GamesMaster

GamesMaster is a British game show, first shown on Channel 4 from 7 January 1992 to 3 February 1998, and is the first ever UK TV show dedicated to computer and video-games.

The show's first two series and final four series of its original run were hosted by Dominik Diamond, and the third series was hosted by Dexter Fletcher, both of whom would present the show with Sir Patrick Moore, who played a giant floating wisecracking head known as "The Games Master".

A revival of the show aired on E4 on 24 November 2021, and is hosted by Robert "Rab" Florence, Frankie Ward, and Ty Logan, with Sir Trevor McDonald playing The Games Master.

Format
Although it featured game reviews, most of the show was about challenges where game players would compete against one another. Contestants who were successful at their challenges were rewarded with the coveted "GamesMaster Golden Joystick" trophy. Dominik Diamond, and Dexter Fletcher for the third series, usually presented the original version of the show with Sir Patrick Moore appearing in pre-recorded inserts as "The Games Master". During these challenges, Dominik and Dexter were joined by a host of commentators. These included magazine journalists such as Derrick Lynch, Kirk Ewing, Julian "Jaz" Rignall, Rik Henderson, "The Games Animal" Dave Perry, Tim Boone, Jeremy Daldry, Neil West, Frank O'Connor, and Jane Goldman amongst others.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) Dominik Diamond carried the show's original run with his snarky-but-pleasant demeanour. Dexter Fletcher did a pretty decent job, too. Rab Florence, Frankie Ward, and Ty Logan also bring their own flavour as hosts of the revival.
 * 2) The co-commentators were pretty insightful with their gaming knowledge.
 * 3) Sir Patrick Moore and Sir Trevor McDonald as The Games Master are both helpful and witty.
 * 4) Even celebrities appeared on the show to do the challenges, such as Bob Holness, Vinnie Jones, Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Gabrielle, Vic Reeves, Eric Bristow, Pat Sharp, Michael Fish, Mr. Motivator, Tony Slattery, Zoë Ball, Whigfield, Natalie Imbruglia, Uri Geller, Linford Christie, David Coulthard, East 17, Take That, All Saints, and the Gladiators, amongst many others.
 * 5) The set designs for all eight series is superb; Series 1 was set in a church, Series 2 was set in an oil rig, Series 3 was set in both a prison and a dungeon, Series 4 was set in Hell, Series 5 was set in Heaven, Series 6 was set in Atlantis, and Series 7 was set on a desert island, and Series 8 is set in a power station.
 * 6) The Golden Joystick assistants have their own little quirks.
 * 7) The challenges are pretty fun to watch.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) The final three series of the original became less about games and more about Dominik and his constant flirting with the female celebrities such as Whigfield, Sam Fox, Zoë Ball, and Jo Guest.
 * 2) Some of the challenges during the show's original run were actually rigged, much to the chagrin of contestants who earned their victories through their great gaming skills.
 * 3) Half of the reviews were biased, such as Jaz Rignall giving Street Gangs a.k.a. River City Ransom a 32% rating.
 * 4) Series 6's Christmas special involved an unfair challenge on mh:awesomegames:Super Mario 64 pitting co-commentator Dave Perry against Dominik's best friend and fellow co-commentator Kirk Ewing. This challenge drove Perry to quitting the show altogether.
 * 5) Series 7 was rushed due to Channel 4 "forgetting" to tell Hewland International they had another series of GamesMaster to make.

Trivia

 * Nicholas Parsons was originally chosen to play The Games Master, but the application of the facial distortion techniques didn't work properly.
 * Dominik Diamond temporarily left GamesMaster before Series 3 due to the show's two-year sponsorship deal with McDonalds, but returned for Series 4.