"Its good but its not the one" (Catchphrase)

Member Name: Burning_Darkness

Product:	Catchphrase
Date:	28/10/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: simple entertaining format, roy walker is great

Disadvantages: can get a little repetitive

Catchphrase is a simple and entertaining family game-show that graced the UK airwaves between 1986 and 2002. For its first ten years the show was hosted by Irishman Roy Walker, whose endearingly rubbish catchphrases of "Riiiiight!" and "It's good but its not the one" quickly became synonymous with the show, as did its memorable theme-tune and its robot mascot, 'Mr Chips'.

The format has changed remarkably little over the years, effectively being little more than Pictionary with moving images. Contestants take turns to randomly pick squares covering part of an image on a giant screen, at which point the square is removed, the first person to guess the catchphrase represented by the image winning the round and earning money in the process.

The pictorally-represented catchprases are simple enough for the whole family to participate in but can be difficult enough that they are not always immediately obvious, and whilst hardly hugely taxing the show is fun to play and provides some entertaining distraction. For example, a picture of a baby goat with wooly mittens on represents the phrase "kid gloves".

After ten years the shows producers decided to get rid of Roy Walker for no apparent reason, and he was replaced with a string of less memorable presenters, although one does stick in my mind for falling down the stairs on his first show, breaking his leg and spending the next few months presenting the show whilst wearing a plaster cast. Right up until its cancellation in 2002 the show remained an enjoyable piece of entertainment however, ideal for a bit of light brain-taxing around teatime.

Summary: an endearing and entertaining gameshow