Bad Influence! facts for kids

Bad Influence! was a cool British TV show from the 1990s. It aired on CITV between 1992 and 1996. The show was made in Leeds by Yorkshire Television. It was all about video games and computer technology. Many people called it a "kid's Tomorrow's World". This meant it showed off new and exciting tech.

The show was usually on Thursday afternoons. It had four series, with 13 to 15 episodes each. Every episode was 20 minutes long. For three of its four series, it was the most popular show on CITV! The show's first idea for a name was Deep Techies. This was a slang term for people who were really into technology. The final name, Bad Influence!, was a bit of a joke. It referred to how some newspapers saw video games back then.

What Was Bad Influence! Like?

Bad Influence! started when 16-bit computers and game consoles were popular. It gave viewers the latest news, sneak peeks, and reviews. These were about the newest games and computer tech. The show even lasted long enough to feature the launch of the Nintendo 64 console. Back then, it was known as the Ultra 64.

Meet the Presenters and Characters

The show was first hosted by Violet Berlin and Andy Crane. They were already well-known children's TV presenters. Violet and Andy worked from the studio. Z Wright, a teen actor from the US, sent in reports from America. He did this until Series 4.

There was also a fun character called Nam Rood. This name is "door man" spelled backwards! Andy Wear played Nam Rood. He was a bit wild and lived in a shed at first, then in a basement. Nam Rood would share game cheats with viewers. He wrote them on cards and stuck them to his forehead! He would also do funny, mock science experiments. He always greeted viewers with his special phrases: "slimy furtlers" and "scrotty furtlers." "Furtler" was his word for a "techie" or someone who loves tech. In one episode, he even joked about a "cheat for Sonic Six," which didn't exist!

Game Reviews and Special Features

Each episode featured three game reviews. Teenagers from Leeds, where the show was made, reviewed the games. Some of these teens appeared in all four series! Each game got two scores: one from the girls and one from the boys.

Most reports from the middle of the show came from Z Wright in the US. But sometimes, Violet Berlin or Andy Crane would do reports instead. The show often focused on PC and Amiga computer games early in an episode. Later on, it would feature more console games.

Towards the end of the show, there was a weekly competition. After that came one of the show's most unique parts: the 'Datablast'. Viewers were told to record this on their video recorders. The Datablast was a series of pages with gaming articles and info. They flashed very quickly onto the screen during the credits. Viewers could then watch it back in slow motion to read the pages. It had a simpler version of the episode's content. It also had exclusive things, like Top Ten video game charts.

Spin-offs and Changes

In Series 1, a Bad Influence! magazine was launched. The show promoted it, but only two issues were ever published. In Series 2, Violet Berlin was even included as a character in the Mega Drive game Micro Machines 2! She appeared in another video game in Series 4 too.

Series 3 brought big changes to the show. The old virtual reality intro and credits looked a bit old-fashioned. They were replaced with a new, industrial-style intro. This was inspired by the fighting game Rise of the Robots. The theme tune was also remixed to sound more industrial. The show felt a bit wilder, aiming for slightly older teens. This was because games were becoming more popular with older players. However, CITV's audience was actually getting younger.

In Series 3, the Datablast only appeared once, at the very end of the series. It was its last appearance. Z Wright and Nam Rood also made their final appearances in Series 3.

In Series 4, the last series, Violet Berlin took over Z Wright's role. She presented global reports, not just from the US. She also got her own segment called Virtual Violet. Back in the studio, Andy Crane was joined by a new co-presenter, Sonya Saul. Nam Rood and the Datablast were gone. In the very last episode, Berlin, Crane, and Saul all presented together in the studio. This was the only time that happened.

After Series 4 ended, there were talks about making Bad Influence! for a younger audience. This was reported on a TV information service called Teletext. But these plans never happened. Gamers were getting older, but CITV's audience was getting younger. So, a fifth series was not made, and the show ended.

When Did Bad Influence! Air?

The show's airing schedule was pretty regular for the first three series. There were only two weeks off for Christmas in the first series. Series 1, 2, and 3 aired on Thursdays. Series 4 was the only one to air on Wednesdays. The very last episode, though, aired on a Tuesday. Series 4 had a few breaks, with no episodes on some dates in October, November, and December 1995. There was also a three-week break before the final episode. The last episode aired on January 2, 1996.

Bad Level 10 Spin-off

There was a spin-off show called Bad Level 10. It aired on The Children's Channel. The first series had 26 episodes, each 10 minutes long. It started on February 20, 1995. Violet Berlin hosted it, with Steve Keen as an "assistant presenter." Steve Keen used to be a researcher for Bad Influence!. This spin-off was also made by Patrick Titley and Yorkshire Television.

Images for kids

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  Presenter Violet Berlin

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  Cheats expert "Nam Rood"