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Who are your favourite and not-so favourite characters from the series and why? Here's my opinion:

Best:
The intoduction of Skarkill "Lovely!" A great character, absolutely menacing and got better and better as the series progressed.

Worst:
Aesandre - didn't seem to do much for me, only had one encounter with a dungeoneer and was even beaten in that encounter!  ;D

Upon rewatching it again, I've really changed my mind on a lot of the S5 characters. Those I used to dislike are among my favourites this time around, and vice versa.

Despite having once really liked her, I don't think much of Aesandre now. She doesn't really get much of a look in, to be fair, which I guess is unsurprising as the production crew wanted to really identify the Opposition with Lord Fear. It's a pity she didn't get a bit more development, since she really looks the part. Her one encounter really is a let down. I'm still a little perplexed by it, since she's an ice sorceress and yet she's so easily defeated by the FREEZE spell. When she advises the team to "fight fire with fire" surely it's at least plausible to expect that an ice sorceress like her will thus be best defeated using heat, i.e. the FIRE spell. Um, anyway, that's always been a little confusing to me, and if I was writing more conspiracy theories today, I might suggest the team would have been credited with "defeating" her whichever spell they cast. Oh, goodness, this is meant to be about characters. Back on topic, I hate the way she delivers the "I abhor the little pests" line in her spyglass connversation with Lord Fear- it's a bit pantomimey for me.

Still on my dislikes, I'm not very fond of Gwendoline either, especially when you consider Gundrada from Series 4 was so entertaining. Pixel's a nice idea but there are times I really can't hear what she's saying, and Oakley looks a shadow of his former self in his lone appearance this season. I find Sir Hugh mildly entertaining, but it's really nothing special, and there's not a great deal of possibilities with the character. It might partially be the scripting, the inevitable problems faced by Treguard's assistant in finding a worthwhile role in the production, being compared with completely professional, always-in-character, never-fluffing-a-line Treguard, but whatever the reason, I'm not fond of Pickle either.  

I used to not like Elita or either of Rayer Bourton's roles much, but I've really liked them this time around. Being a bit older and a little less patient with some of the teams, I wholeheartedly support Elita being rude to them. For me, she's an interesting change, although I guess a lot of people just find her annoying. I like the scene when she gets her voice back very much, and am looking forward to watching it soon! Both Skarkill and Julius Scaramonger are wonderful, for me especially the latter. RB is evidently good at thinking on his feet and really lends the character a believability in encounters with dungeoneers that some of the actors didn't really achieve. He's also darn funny as Julius- I really enjoy the poaching scene, and suitably menacing as Skarkill, although there's a lot of humour too, especially that wonderful spyglass scene with Lord Fear about him wanting new goblins. Great stuff.

Oh, and yay for Clifford Norgate as Hordriss, as per usual.

Ohh tough one on the best char for this series as I feel no one realy stands out from the crowd here, but I'll do my best.

Best: Gwendoline.  Not a Char that sets my world on fire but did well in some scenes with realy stoopid dungeoneers.  I think Id have lost my rag with some of them kids lol.

Worst: A close tie between Pixel and Sylvester hands but Sylvester wins.  Even pixels annoying high pitch voice isnt as annoyning as the dirty old Sylvester.  Shame as I think Motley and the boatman were great.

Best: Julius Scaramonger, great name, funny character and rescues several scenes really well when faced with some dense dungeoneers. Rayner Bourton also does Skarkill well but as JS has more to do then he pips it.
Worst: Hard to say really, some characters are slightly poor as its their first season and they dont really get into their roles, for example Sly Hands sounds too much like Motley for the first part of the season as many have mentioned. So I think that he would be the worst as he never does much.

I think Julius Scaramonger is the best new character in this season, he's great with the kids, and clearly had the ability to improvise really well - which some of the other actors never really did I know he's been there for a while but I think Brother Mace is very cool he's so funny! There was a team a while ago who asked him to prove that he was Brother Mace, clearly an answer he wasn't expecting, but he did really well, saying he had the robes, the paunch and even the silly rope, what more did they want? Pixel's a good concept, and of course Hordriss, as ever, grooves.  Motley is as cool as always - though I miss Mrs Grimwold and Festus I find Elita annoying as she seems arbitrarily insulting sometimes - but at least she's a but different, I suppose.  Oh, and how could I forget Lord Fear - he's brill, I remember him from watching it when I was little, and the scary red eyes

Best? Noddy Holde--I mean, Julius Scaramonger (sorry, but they sound quite similar...not that I'm expecting Scaramonger to suddenly shout "It's Christmaaaaas!" ). He did make it very easy for team 1 though.

Motley's good, but he seems a bit ruder this series. I preferred him in series 3 when he was more jolly. On the other hand, he does have to put up with some teams who need more than cheering up.

Hordriss still rocks (and Treguard, naturally)! And I liked Sir Hugh De Witless.

All credit to the acting skills of the blockers too...

But the worst? Oakley...the last (I believe) of the 3-frame animated characters (the blockers were more sophisticated technologically, you see). I don't see how he's managed to move from one forest to another differently-coloured one either. He's also a bit weak ash well (sorry, I had to get a tree pun in there, even if you are sycamore of them).

Gwendoline's not too brilliant either...lacks charm.

But the worst? Oakley...the last (I believe) of the 3-frame animated characters (the blockers were more sophisticated technologically, you see). I don't see how he's managed to move from one forest to another differently-coloured one either.

Because the dungeon is conatantly shifting and changing! Mnyyaaah!

The Best: Skarkill and Julius Scaramonger are both brilliant but Skarkill just narovaly beats Julias as the best of the two "LOVLEY"

Also I am going to dissagree I like Sylvester "Sly" Hands and Gwendoline. Tregurd & Pickle, Hordriss, Lord Fear, Motley, Elita and Smerkinoff are givens.

The worst: Deffinatly Aesandre she had just two few apperences. As did The Gatemaster. Pixle is the oppisate she is used  to much to be good and her saveing of dungeoneers from Skarkill & Sly just gets borering.

I missied Fatila & Mrs. Grimwold with Festus.

Problem is that because so many teams are really poor in this season and dont get too far then you dont really see too many new scenes.

Despite having once really liked her, I don't think much of Aesandre now. She doesn't really get much of a look in, to be fair, which I guess is unsurprising as the production crew wanted to really identify the Opposition with Lord Fear. It's a pity she didn't get a bit more development, since she really looks the part. Her one encounter really is a let down. I'm still a little perplexed by it, since she's an ice sorceress and yet she's so easily defeated by the FREEZE spell. When she advises the team to "fight fire with fire" surely it's at least plausible to expect that an ice sorceress like her will thus be best defeated using heat, i.e. the FIRE spell. Um, anyway, that's always been a little confusing to me, and if I was writing more conspiracy theories today, I might suggest the team would have been credited with "defeating" her whichever spell they cast.

As I understand it, I think it's played that Aesandre expects the Dungeoneers to think "Ice Queen, therefore of Ice, therefore Fire magic effective!" and so somehow 'reverses' the effects so Fire won't hurt her, but Ice will. She tries to out-think the team, but in the end the team out-think the out-thinking.