Knightmare

Knightmare is a British television programme for children and was broadcast on CITV from 7 September 1987 to 11 November 1994. An adventure game show, Knightmare involves a team of four children – one taking the role of the sightless dungeoneer, and the remaining three acting as their guide – traversing a medieval environment as they attempt to complete a quest and exit the dungeon, using their wits to overcome puzzles, obstacles and the unusual characters they meet along the journey. The show is most noted for its use of blue screen chroma key and use of 'virtual reality' interactive gameplay on television. Broadcast to high viewing figures throughout its original run, it has garnered a cult status amongst its fans since its final television episode in 1994. It was revived for a one off special by YouTube in August 2013.

Knightmare (1987-1994) is a British children's television adventure game show created by Tim Child and broadcast on ITV1 and CITV. Four young contestants work as a team: one child plays the sightless dungeoneer, wearing a blindfold and moving through a medieval dungeon, while three guides relay instructions from outside the maze. Their goal is to complete a quest, solve puzzles, and escape the dungeon while dealing with obstacles and strange characters encountered along the way. The engine of each episode is communication under pressure, as the blindfolded player depends entirely on the guides' clues and the guides must decode the environment through the chamber's puzzles. The show runs across eight seasons, a playful interactive format that feels like a live role playing session brought to television. Its look relies on blue screen chroma key, which places the young players into fantastical stone corridors and creatures, giving the production a handmade, theatrical charm. The tone is earnest, breezy and adventurous, with a nostalgic afterglow that has made it a cult favourite. Fans of Doctor Who, Fighting Fantasy gamebooks and Dungeons and Dragons style table play will find resonance in its blend of puzzle solving, imagination and teamwork.

Remembered as a charming, cult-favourite children's game show whose handmade blue screen look and interactive puzzle format retain strong nostalgic appeal.

• Dungeons & Dragonsshared interactive quest structure, medieval fantasy dungeon adventure, team-based puzzle solving
• Fighting Fantasyshared children's adventure format, puzzle solving through a guided quest, fantasy tone
• Knightmare Liveshared live action children's fantasy adventure with a team navigating a hostile world
• Doctor Who (1963)shared British children's television tradition, playful fantasy adventure, low-budget practical staging

Created by

Tim Child

Release Date

1987-09-07

Episode runtime

30 min

Rating

8.1 / 10 (15)

What is Knightmare about?

Four British children navigate a blue screen medieval dungeon, with one blindfolded player guided by three teammates through puzzles and monsters to escape.

What is Knightmare like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Knightmare as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Knightmare violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Knightmare.

What did critics think of Knightmare?

Remembered as a charming, cult-favourite children's game show whose handmade blue screen look and interactive puzzle format retain strong nostalgic appeal.

Which shows are like Knightmare?

Shows with a similar feel include Dungeons & Dragons, Fighting Fantasy, Knightmare Live, and Doctor Who (1963).

How long is Knightmare?

Knightmare: 8 seasons, 112 episodes.

Is Knightmare still running?

No, Knightmare has ended.