A TV Gameshow Recruits Locals in 'Sister Boniface's “Let the Games Begin!”

We’ve just passed the halfway point of Sister Boniface Mysteries Season 4 as the series takes us to the glamorous yet tawdry black-and white world of English television game shows in the mid-1960s. “Let the Games Begin,” which is also the name of the on-screen TV gameshow, is as bloodthirsty as its name suggests. Hosted by smarmy Freddie Fuller (Jonny Weldon) with his lovely assistant, the ambitious Angela Ainsworth (Hayley Johnston), they are handing out teddy bears as consolation prizes to a pleasant, polite couple who have failed to win anything.. To add to their humiliation and disappointment, they are then treated to a viewing of the luxurious items they could have, but didn’t, win. The next week’s show, the last in the series, will take place in – yes, you’ve guessed it, Great Slaughter.

When the cameras are off, both Freddie and Angela drop the pretense – she’s ambitious and wants greater exposure on the show, and he’s determined not to give her an inch. He bullies his PA, Malcolm Everett (Joe Tracini), who is terrified of him. Freddie has a nefarious scheme underway with the show’s director, Giles Penistone (Bob Barrett), which will supposedly benefit them both but leave the rest of the crew jobless. Giles, however, seems to be regretting his association with Freddie.

The series arrives in Great Slaughter to audition contestants ahead of the taping, as Sister Boniface explains the show format to Felix (and by extension, us). Six people are paired up to perform frivolous tasks; the winning pair can grab as many valuable prizes as they can remember from a moving display on a conveyor belt. Felix’s reaction is priceless: “I’d rather not humiliate myself on national television.”