregg one:

[Sir_Theo]

A bargain basement Brian Blessed?

Pretty much!

He reminded me a bit if Tony Robinson in early series of Time Team.  

[sukhe_bator]

To quote The World according to Smith & Jones, history is replete with 'lots of rushing about'...
Greg does a wonderful takeoff of Tony Robinson scampering about...

[agent_pumpkin]

Now you've made me want to hit the real Gregg Wallace with a frying pan!

Without the 'charm' of Brian Blessed?

If you've ever seen Horrible Histories' Historical Masterchef they do a rather good take-off of Mr Wallace.

This is quite a good Gregg one:

[Captain Blood]

No that would of been real TV viewing watching Captain Blood on Time commanders...would you have worn your red trousers and BLAM t Shirt?

For you Giles, anything  

Someone on Frothers said they were weeding out applications from actual wargamers - presumably because they would have some kind of knowledge of the period, or tactics or some damn thing or other.

Rob - interestingly I was upfront in the audition that I was a wargamer and have a degree in military history (yes I do). I actually ended up boggling the producer with a conversation about phalangites and hypaspists... It didn't seem to put them off our team, 'cos as I say, we were down to the final reserve. (My friends were less than honest, in that they play the wretched 'Rome - Total War' computer game on which the show is based, endlessly... But they weren't admitting to that... )

If you're thinking of applying, I can tell you it's quite a rigmarole...
We had to fill in a lengthy submission and all sign various waiver and disclaimer forms. Then waited about three months. Then were told we were shortlisted. Then invited to an audition with the producer and researcher. For which we all had to flog over to Westbourne Grove (or somewhere in leafy West London, can't remember exactly where now). There we were filmed for around 90 minutes being interviewed, talking about ourselves, our interests and each other... Mostly they seemed interested in how we would work together, who would be C-in-C, would we follow orders, argue etc...
Then, a couple of weeks later we were told we were down to the short shortlist of teams to appear on the show.
Then we were asked to record films of ourselves on smartphones, introducing ourselves, and some footage of us 'enjoying ourselves together' (ooer). This we had to upload onto their server. Then sign a load more forms.
Then we were told we were almost certainly on the show and given dates to hold to fly to Glasgow for filming (they pay for flights, cars, hotels, the lot).
Then we were told we were the first reserve team and would very likely be needed, so keep hold of the dates.
Then the dates came and went and apparently we weren't needed!  

Like I say, I'm not that sorry. I have no doubt I would have screwed up the tactics. (I also recall from watching it before, that what happens in the simulation doesn't actually correspond to the orders you are giving. Basically you can be done over by the system, however good your tactics are... )

I actually think, because the three of us are actors, they might have decided we were just a bit of a risk. I think they liked the appeal of a set of 'theatrical types' who clearly not only knew quite a lot about history and tactics, but have all worked in film and on stage together before. But equally may have thought we'd come across as a bit too um, competent / collected, alongside Gregg 'the greengrocer' Wallace... (Who, by the way, hadn't been down to present the show when we were going through the auditions. So he must have been a late addition himself... )

Anyway, it was interesting  
Like I say, I suppose I ought to watch it...

[stone-cold-lead]

Pretty much!

He reminded me a bit if Tony Robinson in early series of Time Team.  

It was even more manic when Bill Oddie guested once. He was jumping into trenches, crushing things, and I think he broke pretty much everything he touched. 

[LCpl McDoom]

Captain Blood, an interesting summary, and a lot of it very similar to what I've experienced to get that sort of work done. Some chums and I have done filming stuff in the recent past, many hours work to then see it diluted to mere minutes or even seconds. Whenever we pick up this sort of stuff to do, I tell them and anyone new to it to not expect too much and to take it all as relaxed as possible. Fair play to you for getting as far as you did in 'the process'.

As to the first TC episode:

Gregg 'Spudikus' Wallace - it could have been a lot worse. He does what he's been put there for - the cheeky chappy frontman, familiar to the viewers from other TV progs, jumps around and gets animated to inject some sort of pace into the set, otherwise it would just be the contestants and techie staff manning the computer interface stuff. Like I said, it could have been worse - Ant & Dec anyone?

Mr Loades & Ms Nusbacher - competent historical expertise providing some direction to the guest teams and some over-the-shoulder quips to the camera/viewers. Again, I felt it was weighted appropriately to the average level viewer, so that it might tease them in further to learn more about history/wargaming, without coming across as too snobbish. So I thought it achieved the right balance.

The Field Team demos - this added a decent exposition on the weapon technology and linked well with studio discussions on strategy/tactics to again keep it relatively straight-forward for the viewer. I'm not that much of a fan of the 'must-have' side comments interjected by the 'bloke/bird-with-big-axe' personally, but will concede that some like to see that the hands-on experts are 'real' people.

The battle and the graphics - my one real critique, it didn't seem to match the in-studio narrative, so maybe an editing cock-up? In one of the practice scenarios, there was plenty of "look at those soldiers getting stuck in" comments backed up by graphics on-screen of not a lot going on - downbeat chaps skulking off into the long grass. So I found I didn't really connect with what was happening as the battle played out, and I didn't get to appreciate that any real 'commanding' was going on. No spoilers intended, but when someone in the game dies, why then was his player permitted to carry on in such an active role?

Overall - a fair attempt to resurrect this programme and to breathe new life and ideas into the old format, but it didn't really 'wow' me, even with me making some allowances to acknowledge it was pitched to a particular viewing audience (without trying to sound too elitist or snobbish myself, I hope). Still, I'll hopefully tune in for Episode 2 (Waterloo) to see how this continues to develop.

[OSHIROmodels]

argue etc...

I would imagine that this would be their biggest criteria 

cheers

James

[Hummster]

I think youtubers Matt Easton (scholagladiatoria) and Lindybeige are going to be on it - the former posted a quick little video of them at the filming, if I understood what was going on correctly....

I remember watching the first series as a kid and loving it. Looking it up now on wikipedia, seems the original series were presented by Eddie Mair and then Richard Hammond.

Well Nikolas Lloyd (Lindybeige) is a wargamer so it looks like they won't totally prevent us coming on.

[Charlie_]

Well Nikolas Lloyd (Lindybeige) is a wargamer so it looks like they won't totally prevent us coming on.

Perhaps they aren't going to be on it actually... I think they were playing the Battle of Cannae on the snippet video, which apparently was the first episode? So either that was just a warmup or them being shown the ropes, or they were on the first episode and nobody in this thread knows who they are? I haven't watched the episode myself yet.
Am I right in saying there are two teams playing against eachother in this series? In the old ones it was one team vs 'the computer'.

[Paddy649]

My view of the first Time Commanders episode 1:

Gregg Wallace - irritating in the extreme and should stick to eating puddings!   Why not someone with a brain and wit like David Mitchell or Alex Armstrong.  However, I'll agree it could have been worse!

The experts (Loades & Nusbacher) - odd (both of them but one more than the other.) OK in their comments except that they were entirely stereotyped, uninspiring and playing to the most ignorant viewer. 

The Field Team demos - OK but again stereotyped.  If episode 2 is Waterloo the I can pretty much already write the script already. 

The game - I assume Total War.  Ugh!  DBA would have been a better choice and have revealed more military history insights!  It would have been more dynamic and accurate to boot!

Overall - not quite car crash telly but close.  Will I watch episode 2 - you bet!  We get so little wargaming on the telly that it is compulsive viewing - besides it makes good background viewing when sitting at the painting table.