The One Game (1988) User Reviews

Amazing, why was this only ever shown once?

[Craigix · 8/10 · 2 March 2006]

While it is astonishing that this was never repeated on TV (I wonder why?) it does add to the attraction of obtaining it, which took me until the DVD was finally released some 18 years after the one and only broadcast.

While 'The One Game' does have some serious plot holes (Especially regarding certain deaths which are never revisited) it is still an excellent mini-series and has not dated as much as I expected.

I suppose it can be compared to 'The Game (1997)' and while it is almost certain that the writers of that 'borrowed' some ideas, they are not entirely the same. If anything 'The One Game' is a much better written and paced story with a lot more depth.

If you can find the DVD get it - it only cost me £6.99 and is well worth it for a 4 hour mini series - and it includes a nice booklet with a history on the show, I guess they decided to include the booklet rather than have it as an extra on the DVD - i'm glad they did, it is much nicer to read a booklet than a screen full of text.

But oh god - those pre-episode recaps - we could have done without those, what were they thinking!

Some flaws, but still riveting

[jeremy-benjamin · 8/10 · 12 June 2016]

I saw this series when it first came out in 1988. For whatever reason, it seems never to have been repeated. It is highly enjoyable, despite many things happening that are implausible. The story involves a managing director of a successful games company being forced into playing a series of deadly games by someone from his past.'The Game' starring Michael Douglas is clearly copied from The One Game, though the makers of The Game never appear to have admitted it. The story and title are very similar: even the main character's name is similar! The One Game is darker takes itself a little more seriously than The Game. The One Game is very much of its time, and that has added to its attraction over the years, set during a period when computer games are beginning to eclipse traditional games. But as we see in the drama, there is still room for games don't play on a computer screen...

Highly recommended!

[tro2-1 · 8/10 · 2 February 2006]

I've seen this original TV movie around 1989 and even now I am wondering who can tell me where to buy this on DVD.

For some reason the story and its cast left a solid impression and whenever I see a similar story on another movie, I always compare it with this one. The score was well chosen, the plot was brilliant. Anyone who knows where to get this, let me know! ([e-mail]) The American version (the Game) was good, but in my opinion it lacked being convincing.

Britsh film-making at its best, without special effects, but an exciting, thrilling story, highly recommended!

A lost gem of a miniseries

[MrMessiah · 2 June 2004]

Of course, there's no proof that the writers of the Michael Douglas film "The Game" ever saw this miniseries, (unlikely, as it was only ever shown once in a small region of the UK) but the two are sufficiently similar you can get a feel for what you're in for when you watch the One Game by comparing. The One Game, of course, came 10 years earlier, on a fraction of the budget, and seemingly disappeared having never been rerun since its original broadcast. As such it's a bit of a "lost gem" of a miniseries.

Like "The Game", it centers around a main character who is trapped in a "reality game", where there are no rules, only seemingly lethal obstacles, and not much of a hint of what the final prize, or the motivation for playing (beyond survival), really is. The two main stars turn in good performances: Stephen Dillane appears in 2004's "Arthur" in the role of Merlin, Patrick Malahide has been in a load of things including "The Long Kiss Goodnight". The twists and turns in the plot keep you guessing till the very last scene; like "The Game" you never really know what side any of the "players" are on, or how the puzzles come together, but unlike "The Game" the payoff actually makes a lot more sense, with a lot fewer plot holes having been reached along the way.

OK, it's not all good: like any cult film, particularly of that era, there's a fair amount of cheese, and some definite B-movie acting from the B-characters, such as Thorne's girlfriend, and his business partner, and an awful comic-book style "recap" before each of the 4 episodes. The sub-plot around Thorne's business doesn't quite work except in the context of exposition, which could have been done better another way. It shows its age with the computer puzzles, but then that's 1988: if you're into cult TV you'd just as easy eat all of that up and enjoy it.

