Scrapheap Challenge: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:39, 26 June 2005

Revision as of 23:21, 11 July 2005

Line 1:

'''''Scrapheap Challenge''''' (known as '''''Junkyard Wars''''' in the [[United States]]) is a [[game show]] made by [[RDF Media]] and broadcast on [[Channel 4]] and [[The Learning Channel]]. The show features contestants using materials (often old vehicles) available in a [[junkyard]] to build working machines that can do a specific task. At the end of each episode, the machines are pitted against each other in a contest to determine the winner.

Episodes generally consist of two four-person teams in competition, plus one or two hosts who usually consult with an "expert" judge who knows something about non-[[junk]] versions of the machines being constructed. Each team consists of three regular members, plus a fourth expert who usually has a better understanding of the class of machine being constructed for that episode.

Line 7:

The idea for the show came from a scene in the movie ''[[Apollo 13 (movie)|Apollo 13]]'', where [[NASA]] engineers had only a short period of time to construct an air filter out of parts available on the space capsule.

''Scrapheap Challenge'' originated on the British [[Channel 4]], butand was importedexported to United States television under the name ''Junkyard Wars.'' Later, an American version of the show was created with the same name.

In the [[United Kingdom]], the two programs have distinct names, but American audiences only see the ''Junkyard Wars'' title. Sometimes, video of the UK version is even edited to blot out the name ''Scrapheap Challenge.'' In 2004, a series of the US programme was broadcast on Channel 4 under the title ''Scrapheap Challenge USA'', but only the title sequence was changed and the rest of the programme, including logos and verbal references to "Junkyard Wars" remained intact. The UK programme was originally presented by [[Robert Llewellyn]], joined in the second series by [[Cathy Rogers]] (who was also producer and co-devisor of the show). The latter was replaced on screen by [[Lisa Rogers]] (no relation) in 2002.

Line 19:

[[Category:Channel 4 television programmes]]

[[Category:2000s TV shows in the United States]]