University Challenge

Original post by WriterOfWrongs

Chan!!! I was hoping he'd make an appearance. Anyone know how long a history doctorate takes?

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You have serious issues...

Reply 2964

Original post by TheBeesKnees

Even as a physics lover, I think it was pretty cheeky for the beeb to include so many science questions in the UC Champion of Champions, especially considering the show is usually so arts focused. Manchester were the better team but I felt Magdalen were hard done by.

I dunno, I felt the question mix was pretty normal? I can normally tell if there are more physics questions than normal because I can actually sit and figure them out whereas most literature questions I totally switch off.

Though I did notice the periodic table was incorporated into two (or even three?) sets which is a bit unusual.

Reply 2965

Xabier

14

Original post by opaltiger

64 places are allocated to the teams (16 per team, with audience members watching two successive matches, hence 4 teams). I think the capacity is just about 100, and teams don't usually use all of their slots, so there's a reasonable amount of space for people who just call up randomly.

Sorry if you've already been asked these but: are you planning on putting 'UC Victor' on your CV; what's the relationship like between you and the rest of the team (best buddies, just acquaintances, etc.)?; if you/he doesn't mind me asking, what's Richard Freeland like?; what's your plan for the future (PhD, career)?; and are you interested or have aspirations in politics like your uncle?

Reply 2966

WriterOfWrongs

1

Original post by Hedgeman49

You have serious issues...

Haha, I'm not the only one, check this out:

http://www.cutiesofuniversitychallenge.tumblr.com/
XD

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(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 2967

Original post by WriterOfWrongs

Haha, I'm not the only one, check this out:

http://www.cutiesofuniversitychallenge.tumblr.com/
XD

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Ha, two of my teammates are featured, and I got a mention. By name only though, not as a cutie :frown:

Original post by Hedgeman49

Ha, two of my teammates are featured, and I got a mention. By name only though, not as a cutie :frown:

Did you appear recently?

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Reply 2969

Original post by WriterOfWrongs

Haha, I'm not the only one, check this out:

http://www.cutiesofuniversitychallenge.tumblr.com/
XD

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That tumblr is truly ott, it even includes fan art! :eek:

Some quite good comments in it though. Apparently our very own Opaltiger is having a bromance with Morley ( :lol:

) and the SOAS team rate on the cuteness scale. :colone:

The tumblr is right to draw attention to one of the most interesting contestants of the series though.

Reply 2970

Original post by Fullofsurprises

That tumblr is truly ott, it even includes fan art! :eek:

Some quite good comments in it though. Apparently our very own Opaltiger is having a bromance with Morley ( :lol:

) and the SOAS team rate on the cuteness scale. :colone:

The tumblr is right to draw attention to one of the most interesting contestants of the series though.

Yeah, that's my teammate, and my teddy bear :tongue:

I was Bath Love for one inglorious episode

Reply 2971

Original post by Hedgeman49

Yeah, that's my teammate, and my teddy bear :tongue:

I was Bath Love for one inglorious episode

Ahhhahahah. Bath Love and Bath Woof. :toofunny:

Did anyone else watch the history of UC thing that was on before the special competition? I think it was a repeat, but it had some great moments in it and was very interesting. It was really fun seeing New College all-girls 'reaching a majestic zero points' to quote Paxo and Bamber Gascoigne was amusing. Apparently his very first fan letter read:

"Professor Lovell informs us that there are at least 1,000 habitable planets in the galaxy with civilisations. I am quite certain that on not one of them will there be another quiz master with the pansy bastard strangled pitch that is your voice."

:lol:

Reply 2972

Original post by Fullofsurprises

Ahhhahahah. Bath Love and Bath Woof. :toofunny:

Did anyone else watch the history of UC thing that was on before the special competition? I think it was a repeat, but it had some great moments in it and was very interesting. It was really fun seeing New College all-girls 'reaching a majestic zero points' to quote Paxo and Bamber Gascoigne was amusing. Apparently his very first fan letter read:

"Professor Lovell informs us that there are at least 1,000 habitable planets in the galaxy with civilisations. I am quite certain that on not one of them will there be another quiz master with the pansy bastard strangled pitch that is your voice."

