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And I'll stand by for the isolated score to the teaser and trailer to be shared on YouTube by some kind soul. Which likely is Arnold himself?
Teaser (1:01)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-h2q8gvSmk&pp=ygUjMDA3OiBSb2FkIHRvIGEgTWlsbGlvbiB0ZWFzZXIgbXVzaWM%3D[
Trailer (1:30)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9mYj1etf70&pp=ygUjMDA3OiBSb2FkIHRvIGEgTWlsbGlvbiB0ZWFzZXIgbXVzaWM%3D
Pitched in 1986 but not executed.
Agree on the possibilities @CrabKey, not sure how sustainable it would be over time. Location would be key as well.
https://www.themeparktourist.com/features/20201218/29508/you-only-ride-once-classified-story-james-bond-007-license-thrill
It could be the theme. I like how they changed it into a 3/4 time.
As someone posted on another Bond site :Interesting that Gregg Wilson was the one being interviewed. Clearly, he is truly being groomed to replace his dad sooner than we think. Like The Godfather.
Plus of course there was ‘Licence To Thrill’ in the late 90s, a simulator ride experience. I went to it.
https://www.primepremiere.amazon/007roadtoamillion/
(That's a different one to the one above!)
Is that the Spectre Rolls?
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/nov/04/007-road-to-a-million-brian-cox-is-scene-chewingly-villainous-in-bonds-mega-fun-reality-series
For a horrible moment I thought that was Jimmy Seville on the right!
The discussion:
-The series started life as a "Bond-inspired" adventure reality show, which was then I believe piloted (not the final Eon pilot, however), pitched to Amazon, someone at Amazon said they should just pitch it to the actual "Bond people," so they did. (this is before the official partnership/acquisition/financing deal that would come with MGM and Amazon and Eon).
-BB added that they've been pitched various Bond shows over the years, most of them having to do with hyper-athletic people competing in seemingly dangerous situations that Eon was never comfortable with; Eon liked this pitch's approach to sending every-day people on Bond-like adventures. If you're wondering where the "Bond" influence is, the series attempts to capture the esteem and allure of the franchise's exotic locations which frame vaguely-familiar "Bond moment" inspired challenges, like climbing a crane. Director JJ swears the show did not deviate much from its original concept (find a hidden case, answer a history question, win money), even after Eon officially agreed to licensing the 007/Bond branding for it and became producers on the show.
-BB and Co. have no issue with contestants who aren't Bond fans or aren't knowledgable (there's one scene with a clueless pair in the DB5 that comes to mind in particular), as this is an effort to bring new people into the Bond world in a different format, and it's about awarding everyday people and offering viewers a sense of adventure that, BB noted, they may be missing post Covid-lockdown.
-I asked and no real response about lessons learned for Season 2, except that they will be able to "hit the ground running this time" IF the second series actually does end up happening, which I think is the director saying there would be more overt Bond integration into the episodes earlier on in the season... on that note:
-The first episode is slow. Be warned. It's people walking to find a thing, they find it, are asked a simple question, and answer it. First ep follows two of the groups of two. The second-half of the episode picks up a little bit (it follows the more-interesting of the pairs) and involves a classic Bond trope - the animal trap! I won't spoil what, but it's a fun situation that leads to some actual laughs. The four contestants we meet in the first ep are lovely, but I do think the show could have done more to establish their lives before they start the "adventure" (there's no setup to any of the pairs beyond names and basic job backgrounds, at least early on, maybe it comes later in the series).
-Everybody was eager to reassure us that the rest of the series "really takes off" with more Bond easter eggs and themed adventures and challenges that fans will be more likely to enjoy and recognize, so maybe give the first... three episodes? a chance? I think the pacing issue with the first 1+some episodes I saw was that, for a Bond fan like me watching, I know where the setup is taking me... I predict the challenge... so just seeing others slowly figuring it out is not the most entertaining as I have sucked away all of my own suspense. But for casual viewers, it may be different, and it's definitely good family fodder for maybe introducing a kid to the world of Bond and his tropes. And the episodes do seemingly genuinely ramp up the risk and Bond-ness of the challenges as the series progresses.
