User blog:Drop Zone mk2/Desert Island Robot Wars

With the show finally returning to TV today, I thought it would be fun to look back at some of my favourite memories of the original series. The following are the top 10 Robot Wars episodess I have the fondest memories of, from the three series I saw on original transmission. Not "the best", but the episodes I look back on with the most fondness.

Note: I have not included Grand Finals, as they are always going to be the most memorable. Also, I only saw the Series 6 and 7 Grand Finals on original transmission, and I don't want to say more about the anti-Razer frame or the Storm 2 scandal. Some other time maybe, but not here.

1) Series 6, Heat C - True, I only saw the Heat Final of this episode originally, and not even the whole fight, as I remember flicking on as Chaos 2 was struggling to self-right in the corner, but this one has to be on the list as the moment mt 14-years-and-counting love affair with Robot Wars began. Even though I didn't know who Chaos 2 was at that time, I knew from the interviews there had been a major upset, and I knew I had to see more of the show.

2) Series 6, Heat F - This is the first episode I remember seeing the whole way through, having missed (as far as I remember) Heats D and E, because I didn't know when Robot Wars was on. (My parents didn't always buy TV guides, and I didn't know how to use Teletext back then). Memorable moments from this Heat include; enjoying the fun designs of Chompalot, 13 Black, Thermidor 2 and Demolition Man, 13 Black battering Chompalot, Demolition Man having a dustbin dropped on it, and the 13 Black vs Stinger Heat Final.

3) Series 6, Heat K - With this episode, I remember pretty much every battle from original transmission, with almost every competitor leaving an impact for one reason or another. Naturally, Hypno-Disc made the biggest impression - I had heard of them before watching the Heat, and was looking forward to seeing them. I also loved Barber-Ous for its strange design and surprisingly good weapon. I remember seeing the 4x4 team and wondering what happened to Diotoir (I had read about some of the big names absent from Series 6 online, such as Pussycat, but wouldn't find out why they didn't enter until many years later, mostly from this wiki). Granny's Revenge was a highlight, and the Kat 3 team were fun too. I remember liking Revenge of Trouble and Strife, and being a little dissapointed they went out in Round 1, but still being very impressed with Bulldog Breed, only for them to drop out to a good robot pretty quickly as well. I even remember small things about this Heat, like how they recapped the Series 5 battle between Bulldog Breed and Hypno-Disc, how I actuallly understood what a "Spin Doctor" was, having asked mum about it not long before this Heat, and Phillipa Forrester's comment about the burning Granny's Revenge, and how she wished we all had "smellyvision" so every could smell it - which I found ironic, because earlier that day I had watched Blue Peter, and whilst cooking, one of the presenters had made a comment about how they wished we could all have "smellyvision" so we could enjoy the smell of the cooking! (True story!)

4) Series 6, Semi-Final 1 - This was my first proper glimpse of Razer, who I had liked the look of since first seeing it online, and seeing its wins against Wild Thing and Dantomkia made certain it was my favourite robot. I watched this episode whilst up at my Grandparents' house, and I also remember this episode because I finally found out who that "mysterious yellow robot that flipped out Chaos 2" was, 13 Black "scuttling" upside down, Wild Thing's frantic repairs to get into the Losers' Melee, S3 falling over the side wall and Razer pushing Dantomkia into Mr Psycho.

5) Extreme 2, All-Stars Heat B - What could be more memorable than an episode where Chaos 2 and Hypno-disc go out in Round 1, with Chaos 2 being thrashed? The Round 1 battles were the most memorable parts of the episode for me, with Chaos 2 being carried around by Mr Psycho and Hypno-disc being pitted being two of the most memorable moments of the show for me. This episode also sticks in my mind for seeing more of Razer, as they became All-Stars champion.

6) Extreme 2, Annihilator - This episode, where do I begin? Seeing Typhoon 2, a team I remembered from Techno Games, and at the time, despite liking the robot, I would never guessed they would become champions. I kept remembering their peformance here when watching their success in Series 7 and thinking "what happened?". Seeing more of Kan-Opener, Revenge of Trouble 'n' Strife, robots I enjoyed in Series 6 and wanted to see more of. Major Tom being demolished. Thermidor 2 dominating so many battles, only to lose in the last few seconds.

7) 'Extreme 2, Tag Team Terror - I missed the first few minutes of this episode, as I had just got back from a friend's party, but fortunately, I didn't miss any of the battles. This was the first time I saw Mini Morg, The Steel Avenger, Pussycat and Diotoir, robots I had like having found out about them online or in The Ultimate Guide, and being dissapointed they weren't in Series 6, along with robots like Mousetrap, Splinter and Suicidal Tendencies. Mini Morg with their sheep were fun, but the highlight of the episode was Bulldog Breed. I remember being very surprised they took out the reigning champions, then they won the next two battles with little help from Robochicken.

8) Series 7, Heat O - Pretty late into Series 7 this one, it's not that I don't remember the other Heats, I just don't have many memorable stories about them. Every battle in this heat I vividly remember; liking the design of U.R.O. and the team's "Men In Black Overalls" theme, Bigger Brother taking out all of its opponents, seeing Xenomorph and thinking "that looks like Sumpthing, I wonder if it's the same team", DisConstructor driving down the pit. But then the most memorable moment came, Iron Awe flipping out Bigger Brother. Bigger Brother had become one of my favourites after watching Heat L of Series 6 and the Minor Meltdown )two ther great episodes that just missed out on the list), so this was a huge surprise. Then, as I calmed down from that, Typhoon 2 came from nowhere to batter Hammerhead and Iron Awe, becoming one of my new favourites.

9) Series 7, Semi-Final 2 - I taped this episode, as I was out on a walk with my family that day. The recording was poor quality, as was the case with all four episodes I tried taping, but every fight in this episode was a good one, from Mute nearly flipping itself out, Typhoon 2 knocking out Thermidor in one hit, and Thermidor being subjected to all the arena hazards, seeing Storm 2 again, who had become one of my favourites after Heat I, in a great battle with Grim Reaper, who I also liked because of their mascot and the pretending to be zombies, the close and exciting battle between Atomic and M2, Storm 2's surprise win against Firestorm, and Atomic coming so close to flipping out Typhoon, only to get stuck, and be battered.

10) The First World Championshp - Ok, so I didn't see this one on original airing, but this tape was so memorable, I had to include it here. I first saw it in 2003, when a friend of mine brought it to an after-school club. I still remember Razer biting into All Torque, All Torque's mascot catching fire, Panic Attack reversing into the pit and Mauler's safety test. However, it wasn't until 2005 that I ordere the video, since I didn't knwo about Amazon. I didn't know then that it had been released on DVD, and my copy did have sound quality issues ( It kept going quiet, then the Hi-Fi signal came up and the sound went back to normal - I don't know how many of you will remember those issues on videos!), but the whole tape is filled with great battles and memorable moments - Chaos 2 nearly losing to Killerhurtz, only to flip them over, Terror Australis not starting, Razer thrashing Chaos 2, Behemoth's excellent win over Mortis before tossing Diotoir over and over, then the epic final between Razer and Behemoth.

Drop Zone mk2 (talk) 10:45, July 24, 2016 (UTC)