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Junkyard Mega-Wars
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Posted by: nataylor

Didn't see a thread about this yet. Did anyone catch the new show? It was both good and bad. The new hosts were decent. Not nearly as corny as Tyler and Karyn were. Having Bowser and Crash back to act as team captains for the whole season is a very good thing. I like them both. Are we going to see the same builders each week, too? They made it seem like it.

But, unfortunately, the same problem of the machines not working was back. That's always very disappointing and really drags down the whole show. I'm hoping this won't happen every episode.

Posted by: ClutchBrake

It was OK. I had it on in the background while surfing. That seems to be the best way to watch it.

Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)
I'm with you on being disappointed with the vehicle not working. OTOH, I wanted to scream when they decided to use hydraulics. HYDRAULICS NEVER WORK ON JUNKYARD WARS! When the hell will they ever get that through their skulls? I'm not positive, but in all the years I've watched JW I don't recall hydraulics working more than once. Bowser of all people should have known better.

Posted by: pkscout

I haven't seen any of the new ones yet, but I did catch an older one last weekend that was actually kind of funny because stuff didn't work. The two teams were suppose to build something to knock down a series of walls. One team got theirs working, but at the rate they were going it was going to take a year. The other team couldn't get theirs working at all, so, since both machines were built on truck chasis, the non-working team just started crashing the back of the vehicle into the wall. It was very effective, so the other team started doing the same thing. It was *very* funny watching these two truck chasis crashing into walls for 10 minutes. :D

Posted by: Jonathan_S

Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)
I wanted to scream when Crash decided to make the enlarged drum wheels with those flanges. That was almost a perfect copy of the wheel used in a previous snowmobile episode, and that it didn't work then. The wheel dug in badly, and the snowmobile didn't move. The cars in this ep almost had the same problem until they got a push start!

You'd think that the teams had never watched the show! [yes I know that they were are junkyard veterans, but they should have known better]

Posted by: Weezoh

I think I like the new format in general, but I'd rather it was just "Junkyard Wars." I liked the 3 team-20 hour mega-wars as well and would rather have both versions.

Also like the new hosts better than tyler & karen.

Posted by: tedder

I thought it was pretty lame. I quit watching about halfway through and killed the SP too.

The characters were overdone- "the geek vs. the brute" and so forth.

Posted by: IJustLikeTivo

Bowser is great and build one of the best machines ever. It was hydraulic too. The one that had the big jaws on it and was used to tear down a building. The thing that killed them was not hydraulics, but overheating the engine. Till them the machine was killer.

I don't care much for the new format or the new hosts but I can ignore them and FF to the good parts.

SP stays for now. Barely.

Posted by: djbrown

Loved when Bowser came down off the snowbank cussing a storm. One musta been a british slang, cause the other team member said "What does that mean?" Bowser: <beep> "Oh".

Posted by: nataylor

They bleeped "bollocks." I found that pretty funny.

Posted by: JPriller

I thought it was okay. And I could tell by the commercials for next week that they'll be having at least some different builders.

I have to admit my favorite format was the original Scrap Heap Challenge, with the same two teams week after week. You got to know them and their strengths/weaknesses pretty well.

Posted by: mbcook

It was good, but I liked the old way they did the teams better. Who knows though, maybe I'll change my mind as more episodes come.

--SPOILERS BELOW IN WHITE TEXT--

As for what they built, the dual machine thing suprised me, but I was ready to scream because I didn't think that those oil drum wheels would get traction, the little metal bits just weren't enough. Not the archemedies screws, the other ones.

Posted by: Z'Loth

Well, it was interesting. Still, I wonder why change something that works. The challanges were always a mystery until they were announced.

So, the Captains are also the experts now. Interesting. They were a little cheesy with the outfits and the "Power Ranger Thunderbolt Shirt Change" was annoying.

And, wasn't one of the builders last night a Mule Wright?

Posted by: brott

I liked the format with different teams each episode better I think. However, I wonder if they had a lot of "single" entrants and not so many teams available. I thought the new hosts did a good job, but I might get tired of bowser and Crash in every episode.

Posted by: ccwf

quote:
Originally posted by Z'Loth
Still, I wonder why change something that works. The challanges were always a mystery until they were announced.

Not entirely—the experts didn't know the exact rules of the challenge; however, they were told what type of machine needed to be built and had to submit their plans in advance so that others could review each design to be sure it had a chance of success and so that the junkyard could be stocked with appropriate materials.

And that, in my opinion, was the problem with the previous format. It was too expert-driven and more than a little staged. Teams could accept their expert's design, knowing that it had been reviewed for feasibility and that the right materials would be available. Or they could take a huge risk and try something completely different.

So, while I'm not sure I like the new format (there are parts of it I certainly don't like), I agree it was time for a change.

Posted by: IJustLikeTivo

I am not a fan of the new format but I plan to give it a few episodes to see if it grows on me. I don't think the hosts are going to grow on me. I hate both of them.

