Random Observation about Season 3

[AimYourBrent]

I must be either the first person to notice this or the last. I always noticed Kirk's animated gestures during the Season 3 intro, but only recently did I realize that (I'm pretty sure) that they actually just used the same single take of Kirk swinging on the rope and landing in the Temple courtyard and introducing the show for every episode of Season 3.

Where it diverges is once Olmec reveals the name of the artifact/Legend, which you'll notice he always does with an extreme closeup. They would have been able to get away with this because of Season 3 utilizing the same temple layout for the entire season. I also believe the voiceover of Olmec running down the temple rooms is the same exact voice track used over and over.

Again, I feel like someone else had to have noticed this before, but it really just now clicked with me. Either that, or Kirk is REALLY good at mimicking the exact same hand gestures, body language and voice inflection. But based on the number of "Fogg ups" normally seen throughout the duration of an entire season, I doubt that was the case.

Sorry if this had ever been discussed at length previously.

[Purple Parrots Fan]

I don't think we've discussed this before, but interesting observation. I'm pretty sure all the recordings of the intro and temple run down are all the same. And like you said, they were able to get away with it since Season 3 never changed layouts.

[AimYourBrent]

Further evidence is that unlike in S1 and S2, the crowd and moat are not seen on camera until after Olmec's first bit. Plus Kirk's hair looks slightly different in some episodes after Olmec's line.

[PurpleParrot4Life]

The introduction, like the temple rundown (save six runs from the first two production days), was re-purposed throughout all of Season 3.

[AimYourBrent]

Thank you for clarifying that!

[The Red Jaguars]

Wasn't one of the intros in Season 3 cut? I think it was Sir Gawain's intro? It was an episode where it cuts straight to Olmec.

Here are some other observations about Season 3:

- The first production day of Season 3 used an alternate temple rundown. This one was lengthier where it showed certain parts like the camera going down the Chamber ladder. This one was used in Comet-Embroidered Battle Flag, War Fan, and Sir Gawain's intro. Bifocal Monocle does NOT use this intro though.

- The second production day of Season 3 had personalized temple rundowns where you can see the artifacts during the temple run. These episodes include Chandragupta, Sacagawea, Thornwood Gavel, and Bandit Queen.

- There were a couple of temple game interviews that were cut altogether and Kirk doesn't introduce the players at all. I think this happened in Sacagawea and Bent Shaving Pan. 

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Wasn't one of the intros in Season 3 cut? I think it was Sir Gawain's intro? It was an episode where it cuts straight to Olmec.

I don't remember any Season 3 episodes doing that. But I know "The Stone Head of the Evil King" had a cut intro.

- There were a couple of temple game interviews that were cut altogether and Kirk doesn't introduce the players at all. I think this happened in Sacagawea and Bent Shaving Pan.  

And also "The Smashed Printing Plate of Frederick Douglass." I believe "The Dried Apple Half of William Tell" had cut intros in the temple games as well. Wonder what the deal was there....

[The Red Jaguars]

Here are more observations about Season 3:

- There were a total of 21 teams in Season 3 that won 2 Pendants. That means more than half of the teams in Season 3 went to the temple with 2 Pendants. Shows you how strong some of these teams were!

- There was no production day in Season 3 where the Green Monkeys did not go to the temple.

- The Mystical Spellbook/Smashed Printing Plate day almost had four teams that swept the temple games. Robert the Bruce would've been a temple game sweep if Jeremy didn't get caught for cheating. And Useless Map would've been a temple game sweep if Hallie and Jared won their last game.

- The Discarded Seal, Red Sash, and Belle Boyd day all had teams win 2 Pendants and entering the temple.

[AimYourBrent]

Man, they really cut some corners in that season.

But then at the same time there were some amazing temple runs in S3, and the Moat crossings were the best of any season.

[Purple Parrots Fan]

I agree, the moats in Season 3 were MUCH better than the same tired "use a rope to get across" concept that Season 1 had.

Also, on the Pytheas filming day, 3/4 teams went to the temple after winning the temple games 2-1.5.

[AimYourBrent]

Teams were definitely a lot better in S2 and S3 once people had actually seen the show and kind of knew what to really expect.