Robot Wars returns for two celebrity specials where C-list celebrities build and operate fighting machines with the help of Robot Wars veterans. These celebrity specials operate the exact same way as the regular show did. The contestants took part in a round-robin with straight-out wins being awarded 3 points, and wins from judges' decisions 2 points. The two robots with the most points face off in a head to head.
LET THE WARS BEGIN
Arena Cleaner vs Interstellar MML
Arena Cleaner is the robot of Radio 1 broadcasters Scott Mills and Chris Stark, mentored by Dave Moulds of the destructive Carbide machine. Arena Cleaner is a baby-blue, low to the ground machine armed with a 3mm hardened steel rotating hammer.
Their opponent is space scientist and TV presenter Dr Maggie Aderine-Pocock (yeah I'd never heard of her either) who was mentored by Shane Swan from the Dantomkia machine. Interstellar MML is your basic wedge-shaped robot with a forward-hinged flipper aiming to topple robots over.
Interstellar MML was hoping to send robots interstellar, but they ended up being taken to the cleaners by Arena Cleaner. Arena Cleaner tore them to absolute pieces, sending wheels into orbit and reducing Interstellar to pieces. Despite having a less than imaginative name, Arena Cleaner trashed Interstellar by carving gashes into its 2mm steel armour. Arena Cleaner were the convincing winners.
Jar Vs The Cat
Olympians, the Brownlee brothers, mentored by Gabriel of the Sabretooth team controlled the machine Jar. Considering that the Sabretooth machine has a pretty bad track record, I can't help but think that the Brownlee brothers could have received a more successful. Jar is a triangular wedged machine armed with a hammer. Although Jar's lack of armour covering their CO2 bottles leaves a lot to be desired.
Their opponents were sports and tech presenter Suzi Perry (yeah I'm clueless again) who was mentored by Craig Danby of the Foxic team. I don't remember much of Foxic other than it did a lot of running away and losing. Suzi Perry's robot was called the Cat modelled on, you guessed it, a household cat. Similarly to Arena Cleaner, it was built low and flat to the ground with a horizontal spinner. Suzi named it The Cat, because although cats might look cute and cuddly, they can be vicious if they're antagonised.
Onto the actual fight, which wasn't really a fight, but more just pushing and shoving and calling names. The Brownlees went for a full-on assault and all credit to them, they withstood The Cat's spinning hammer. However, when they tried to hit it with their hammer, they missed, hit the floor and knocked themselves out instead, and also dislodging one of their CO2 bottles. The bottle later fell out when Jar was hoisted by Sir Killalot. A disappointing result for Jar and the Brownlees.
Arena Cleaner vs The Cat
The next fight was between the two teams leading the score table: Arena Cleaner and The Cat, also the two spinners, interestingly enough.
We've seen the destructive power of the Arena Cleaner, but, this time, it was the Cat that showed its claws. The battle started quietly enough with both machines sizing each other. Arena Cleaner made a tentative attack, which the Cat withstood. Both robots spun around in circles for a bit, as the celebrities proved they're not the best drivers, then carnage ensued. Bad driving from Scott Mills and Chris Stark, saw Arena Cleaner drive into The Cat's spinning hammer, which resulted in them flying across the arena, their wheel being shredded, drive chain become dislodged and inevitably becoming immobilised.
Jar Vs Interstellar
Time for the two robots at the bottom of the score table to try and score: Jar and Interstellar MML.
Although Jar was certainly aggressive, they were again very inaccurate with their hammer. They hit the arena floor more than they hit the scarred Interstellar. Similarly to previous grand finalist in the original Robot Wars, Terrorhurtz, Jar's weapon is too powerful for its own good. Every hammer blow sends it spinning out of control. This is what hindered them so much in this battle. That and poor engineering. A problem with Jar's CO2 bottle caused all of the compressed air to vent, rendering their hammer useless. Although Interstellar weren't able to take advantage of this, as they couldn't get further underneath Jar to flip it and then they became immobile on one side. The decision went to the judges who awarded it to Jar.
Interstellar MML vs the Cat
Just like Jar, The Cat's powerful spinning hammer makes it difficult to control. A couple of glancing blows sent the Cat spinning away and Suzi Perry was unable to recover from this. Poor driving sent the Cat into the CPZ where they conked out. Interstellar won this fight by doing very little, although they did get in one flip at the end. However, this wasn't enough to keep Interstellar in the contest, which didn't make any sense to me. Interstellar won this fight straight out, thereby giving them 3 points. A point more than Jar received when they won the judge's decision, so I think that Interstellar should have been kept in over Jar. Although all credit to Dr Maggie, she was an enthusiastic and energetic person to watch.
Jar Vs Arena Cleaner
Blink and you'll miss it. The fight hit from Arena Cleaner knocked out Jar, ending their run in the competition. And then in great style, Arena Cleaner takes on Shunt. I think they'll live to regret that decision.
Special bonus round
Whilst Arena Cleaner and the Cat were preparing for their final battle, Angela Scanlon and Dara O'Briain fought each other in the Robot Wars arena. Angela competed with the Behemoth machine and Dara with the TR2 machine. Whilst both of them were terrible drivers, Angela was far worse. Whilst operating the Behemoth scoop, she almost flipped the machine over, which allowed Dara to come in and flip Behemoth across the arena. After this, Angela tries to operate the pit release by repeatedly sending Behemoth crashing into the arena wall. Eventually, she does operate it, but Dara again flips Behemoth into the side wall. Angela manages to recover only to keep almost flipping Behemoth over. Although Dara attempts to make her feel better by allowing her to flip TR2. I would say that Dara and TR2 were the winners, but were there really any winners in this contest?
The Cat vs Arena Cleaner
The grand final of this episode saw the two spinners compete against each other for fame and glory. Both robots have exposed wheels and as we've seen before, this is a massive weakness. Arena Cleaner took full advantage of this weakness by shredding one of the Cat's tyres and then the other. Arena Cleaner and Scott Mills and Chris Stark were the convincing winners of this first Battle of the Stars.
Robot Wars Episode One
Robot Wars Episode Two
Robot Wars Episode Three
Robot Wars Episode Four
Robot Wars Episode Five
Robot Wars Episode Six
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