Posted by: Connie

It was interesting to see how the focus of the episodes changed -- much less personality on display, I thought, both of the contestants (except Bowser and Crash) AND the hosts (mercifully, they canned most of the corny intros) -- and more on the machines.

Posted by: nataylor

This week's episode was much better. I thought it was down-right exciting.

Posted by: ufo4sale

I thought this weeks episode was so much better then last weeks. There was actually a competition.

Posted by: ClutchBrake

Was it just me or did the ending seem a bit unfair?

Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)
Crash and his team seemed to get ripped off. The boats started out in the same spot but Crash's team had to get their captain and then go away from the finish line to sink the boat. Then they had a longer trip to the finish line. Bowser just won by a couple of feet. Had the finish been in the middle of the water equidistant from the boats Crash would have won.

Did they have to go back around a buoy? I had it on in the background and don't remember.

Posted by: mbcook

Yeah, that was a bit unfair, but I didn't mind that much. I agree that this week's episode was much better than last, but I have one major comment on this week's episode:

That short guy was NUTS. I would NOT let him near any kind of powertool, EVER. :eek:

Posted by: ufo4sale

agree

Posted by: ClutchBrake

If they make it unfair (rig it) again I will quit watching. My guess is they want to even out the victories between Crash and Bowser so that the season finale will be a tie breaker.

Lame stunts were what made me quit watching last season. They threw all the rules out the window and the show went to hell.

Posted by: mbcook

I seem to sorta remember something like that.

That said, with regards to how it might have been unfair, did they start in the opposite way so that it evened out in the end? I don't remember, and I've already deleted it.

Posted by: nf0

I saw my first episode of the new format "Battleships" last night. I have mixed fellings, I've been watching this show from the very begining. I like the old format, but I felt like the show was getting old after several season. I think the new fresh format could pick up the interest of the show again, but for us old timers, it will take some getting used to.

Posted by: mbcook

I don't really mind the format change that much. I mean, for me it's all about the building, the machines, the way they do things, and what goes wrong. Details about the teams and stuff really don't matter too much to me.

Posted by: nataylor

Another good episode this week! :up:

Posted by: Jonathan_S

One thing about this weeks episode. I wish that they have given the times from the two completed races.

The viewer had no way to (independently) judge for the

Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)
blue

team win.
I rewound and timed the shots of the races and the other team had 20 seconds less air-time (which obviously doesn't translate to race time). But lacking a visually obvious longer run and lacking course times, it surprised me that

Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)
Bowser's

team won. Even before I timed it I thought they had taken longer...

I don't really doubt that they did it significantly faster because everyone on the show reacted like it was a massive win. (i.e. declared them the winners as they crossed the finish line, didn't have to check the stopwatch) but it would have been nice to know that based on watching the run or posting the times.

Posted by: Weezoh

quote:
Originally posted by Jonathan_S
One thing about this weeks episode. I wish that they have given the times from the two completed races.

The viewer had no way to (independently) judge for the blue team win.

I agree, this shocked me when I watched it too. I'm beginning to think (as someone else said) that the fix is in for a dramatic tie between Crash & Bowser.

Even though Crash reminds me of someone I know, I want Bowser to win :)

Posted by: nataylor

quote:
Originally posted by Weezoh
I agree, this shocked me when I watched it too. I'm beginning to think (as someone else said) that the fix is in for a dramatic tie between Crash & Bowser.

I highly doubt it's fixed. They have all the legal mumbo-jumbo at the end of the show about "contestants must meet eligibility requirements." If this is a "contest," then fixing it would be illegal.

I think it was just a case of dramatic editing. I'm sure it took them quite a while to get up that hill and most of it was edited out. They didn't provide times because I bet the team that won blew the team that lost out of the water on that last run and seeing them just feet from the finish line with, say, 10 minutes to spare wouldn't have been very dramatic.

Posted by: JPriller

quote:
Originally posted by Jonathan_S
The viewer had no way to (independently) judge for the <bleep> team win.

Arrgh!

Spoiler tags PLEASE, folks?

Posted by: TreborPugly

The old Junkyard Wars were kid appropriate. This one says it is "TV G" rated, but the couple of episodes I've watched have had multiple bleeped out words. If you are bleeping out words, it is not kid appropriate. What kid isn't going to ask what that beep was? And the whole "Dangerous guy, crazy guy" bit for some of their workers is annoying.

It appears they are trying to make every person that will be on the show entertaining in themselves. I think they've gone too far on in that respect.

Posted by: HTH

quote:
Originally posted by nataylor
I highly doubt it's fixed. They have all the legal mumbo-jumbo at the end of the show about "contestants must meet eligibility requirements." If this is a "contest," then fixing it would be illegal.

But the UK and the US have different rules regarding game shows. I don't know if Junkyard Mega-Wars is a repackaged Scrapheap Mega-Challenge or not, but compare the UK and US versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway? where in the US-produced versions they have to repeat in practically every segment that "the points don't matter."

Tangential to the issue, but I'm a bit annoyed that TiVo (really Tribune) classifies shows about video games as being in the "Game show" category. I don't think that's the category's intended meaning.

