talkmagic.co.uk

Sadly true, the Channel 4 online streaming facility is UK viewers only.

greedoniz wrote:Predicting the winner of the last race is surely just a continuation of "the System".
You know when you have a special commisioned programme you can afford it

Interesting idea, however the girl had one (the) ticket in her hand the entire time, thus proving The System could not have been used....

chris2215 wrote:

greedoniz wrote:Predicting the winner of the last race is surely just a continuation of "the System".
You know when you have a special commisioned programme you can afford it

Interesting idea, however the girl had one (the) ticket in her hand the entire time, thus proving The System could not have been used....

I think not. There are a number of ways around it. I could speculate on all of them, but it's probably best I don't.
we'd all love to believe you're right though!

Let me just check something:

The first race culled the original 7000ish down to just over 1000. Am I right in thinking that each and every one of those 1000 people was given a camcorder to record a video diary (as happened with the 'main' lady)?

I shudder to think of the expense (not to mention the admin) involved. Still, shows what you can do if you've got the clout.

I shudder to think of the expense

Or, more realistically, they gave 5 or 10 people from each group a camera?

they gave out 36 cameras, i thought. to people in the last 2 groups.
They would have to give a camera to everyone to be sure 'the winner' would have one. I only remember them going to the bookies once with a camera, so it'd only have to be the last 2 races (befor the big one) that would need the cameras, and there'd only be 36 people left at that stage.

I thought she filmed her first bet, which would have been on the second race. I could be mistaken. But if I'm not, we're talking a whole shedload of camcorders!

I wonder how they got all the cameras back again, and reimbursed 'unsuccessful' participants any money they'd lost through betting their own money. The potential sums boggle my (albeit feeble) brain.

One probably shouldn't think too much about these things.

If they did send out 36 cameras i wouldn't've thought they'd've bothered getting them back, probably got a bulk buying deal from Currys anyhow!
There was a message at the end of the show offering a refund but I imagine they'd need the betting slips as proof. Wonder how many people who wern't even involved tried to get a refund!

how many people who wern't even involved tried to get a refund!

I know i did

another possibility, is the show's producers said to participants: "we are so excited about the SYSTEM we want to enjoy your success with you, make sure you get a friend to catch you on video as you place your bet..."

or words to that effect, most people have access to a camcorder.

once they narrowed done the numbers, I am sure they would have supplied a camera crew or similar to ensure they got the footage they wanted as things started to get interesting.

or maybe "we are filming a documentary, can you get yourself on camera when placing the bets"?

Blapsing_Beard wrote:or maybe "we are filming a documentary, can you get yourself on camera when placing the bets"?

agree, or words to that effect, most people have access to a camcorder.

Am I the only one who believes that most of Brown's stuff is just as enjoyable if you know how it's done? I was in hysterics at DB's acting skills when he walked away from the table having tossed his ten heads, totally aware that the nonchalance and matter-of-fact there-you-go-ness of his closing comment was clearly masking his utter relief at finally having got ten in a row. I'm sure he did it for real, too. I suspect it was important for him that the methods really were based on the same principle.

I liked the thematic link between the polaroid gallery and the explanation of the system, and the fact that it was a big old hint (visually at least) at what was going on; I'm sure Brown for the most part wants you to be guessing at the solution before he explains it.

I've some (and only some!) idea of how the middle effect was done, but oughtn't discuss this side of the mentalist curtain... The only bit about it that grated for me was the working out of the odds, and finding they were made up of the numbers on the back of the photos. Seeing as he'd just "predicted" the four selections being made any way, and the odds were made up by the test itself, rather than any kind of random factor, it wasn't the cherry on the cake, it was just the same bit of cake again. That said, 'twas a lovely diversion, especially the more mature of the gentlemen, who seemed totally nonplussed by the whole thing throughout, but afterwards went on about how baffling it all was. You never can tell.

There was something else I found really interesting, but it's harder to define. It has something to do with how much more engaged the punter was with the race once she knew there was no system. I think DB lucked in quite a bit with the show, too - ending up with a hard-up single mum, and the penultimate race coming through mainly because of falling horses. I am just rambling now.

Mr_Grue wrote:Am I the only one who believes that most of Brown's stuff is just as enjoyable if you know how it's done? I was in hysterics at DB's acting skills when he walked away from the table having tossed his ten heads, totally aware that the nonchalance and matter-of-fact there-you-go-ness of his closing comment was clearly masking his utter relief at finally having got ten in a row. I'm sure he did it for real, too. I suspect it was important for him that the methods really were based on the same principle.

I'd like to think he did it for real. It shows off that slightly-obsessive side to his character

I've some (and only some!) idea of how the middle effect was done, but oughtn't discuss this side of the mentalist curtain... The only bit about it that grated for me was the working out of the odds, and finding they were made up of the numbers on the back of the photos. Seeing as he'd just "predicted" the four selections being made any way, and the odds were made up by the test itself, rather than any kind of random factor, it wasn't the cherry on the cake, it was just the same bit of cake again. That said, 'twas a lovely diversion, especially the more mature of the gentlemen, who seemed totally nonplussed by the whole thing throughout, but afterwards went on about how baffling it all was. You never can tell.

I know nothing about mentalism either, and as a lay it just seems to just confirm that he knew already what four photographs were going to be picked. Which he did when he mentioned the initials.

There was something else I found really interesting, but it's harder to define. It has something to do with how much more engaged the punter was with the race once she knew there was no system. I think DB lucked in quite a bit with the show, too - ending up with a hard-up single mum, and the penultimate race coming through mainly because of falling horses. I am just rambling now.

Those two scenes you mentioned made the entire show for me. As well as the big reveal and bringing in alternative medicine, of course

Some people don't seem to have liked her much, but I really loved the character of the woman that ended up having the winning streak