Trapped! (TV series)
| Trapped | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also known as | Trapped!: Ever After (2010) |
| Genre | Children |
| Presented by | Simon Greenall (The Caretaker) |
| Starring |
Eve Karpf (The Voice: 2007) Faith Brown (The Voice: 2008-2010) Olly Pike (Wiley Sneak) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 52 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network |
BBC One (28 September - 21 December 2007) CBBC Channel (10 July 2008 - 4 November 2010) |
| Picture format | 16:9 |
| Original release | 28 September 2007 – 4 November 2010 |
Trapped! was a British children's television game show that was broadcast on BBC One and CBBC Channel from 28 September 2007 to 4 November 2010.
Format
Trapped (2007-2009)
The show as a whole is set in a five-storey tower which, from the opening titles, appears to be on a small island in the middle of the sea. Each episode is introduced by the Caretaker, and also features a character referred to simply as the 'Voice'. Six children (referred to as Unfortunates) start at the top of the tower to complete one task per floor. They each wear an earpiece, known as a 'Whisper Clip, and prior to each game, one child is chosen through his earpiece as the Saboteur. It is then that child's job to sabotage the game without being spotted, with guidance from the Voice.
After each game, if the team pass the challenge, the rest of the team minus the Saboteur move down one level. If they fail, each child votes for who he thinks was the Saboteur, and the one with the most votes does not move down. A straw draw is used in the event of a tie, with the shortest straw being the one trapped.
This repeats on a floor-by-floor basis until there are only two Unfortunates left. The final round is an alternating question based round on the events of their time in the tower throughout the episode. Whoever has the higher score wins the Key of Freedom and leaves the tower. The rest stay trapped in the tower forever...
Trapped!: Ever After (2010)
For 2010, changes were made to the format of the show, particularly in areas of themes, the games and interaction with the Unfortunates. As well as introducing a new room for the caretaker, recaps were made of previously trapped Unfortunates on higher floors and the appearance of the Voice was revised. The final round was also adjusted - get a question right and step towards the Key of Freedom. Get a question wrong and the opponent steps towards it.
Main characters
The Caretaker
The Caretaker is the host/presenter character, played by Simon Greenall. He provides links between games and introduces each game with a voice over while another character, Wiley Sneak, provides a visual demonstration. The Caretaker is also trapped, and has been in the Tower for a very long time (in one episode he mentions being around in 1604, in another being around in the war, then mentioning Romans and in a third, 1945), even though he only came there for a night's sleep prior to his imprisonment. He must trap as many children as the Voice deems worthy before he can be freed. His catchphrase is said when the saboteur is chosen, he would say "I know who it is, you know who it is, but the rest of them don't".
The Voice
The Voice starts the tasks, decides the Saboteur (see below), ends the challenges, and traps the Unfortunates. The Voice is depicted only as a spooky head with a nose, a mouth and a purple lipstick. She speaks to the Unfortunates through a device attached to their ear called a Whisper Clip. Played by Eve Karpf for the first series, then Faith Brown from Series 2 onwards.
Wiley Sneak
Wiley, played by Olly Pike, leads children to the tower to play the games. He is in turn trapped by 'the Voice', and must trap as many children as he can to be freed. Wiley has 'not uttered a single whisper-breath' since the day he was trapped according to The Caretaker, but communicates through mime and hitting the side of the tower and whistling to get The Caretaker's attention when he has caught more unfortunates. Wiley was once an unfortunate, who was taken to the tower. After being the saboteur in Wall of Sorrow and Freaky Factory, and getting away with it both times the Voice admired his sneakiness. Because of this, when Wiley "escaped" the tower, the Voice put a spell on him, so that he would collect new unfortunates against his will. "Wiley Sneak also demonstrates how the games are to be played. Although he seems evil at first during the introduction, he is only trying all he can to earn his freedom along with the Caretaker. He is seen as a young man, around his early twenties yet it is mentioned in an episode that he was trapped 100 years prior to the episode so it is likely that the spell the voice put on him also halted his aging.
Music
The music is written by Dobs Vye, a composer who specialises in writing for television.
- Series 1: This is not a fairy tale. Come and play the game! If you want to take the Tower on, you have to say his name. It's Wiley Sneak, Wiley Sneak, Wiley Sneak. Now, it's off to the Tower, you'll be up against each other. Sabotage the game, my friend, but do not blow your cover. I am waiting for you kiddies. Who will take the wrap? 'Cause only One will escape and the rest... YOU'RE TRAPPED!
- Series 2 & 3: This is not a fairy tale. Come and play the game! If you want to take The Tower on, you have to say his name. It's Wiley, Wiley, Wiley Sneak. It's off to the Tower, you'll be up against each other. Sabotage the game, my friend, but do not blow your cover! I am waiting for you kiddies. Who will take the wrap? 'Cause only One will escape and the rest... YOU'RE TRAPPED!
- Ever After: (The Voice) This is not a fairy tale, or is it? (Caretaker talks) For hundreds of years, only the most unfortunate are summoned to the Tower, ready to take on the Voice and her dark magical forces. There are tricks and challenges on every floor and someone not to be trusted! Only one will escape with the Key of Freedom, and the rest... (the Voice) YOU'RE TRAPPED: EVER AFTER!
Production
Cast
- Simon Greenall as The Caretaker
- Eve Karpf/Faith Brown as The Voice
- Olly Pike as Wiley Sneak
- Helen Evans as Madame Deux Visage/Miss Mutternott/Ethel the Witch/Crowman
- Eloise Dale as Midnight Bride/Frozen Princess
- Sophie Louise Dann as Granny Witch
- Jolana Lee as Split Ends
- Dusty Limits as Marriage Man
- Djalenga Scott as Esmé/Scarlett
- Kiran Shah as Grimble
- Peter Wardell as The One-Eyed Watcher/Boris the Organist
- Leisha Wickham as Millicent
- Brian Wheeler as Baby Botherer
- Matthew Wren as The Moon Howler
Crew
- Director – James Morgan
- Producer/Creator – Rob Hyde
- Writers – Carl Carter & Tony Cooke
- Art Director – Catherine Land
- Set Design – Richard Drew
- Lighting Director – James Campbell
Online game
In 2009, a multiplayer online game was released after the end of the third series. This game contained some of the challenges from the show, slightly edited to fit the format. Players must first select a caricature 'Unfortunate' to play as, then move on. They are either chosen to be a saboteur in secret, or just get shown a picture of a clock and an otherwise blank screen. The voice gives hints to the saboteur throughout each separate game as to how to ruin the challenge. If the team passes, then they vote, but the saboteur is trapped; and if they fail then whoever gets the most votes is trapped. In the event of a tie, then two spotlights flash over the drawing players until only one remains on. The player under the remaining spotlight is trapped. The cartoon-style characters used in the game parody the opening.
Transmissions
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