By John Walker on July 31st, 2009 at 6:54 pm.
This is slightly outside the boundaries of our remit, but it’s a special occasion. At 21:15 this evening on BBC Radio 2 the first episode of The Adventures of Sexton Blake is broadcast. Edit: You can listen to it here – for the love of all that’s holy, skip to 3:40 lest your ears burn at the horrendous programme that preceded it. Sexton Blake is a fascinating fictional figure, whose detective stories have been told by over 200 authors since 1893, each without a care for canon. However, in all his 116 years, he’s never been in a videogame. We bring this programme to your attention for another reason: it is co-written by Mr J Nash.
I wish no disservice to his co-author, novelist and columnist Mil Millington, a remarkably funny man who has collaborated with Nash on multiple projects (not least The Weekly), and perhaps most famous for his website-cum-Guardian column-cum novel, Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About. But I believe he will understand that we shift the focus over to Mr Nash.
It is safe to say that without the writing of J Nash, Rock, Paper, Shotgun wouldn’t know what to be. Ask Jim, Kieron or me to name our influences and you’ll hear his name come up straight away (among others who deserve huge credit, but fail to have a programme on the radio this evening). (Alec’s unmagazined childhood meant he escaped the direct influences, but is as victim to the effects as any other writing passionately in the industry.) He was a part of the team that made Amiga Power such an extraordinary magazine, editor of the glorious Your Sinclair in its last few months, co-writer of Digiworld (along with Stuart Campbell and some fresh new writer called Kieron Gillen) and frequent contributor to PC Gamer in its early years (and indeed its recent years). His outstanding, almost other-worldly writing created a generation of writers desperately trying to mimic him. Us.
I could witter on for many decades, but instead shall simply share with you some chunks of a preview for a game rather boldly called “Frogger”, from issue 48 of PC Gamer in 1997, which I reproduce without anyone’s permission.
Unquestionably the most ingenious Frogger rip-off in the days before lawyers were invented was Jogger. At a stroke, the game suddenly made sense, especially the bit where you fell into the water and drowned. This is not strictly relevant, but adds local colour.
Frogger, readers who steeple their fingers to promote thought and healthful blood flow may recall, was a 1981 arcade game about this thing: a frog, who had to jump across a motorway and then a river without perishing squashingly, in order to reach a hole in which he looked uncommonly pleased.
And slightly later,
The leaping around has been retained, but now you can scamper anywhere on a giant mazy level in your attempt to rescue five baby frogs before the traditional 60 seconds expire. Except in the water, obviously. Because you drown. (“Not a lot made sense in the early ’80s,” points out Chris [Down, producer], powerfully refusing to be drawn. But what about Frogger 2, eh? You were in the water all the time then. “But that was bizarre.” An enviable unflappability.)
Eventually reaching,
There’s also a two- to four-player find-the-flags network race, where you may stun your opponents with an eerie bellow and jump on their shoulders to impede their egress before thundering lorries. “What’s addictive then is addictive now,” said Chris. Of it.
And yet I thought new Frogger a vile thing. Although palpably unfinished, I found its perspective unworkable (zooming out to maximum distance was the only playable angle, at which point it’s an overhead game), the brutally unforgiving slippery edges hateful rather than witty, the additions bafflingly unnecessary and the sense of advancement of the simple original lost in the clutter. Readers, I truly, dearly, sincerely and knuckle-gnawingly hope and trust that the closing months of development make me look such a fool.
Someone wrote to me today, as sometimes people do, to ask for advice toward getting involved with games criticism. I think my answer is: read the work of J Nash and Stuart Campbell, and once you understand, apply.
On this basis, tune into The Adventures of Sexton Blake on Radio 2 this evening, at 21.15. Forrins can listen to it live via the magics of their website. I shall edit in the Listen Again link so soon as its again-ness comes to be. Below are the four videos created to explain the series (which I have spectacularly failed to do). Edit: Listen here. It appears to work outside our isle, which is splendid.
31/07/2009 at 19:18 AndrewC says:
I got a letter printed on that Ceefax magazine thing. I believe it argued that games promoted pacifism because, on account of being so cuntingly hard, OpFlash prepared us to face death with zen-like peace.
That ceefax magazine thing was the best ever, even though the letters page was often filled with twats.