-David Arnold's "new" music is rather familiar over the opening titles of the show, and there's a lot of either straight-ripped cues from his CR score (the first episode ends up in Venice, near-identical establishing shot and music cue to the film), or again a retreading of the bombastic OHMSS notes that Zimmer also picked up on in NTTD. There's seemingly also new music over the end credits, which was fantastic! I need to confirm that Arnold did the end credits still, but if he did, it's excellent new Bond sound.
-The show's graphic work is all Dr. No dot-themed again, like NTTD. I like it. There's a new dot-matrix style gunbarrel logo they're also employing throughout the series materials that's refreshing new and somewhat modern, while still being recognizable. I think we can expect this "Dr. No" graphic theme work to continue across the future game and other content strategies, if I had to guess, and any Amazon branding or future box sets.
-Final thoughts for now but open to questions: I think the show, beyond the first episode, can likely stand on its own, but it doesn't do anything new with the reality show format, it doesn't really open up the contestants lives and let you get to know them (at least initially), and it's not what any fan, casual or committed, would necessarily expect when they hear "James Bond reality TV show," as it doesn't overtly serve any obvious direction to drive new viewers to the movies, as there's only tenuous, background hints and connections to the films, with only brief moments that come anywhere near what Bond might actually face. So it's a weird "product," a slow "show" (early on), extremely casual viewing and not necessarily for fans looking for anything new, but I'm very curious to see them try Season 2 with "more Bond," more tension (better pacing, so I guess more dynamic challenges), and I think the show needs some kind of gimmick beyond "big bag of cash at the end" to grab viewers attention—maybe next season have each pair be actively chased, or on a running clock, or pitted directly against each other—it needs a little more drama, which one could even argue is where the movies can come in and pick up the slack anyway.
-I did not get to meet BB face to face but she answered many of my questions in the room. I had a 20-minute chat with Chris Corbould on the couch after that you'll hear more about later.
Please ask me anything!
I'll certainly be giving this a go tomorrow, sounds like good fun.
Very happy to be there (as guest of Aston Martin; it was hosted in Aston's Q dealership on Park Ave in Manhattan)! More on Arnold in the show: I would also critique that part of the lacking tension/drama is a mysterious lack of music throughout the episode. Big moments get big, familiar rushes of sound for sure, but there's no background tracks setting a temp or mood at all iirc. There's music over title cards, establishing shots, transitions, but only temporary. Nothing lingers or builds. So I think Arnold was "limited" to bookending the show with sound, the early and post credits arrangements, and I don't think he recorded anything else that's new (or if he did, it isn't notable or just light basic melody stuff for brief moments that lifts from his prior work).
Yeah I think there's definitely an opportunity in S2 (if it happens) to bring him back and really let him go wild with each episode, it would certainly elevate the drama and give it more of that Bond feeling, I have no doubt. What other reality show has a Hollywood-level composer doing its background tension tracks, lol? It would be great, and perhaps an opportunity to package and sell more new Bond music itself as well alongside the show!
Amazon PR told me around midnight UK time/very early on the announced release day. And it should be every episode available.
There's a new Bond product and The Guardian gives it a 1/5 and The Telegraph a 4/5. So that's basically meaningless and we should build our own view...
Two teams take a walk around the Scottish highlands, get a little wet, drive a car, and in Venice, scale a brick wall and have to try and measure a snake.
The use of soundtrack clips from Skyfall, CR and NTTD is also odd and jars with the original music. Arnold may have done a new theme arrangement for the titles but he didnt score the whole series, and that shows. Musically its all over the place.
The vox pops with the contestants is odd, with their back stories and photos from the family picture book.
Brian Cox is suitably menacing but wasnt in it a whole lot.
Overall I found the whole thing a bit weird. The brothers were OK, but I hope for future episodes the quality of tasks really picks up.
The Guardian also loved it as well as hating it, so that makes that clear.
Radio Times liked it.
I admire the last sentence in today's negative Guardian review:
For desperate eyes only. For everyone else, I would remind you that this is eight hours long and you are not going to live twice.
Oh yeah, well in that case, I think the matter is solved ^^