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Richard Hammond’s Crazy Contraptions is a new show for Channel 4 which has a look of the ’80s BBC2 show, The Great Egg Race, which I loved as a kid.
There are scores of chores around the house that we just can’t get round to doing… I’ve got a bit of painting that MIGHT be done over the bank holiday weekend, for example… but probably not.
But what if I could set up a giant marble run to trying it all off? Well, it would no doubt result in a ruined carpet, even more than if I did it myself.
The teams on the show have just three days to achieve their aims. Believing that Mr Hammond lives in the luxurious mansion to which he claims, the first task is in the bathroom, then onto the landing, and finally, the bedroom – and using the devices within each area to travel from A to B. They get one day per area, but the only task is to make the bed. Can’t be that difficult, surely? Then again, I can never be bothered, myself, and it should take just a few minutes.
Naturally, I won’t say whether the teams on the show manage to accomplish their tasks, but expect terms like foaming toilet, poo, burning, spilling red wine, crystal balls, mystery object… this is not a spoiler, just a series of words that pop up and stood out 🙂
As you’d expect, the show has a little bit of padding as they introduce the teams, in part, showing how they got into building contraptions of their own, but nowhere near as much as some TV shows do. Also, there’s also a tipping over of books, which reminds me of the rifles going back and forth in the opening credits of A Few Good Men. Watch the clip below from 2:07.
Overall, this is an enjoyable show, so just right for relaxing to on a Friday evening.
Richard Hammond’s Crazy Contraptions begins on Channel 4 tonight at 8pm, after which, the episode will be on All 4.
The series is not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD.
Presenter: Richard Hammond
Machine guru: Zach Umperovitch
Scientist: Shini Somara
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.