:lol:

Yeah definitely a repeat, Paxman's hair wasn't grey! That New Hall performance was pretty shambolic (they stopped deducting points for incorrect buzzes and still scored 35) but you could tell they weren't really taking it seriously. Must have still felt pretty horrendous.

Probably set UC feminism back about 20 years as well haha

Reply 2973

pomozki

I watched the history of UC, hadn't seen it before. I actually enjoyed it more than the "champions" prog afterwards. I was fascinated by the hours of research Bamber Gascoigne did before each show. Such dedication - could you imagine JP doing that! I also enjoyed hearing someone (Stephen Fry?) having a dig at JP for patronizing students. I know some of you have met him and like the guy but I dislike the way he shows contempt when someone gives a wrong answer or dismisses it as obvious when they get it right "yes of course". Anyway, a consolation prize for Manchester after the recent series...

Reply 2974

Original post by pomozki

I watched the history of UC, hadn't seen it before. I actually enjoyed it more than the "champions" prog afterwards. I was fascinated by the hours of research Bamber Gascoigne did before each show. Such dedication - could you imagine JP doing that! I also enjoyed hearing someone (Stephen Fry?) having a dig at JP for patronizing students. I know some of you have met him and like the guy but I dislike the way he shows contempt when someone gives a wrong answer or dismisses it as obvious when they get it right "yes of course". Anyway, a consolation prize for Manchester after the recent series...

It's all part of what makes the programme entertaining though. If he just delivered everything deadpan then it would be terminally boring to watch for anyone who isn't watching purely to learn.

Yeah sometimes he has taken it too far (the really quiet guy last year that he roasted) but most of the time it's very light-hearted

Reply 2975

Original post by Hedgeman49

Yeah definitely a repeat, Paxman's hair wasn't grey! That New Hall performance was pretty shambolic (they stopped deducting points for incorrect buzzes and still scored 35) but you could tell they weren't really taking it seriously. Must have still felt pretty horrendous.

Probably set UC feminism back about 20 years as well haha

Ha, yeah.

I felt a bit puzzled - how could they be so totally useless? :angry:

Luckily there have been lots of strong female competitors before and since to make up for it.

Reply 2976

Original post by pomozki

I watched the history of UC, hadn't seen it before. I actually enjoyed it more than the "champions" prog afterwards. I was fascinated by the hours of research Bamber Gascoigne did before each show. Such dedication - could you imagine JP doing that! I also enjoyed hearing someone (Stephen Fry?) having a dig at JP for patronizing students. I know some of you have met him and like the guy but I dislike the way he shows contempt when someone gives a wrong answer or dismisses it as obvious when they get it right "yes of course". Anyway, a consolation prize for Manchester after the recent series...

Fry was really funny during that programme, especially on his perceived poshness and the Young Ones. The stuff about the Manchester team who as a protest would only answer all questions with the name of a famous socialist was interesting, I'd forgotten about that.

Shame they didn't show a bit of the UC superstars like Guttenplan and Trimble in action though.

Reply 2977

pomozki

Original post by Hedgeman49

It's all part of what makes the programme entertaining though. If he just delivered everything deadpan then it would be terminally boring to watch for anyone who isn't watching purely to learn.

Yeah sometimes he has taken it too far (the really quiet guy last year that he roasted) but most of the time it's very light-hearted

I totally get what you're saying but BG built it up to what it's become over 25 years and I don't ever remember him belittling anyone. He was, as they kept saying in the program, very "gentle" with contestants and it wasn't any less a spectacle for that.
Maybe I'm out of touch and these are harder times and call for harsher presenters :smile:

Reply 2978

Original post by pomozki

I totally get what you're saying but BG built it up to what it's become over 25 years and I don't ever remember him belittling anyone. He was, as they kept saying in the program, very "gentle" with contestants and it wasn't any less a spectacle for that.
Maybe I'm out of touch and these are harder times and call for harsher presenters :smile:

Bamber did seem to have a nice attitude towards the contestants, when you see him in those old clips he treated it like a sort of university social quiz, where he was a slightly older student, kind of on your side and a decent chap.

Reply 2979