Okay, so I’m sure all of you remember the iconic, fantasy adventure game show, Raven. The child competitors were referred to as “warriors” and were each given new fantasy names, used exclusively in the show. The warriors completed a series of tasks, or quests, which could see them losing lives, represented by feathers, or winning gold rings. At the end of each show, the warrior with the fewest gold rings had to complete the “Way of the Warrior,” a complex obstacle course. Warriors who failed in the challenge were eliminated and would dramatically disappear from the screen. All of this was presided over by the character of Raven, played iconically by James Mackenzie. Raven was meant to be an ancient warrior/magician who could read the competitors thoughts and shapeshift into a bird and fly away. He wore a black feathered cloak, carried a magic, raven-headed staff, and uttered mysterious catchphrases like, “may the luck of the raven’s eye be with you.” As much as it was a children’s game show, I’d argue he is as important a fantasy character as any in popular culture. And surely he must have had the Game of Thrones costume department on the phone? Ultimately, Raven ran for eight years, 12 seasons, and also inspired spin-off shows like Raven: Secret Temple, and Raven: Dragon’s Eye.
Source link
