In this surreal science-fiction game show, celebrities attempt to solve a series of logic puzzles on the alien planet of Argond.
Each week, a trio of human celebrities find themselves transported to the distant planet Argond. They are tasked with completing a series of lateral thinking puzzles and practical challenges to earn “drogna,” the local currency, which they need to pay for their journey home. Their progress is observed by the planet’s eccentric, vaguely reptilian inhabitants, the Argonds. These include the calm Darong (Moira Stuart) and the mischievous Dargon (Sarah Lam). A recurring final challenge is the dreaded Vortex, a grid-like floor puzzle where one wrong move results in the contestant’s apparent evaporation. From the second series, former presenter Lesley Judd (Lesley Judd) appeared as “The Mole,” a human prisoner tasked with helping the contestants.
A landmark in intelligent children’s/family programming, The Adventure Game was constructed as a whimsical science-fiction puzzle box. Created by Patrick Dowling, who had a background in educational television, the show respected its audience by refusing to simplify its logic problems. Its cult status was secured by a unique, low-budget aesthetic and the surreal inhabitants of Argond, whose names were all anagrams of “dragon.” The performances of the Argonds gave the series its distinctive, otherworldly atmosphere. The programme skilfully balanced intellectual challenge with genuine jeopardy, creating a memorable and often genuinely tense piece of television.
Broadcast: BBC One / BBC Two, 22 Episodes, 24 May 1980 – 18 February 1986
Creators: Ian Oliver, Patrick Dowling
Producers: Ian Oliver, Christopher Tandy
Director: Oliver Macfarlane
Main Cast: Moira Stuart (Darong), Sarah Lam (Dargon), Christopher Leaver (Gandor), Bill Homeward (Rongad), Lesley Judd (The Mole)
Notable Contestants: Graeme Garden, James Burke, Liza Goddard, Paul Darrow, Madeline Smith, David Yip, Nerys Hughes, Derek Griffiths, Noel Edmonds, Fern Britton, Johnny Ball, Keith Chegwin