31/07/2009 at 19:22 Mister Hands says:
My heart informs me that the inclusion of Digitiser teletext-graphics makes any article 4000% better. I’ll be listening tonight.
31/07/2009 at 19:32 Fumarole says:
No relation to Saxton Hale, nach.
31/07/2009 at 20:00 Iain "DDude" Dawson says:
Thanks for the heads up, I shall definitely be listening!
31/07/2009 at 20:09 ruaidhri.k says:
Dirk Maggs did the rather spiffing radio adaptation of Knightfall back in the nineties. I’ll tune in on those grounds.
31/07/2009 at 20:15 Railick says:
Sexton Blake is an okay name but not as good as Saxton Hale.
31/07/2009 at 20:16 Railick says:
Dad-nabbit Fumarole you beat me to it :)
31/07/2009 at 20:23 Recomposer says:
Simon Jones as Sexton Blake – I’m in.
31/07/2009 at 20:28 a says:
Are radio dramas still popular in the UK? I think I’ve gone my entire life without ever hearing one.
31/07/2009 at 20:33 aoanla says:
I am rather too excited about this – Sexton Blake is long overdue some radio time, and the whole J Nash/Mil Millington collaboration is the icing on the proverbial cake.
31/07/2009 at 20:53 Diogo Ribeiro says:
Wasn’t Sexton Blake a penny dreadful character? Or am I mixing things up?
31/07/2009 at 20:56 AndrewC says:
My god…the director’s hair. FF characters would be embarrassed.
31/07/2009 at 21:07 Bobsy says:
I’d not heard of Sexton Blake at all until earlier this week when, prior to the series launch Radio 2 did an hour-long documentary about the character and his history in fiction. It’s well worth a listen and is available until Tuesday, here.
(in simple terms, Sexton Blake is the missing link between Sherlock Holmes and James Bond)
By absolute coincidence in the days leading up to this discovery I’d started fiddling with Adventure Game Studio and dreaming of a dashing Victorian-era gentleman adventurer. Well, we’ll just see about that.
(and Dirk Maggs is also to mulletted man behind the new serieses of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (also starring Simon Jones) and Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency)
31/07/2009 at 21:16 PaulMorel says:
80s hair ftw.
31/07/2009 at 21:17 BooleanBob says:
Creepy. It’s 9.15pm on a Friday night and I, finding myself without prior engagement., am in want of something to do. This is a remarkable coincidence. An absolutely remarkable coincidence.
Seriously you guys, this is almost never the case at this kind of time on this kind of day of the week.
31/07/2009 at 21:19 aoanla says:
Sexton Blake is also the Michael Moorcock connection to Sherlock Holmes (and quite important in his early work – he has an ersatz Blake as “Sexton Begg” in his later work as a reference to this).
31/07/2009 at 21:19 Owen says:
Wow, I’ve timed coming home from the Thai and logging on to RPS just perfectly (it being 9:14 as I write this).
Cheers John, I remember Mr Nash and shall check this out.
Owen
31/07/2009 at 21:19 Magnus says:
Listening now… not half bad.
31/07/2009 at 21:28 jalf says:
Never ever heard of Sexton Blake, but sounds like fun. Guess I’ll have to listen in.
31/07/2009 at 21:31 aoanla says:
So, firstly, it is astonishingly like something written by Mr J Nash and Mil Millington. In a distilled form. Which is very good. (I still want to know how Mr J Nash’s back page story in Arcane was going to end…)
Secondly, was that a guest appearance by the theme from David Lynch’s “Dune” film?
31/07/2009 at 21:37 Lack_26 says:
I wonder when the next episode will be on, it was good, my style of comedy. Sort of reminds me of Milton Jones (Radio 4).
31/07/2009 at 21:40 aoanla says:
@Lack_26: according to the BBC Radio 2 website, they’re a weekly feature. So, 21:15 next Friday.
31/07/2009 at 21:51 Kieron Gillen says:
Hurry up. Get on Listen again, you basts.
KG
31/07/2009 at 21:56 John Walker says:
Goodness me, that was really rather brilliant. The suspense joke was superb.
31/07/2009 at 22:02 jalf says:
No rush here. I’m listening to the documentary bobsy pointed to. Still 20 minutes or so left of it.