Posted by: Jonathan_S

Sorry. wasn't thinking. I've put spoiler tags in.

Posted by: ccwf

quote:
Originally posted by TreborPugly
The old Junkyard Wars were kid appropriate. This one says it is "TV G" rated, but the couple of episodes I've watched have had multiple bleeped out words. If you are bleeping out words, it is not kid appropriate.

What about Bowser's non-bleeped British “colorful” language? :)

Posted by: mbcook

Maybe because it's "british" and not "english" they leave it in. Who knows. That said, I agree with the comments about this week's episode. That really annoyed me. I hope that they fix these kind of issues, because otherwise it's a great show. Well, good luck to them, their 3rd try is comming up...

Posted by: JPriller

Okay, finally got around to watching it. :)

I was really hoping they'd do something new in the way of challenges this year, it looks like the same old stuff all over again - snowmobile, battleships, rock climbers and next week is grain harvesters. :(

Posted by: mbcook

Grain harvesters? That sounds interesting.

So what kind of challenges would be "new" JPriller? Could you give us examples?

Posted by: JPriller

quote:
Originally posted by mbcook
So what kind of challenges would be "new" JPriller? Could you give us examples?

That's a good question. Give me a few days and maybe I'll have some ideas. I guess I just want something more than "first we get a car with a big engine, some (big wheels, a propeller, etc), and then...".

I liked the one a few years ago where they had to make a vehicle that could carry the whole team and had to come apart and fit in some suitcases. "Torpedoes" was good, though they've done that twice now, the same for rockets. I thought the one where they had to modify a car for "blind" driving was fantastic, and I see they're doing that one again in a few weeks.

Anyway, I'll think about it.

Posted by: ccwf

Since often the engines have broken down and they've had to resort to rowing or pushing, it might be interesting to see what they how they are at building vehicles that are meant to be human-powered.

Posted by: mostman

quote:
Originally posted by JPriller
That's a good question. Give me a few days and maybe I'll have some ideas. I guess I just want something more than "first we get a car with a big engine, some (big wheels, a propeller, etc), and then...".

What about the one where they had to mill coffee? That was cool.

-Mike

Posted by: mostman

About the third episode. You can sort of judge how long it took [the team that did not win] to perform the final challenge. Take a look at the height of the sun when they started - and when they finished. It was at least 2 hours.

-Mike

Posted by: Z'Loth

How about a remote controlled bomb disposal unit made from junk? If the bomb goes off, all it shoots out is paint.

Posted by: JPriller

quote:
Originally posted by Z'Loth
How about a remote controlled bomb disposal unit made from junk? If the bomb goes off, all it shoots out is paint.

That'd be way cool. Maybe it'd have to go into a building (climb a short set of steps, push open a door) and snip a couple of wires. They'd have to give them the camera and remote control units/actuators, but it'd still be neat.

Posted by: mbcook

Yeah. Over the years they have had some really odd and cool ones. The gliders, the planes, the coffee grinder, the subs, the zambonee one (was that Monster Garage or something? I think it was, still make a good chalenge), and more. So many challenges seem to be "modify a car to....", but some have been cool. Like the one to make a little car that could go the farthest on a tiny amount of gasoline and such.

Posted by: ccwf

The bomb disposal machine idea sounds interesting.

As for gliders and planes, without experts this season, I don't think we'll see anything like that—too dangerous.

Posted by: Connie

Hmmm.. how about battle-blimps, remote-controlled? They have to traverse a set course, but they have the option of puncturing or otherwise taking the other out in some way?

I really liked the hockey-playing ice machines, the low-fuel consumption challenge and the steam cars. Oh, and the windmills were very cool too (I think that was the coffee-grinder challenge?)

I just watched the latest challenge -- rock-climbing this morning. This has been their best effort yet, in terms of exciting challenge, technical proficiency, intriguing characters, and good sportsmanship.

Posted by: Z'Loth

Especially if the teams don't know what type of paint bomb the production crew rigged up.

I think my favorite episode for last series was the "Washing machine tossing" contest.

Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)
The governor's team ignores the experts idea, and ends up building a trebuchet, while the other team building a catapult failed miserably. It was hilarious when they go "fire", and the catapult just sits there. Now, whose idea was it to use wire for tensioning?

Posted by: mbcook

Yeah. That washing machine one was absolutly hilarious. I can't believe that I forgot that one.

I also liked the long range rifel one (or whatever it was), it was one of the first episodes, IIRC. That was kinda cool too.

Posted by: Jonathan_S

The black-powder cannon ep was good, but they stated that the safety permits and such were so much of a pain that they wouldn't do it again.

And they did a mine clearing episode, with paint mines. That one wasn't bad.

They have thought up the odd unique episode, but too much of the time it's the third or fourth time they've done and idea. And worse, it is often clear that nobody has payed any attention to the previous times these ideas have been done, because they keep making the same design mistakes. If it didn't work the first two times why do you think it will work this time?