On the whole though it's an enjoyable watch that deserves more attention than it got, and the good news is, it's finally been released on DVD, so maybe a few more people will get to see it now. For those interested, it's released by Contender under their Kult-TV label and can be ordered online

The One Game was shown in NYC

[labyrinth44 · 10/10 · 12 August 2009]

Back when, I saw this on Channel 21 in New York. I didn't see the whole thing. I've been waiting for it to come out on DVD in the States. Some extremely kind person has posted it on YouTube and I was able to see it again; I loved it! Yes, perhaps technically it might have been better but not without foreknowledge of where computers were going! Yes, maybe there were a few too many beatings and 'here come the thugs again' but still, the concept and the things left to the imagination made for a memorable, nay unforgettable experience. And the music. I was already familiar with Nigel Hess' talent from the music he wrote for the Campion series at about the same time, and there are similarities. Gorgeous music. (Incidentally, Nigel Hess has a website and you can hear snippets from his scores.) This is my favorite of the Patrick Malahide performances I've seen although to tell the truth, those might be just this and Inspector Alleyn.

What about the 3 dead people?

[samnaji-15383 · 6/10 · 26 September 2022]

This is a really intriguing TV show until the last part of the final episode. Unlike the film The Game, this is no fun catch and mouse as the stakes are real. The kidnapping is real. The torture is real. The deaths are real. The suspension of belief is dialled up to 10 when both Nic Thorne and his ex, Jenny, decide to start afresh after the shenanigans of Max.

Hang on - there are 3 dead bodies! What about the fact an entire public street was in the middle of a gun fight.

It is nice Nic and Jenny decided to have another go, but maybe they could stop off somewhere and call the police?

When the final credits rolled, my eyeballs quickly followed.

Currently Being Shown on Forces TV in the UK

[XCEL · 5/10 · 13 February 2022]

Currently Being Shown on Forces TV in the UK on Sky Channel 181 Only on EP 1 at the moment Ep 1 & 2 were on yesterday Sat 12th February 2022 and the last 2 are on tonight at 9 and 10 13th February.

Its a change to see Patrick Mulhide wth hair.

It WAS TOO aired in the United States . . .

[lkerr-2 · 31 January 2005]

I've seen several commentaries in various places stating flatly that this series was never aired in the US, so the creators of the Michael Douglas movie couldn't possibly have seen it. That's not true, though. The whole mini-series of "The One Game" was aired on a San Francisco public television channel, in approximately 1990 or 1991. I know this because I watched 3 of the 4 episodes myself. It was quite a good show, but unfortunately I was abruptly called into work the evening the fourth episode aired, and my VCR being broken at the time, I was never able to watch the final episode. Ever since seeing "The Game" a few years ago, I recalled "The One Game" being very similar and have been trying to obtain the DVD, but I can't find any USA-region-encoded version for sale on line. But in any event, if the argument for the originality of the Michael Douglas version rests on the notion that the writers couldn't have seen the original "One Game" in the USA, that argument simply fails. I'd bet money that at least one of the writers watched the series when I did, in Ess Eff, and ripped it off on the gamble that the US broadcast was so obscure it would be forever forgotten. It'll never be proved, of course. And I for one will never forget the broadcast because I never got to see the ending. :-(

See it again!

[Mugwump-4 · 5 August 2003]

Finally this has got a DVD release so we can all enjoy it again. Big up to Kult TV.

You must forgive the ponderousness of it and the lack of technology but the DVD itself is presented very well with a short booklet and lovely title screens.

Complex, fascinating story and good theme music

[katlewhick · 25 March 2001]

I would love to see this film again. It was fascinating and unique, but the involved story needed more than one viewing. The music, Sayon Dola impressed me and I bought the single. Now it has been recorded by Russell Watson on his CD The Voice.

I'd love to see it again!

[Mugwump-4 · 14 March 2002]

I dimly recalled seeing this on telly years and years ago when I was pretty young - bit of a stay up late on a Friday(?) night treat - and really loving it, but thought I was going mad as no-one else remembered it. Is it available anywhere on VHS or DVD? I'd love to see it again! I can't remember much of the story now but it looked great :)

Linkage to a later feature film

[johnsteyers · 6 July 2003]

Has no-one else noticed that the later, big-budget feature film The Game (1997), starring Michael Douglas, owes a great deal indeed to this British TV film? The main character is similar, the basic situation is nearly identical, and the raison d'etre for the Game is also similar. There is no mention of the earlier work in the credits of the latter.