31/07/2009 at 22:07 Arrrmo says:
That sounds awesome. As one of the afore-mentioned forrins, I’ll be giving it a listen as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
Also, it’s Arthur Dent! :)
31/07/2009 at 22:10 Magnus says:
My favourite lines have to be…
“Tinker and I prefer the fisty honesty of justice knuckles”
“Nobody take the opportunity to murder while I’m gone, I’ve had that thing happen before, and I will be back to check!”
31/07/2009 at 22:13 Taillefer says:
Was made aware of this through Mil’s newsletter. Then forgot about it until now. Aiie.
We salute you J Nash!
31/07/2009 at 22:15 leederkrenon says:
dang, missed it. sexton blake and mr. nash, a fine combo. YOUR SINCLAIR 4 LYFE!
31/07/2009 at 22:17 BooleanBob says:
The suspense joke was excellent. And the joke about the barrel was so good that following it up with the two similar ones almost spoilt it. Which isn’t something you can say about most of the stuff that gets written for the radio 4 stable.
So yes. I really rather enjoyed it.
31/07/2009 at 22:22 Rosti says:
Simon Jones! Dirk Maggs! Sold! (I’m aware I’m sort of missing the point, but thanks for bringing this to my attention John)
31/07/2009 at 22:39 Taillefer says:
Gosh. That was packed. Packed with fabulous!
“You damned interfering jackanapes!” almost elicited a cheer, hurrah!
31/07/2009 at 22:46 Gassalasca says:
Wow. This guy really is better than you four. I think I’m slightly aroused right now.
31/07/2009 at 23:00 Davidish says:
I have long admired Jonathan Nash, but I’m scared to ask anyone if he’s the same person as Jon Pillar. There was some confusion over it in the latter days of YS, I seem to remember, but I never heard it resolved. I’m afeared it’s a touchy subject, so I’ve wondered about it for over 15 years now.
31/07/2009 at 23:20 zak canard says:
This just made my Friday night, thanks for the heads up!
01/08/2009 at 03:09 Antsy says:
Excellent! Bless you for bringing this to my attention. Another CD boxset heading for my Ipod I fear!
01/08/2009 at 04:43 Psychopomp says:
They still put “programmes” on the radio?
THIS BOGGLES MY AMERICAN MIND
01/08/2009 at 09:14 Owen says:
Really enjoyed that and especially lovely to hear Simon Jones again, as I listened to The Hitch hikers Guide to the Galaxy ‘quite a lot whilst growing up’.
Looking forward to the next of these.
01/08/2009 at 09:23 Owen says:
“I’ve got ‘im covered with this ‘ere ready punch, guv” – lol
01/08/2009 at 10:11 Reverend Speed says:
Hee. The mysterious Mr. Nash returns… though I miss his earlier WB avatars. My word… AP was such a bountiful, sumptuous TREAT each month.
Lest ye forget… http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/ap2/
01/08/2009 at 10:24 Pod says:
You show a digi-pic but no mention of the digi-wick? THE SHAME.
Also: It’s a pity that Revstu’s ANGER – that which makes him so entertaining – is the same thing that puts most people off him :(
01/08/2009 at 13:31 Kieron Gillen says:
Davidish: Those who ask, don’t know. Those who know, don’t tell.
KG
01/08/2009 at 13:33 Funky Badger says:
Go go gadget iPlayer!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00lv1rk/The_Adventures_of_Sexton_Blake_Episode_1/
01/08/2009 at 13:45 Funky Badger says:
Heh, “I’m alright Tinker, I simply avoided the bullets.”
01/08/2009 at 14:16 Heliocentric says:
@kg and those who don’t ask and don’t know are posers.
01/08/2009 at 14:25 Kieron Gillen says:
The Exmouth wall isn’t a bad idea at all.
KG
01/08/2009 at 17:35 Hongkonged says:
Superb throughout. Yet again, Auntie delivers.
01/08/2009 at 19:25 Leo says:
J Nash still contributes to PC Gamer? Seriously? Cool! What was the last ish he wrote something for?
01/08/2009 at 20:32 KBKarma says:
As I recall, he did the It’s All Over about four or five issues ago. I was wondering where I’d heard the name J. Nash from (when I read this article).
I’ll be listening to this when I get home tonight.
01/08/2009 at 22:33 Mr Weir says:
Thanks for the comments, there’s a bit more info about the show at http://www.perfectlynormal.net/sextonblake.html and I hope you enjoy the rest of the series.
- From The Perfectly Normal Institute of Aural Excitation
01/08/2009 at 23:33 simonkaye says:
Wow… well. That pretty much just single-handedly justified my license fee for another year. And it wasn’t even on TV.
02/08/2009 at 00:23 Iain "DDude" Dawson says:
Guys, this was so awesome! Thank you RPS for giving me the heads up on this, or I would have missed out.
02/08/2009 at 01:33 KBKarma says:
Also, yes, that thing at the beginning is pretty not good. I like jazz, but not people who play it. My college’s Gamers Society is right beside the Jazz Soc. Who play anything.
That was fair awesome. I’ll be tuning in next time!
02/08/2009 at 01:38 KBKarma says:
@Mr Weir: Excellent work, on both this and Discworld Noir.
02/08/2009 at 02:15 Mr Weir says:
@KBKarma: Ta.
Ah, Noir was so long ago… My other company is Earcom (www.earcom.net), I still mostly work in games.
02/08/2009 at 12:04 Mr Millington says:
Gosh, yes – Operation Flashpoint. What about that level where you were on foot, in the middle of nowhere, with nothing, and you had to find your way to the pick-up point navigating by the stars. Those were the days. Where are the ‘Three hours, walking, navigating by the stars‘ levels on Halo, eh? No wonder there’s teenage pregnancies and tidal flooding nowadays.
02/08/2009 at 15:17 Muzman says:
That was rather good, I must say. I’m reminded of the first episode of Stripperella (bear with me) in that the sheer density of “the jokes you make with this premise” in the episode was such that I wondered if they could keep it up for very many episodes (answer: they couldn’t).
But no doubt these chaps are made of sterner stuff and I wish them all the best.
Incidentally, is it me or, now that radio is dead, we’re perplexingly experiencing a new golden age of “radio”.
02/08/2009 at 22:19 KBKarma says:
@Mr Millington: Morrowind comes close, with “walking for an hour or so, navigating by a vaguely unhelpful map.” Also, thanks to you as well for this.
03/08/2009 at 11:46 phil says:
That was simply wonderful, but wait – Mil Millington has never met Jonathan Nash in person? Has anyone? I sense he might be comic persona adopted at will by those inspired by the legacy, like Zorro.
03/08/2009 at 11:49 Jim Rossignol says:
I’ve met Nash. OR HAVE I? No, I have. In a pub.
03/08/2009 at 12:44 Kieron Gillen says:
Walker and I have too. Though I have no idea where in the country he currently is.
KG
03/08/2009 at 15:20 Mr Millington says:
No, I’ve never met Mr Nash. Our never meeting developed many years ago from a trivial happenstance to a sacred duty. I was introduced to someone I was *told* was Mr Nash once, though; but that turned out to be the assembled company – Stuart Campbell, Tim Norris et al – playing a joke on me (the famous but now sadly underused ‘An Evening with a False Mr Nash’ joke). However, even then, my suspicions were ignited quite early on when ‘Mr’ ‘Nash’ started talking about football, and became almost incendiary when he asked me a question, about football.
03/08/2009 at 16:46 phil says:
@Mr Millington, Considering Mr. Nash’s wildly digressive, historically inspired, eclectic and generally lovely writing it’s somehow appropriate that he has some other similarities to Thomas Pynchon.
Congrations on the radio show, it’s got the most honestly funny gags per minute I’ve heard since the radio series of the Mighty Boosh.
06/08/2009 at 03:06 sinister agent says:
Finally found time to listen to this. How excellent, and the long-running lines (“jackanapes” made me wee a little) made me feel pathetically special. Cheers, gents. So, how long will Mr. Nash be up this time before he retires to his cryo-rest?
11/08/2009 at 21:57 jalf says:
Attempting to listen to ep2 now, but sheesh, does BBC always put up recordings that start with the last 10 minutes of the previous program?
09/11/2009 at 15:56 Urthman says:
I read through this whole post thinking it was about Saxton Hale…