TV Watch

TV Watch - 3rd November

Mastermind - heat 9

Another exciting contest this week, although not in the same way as the last couple of shows. All four contenders managed to get into double figures on their specialist subjects, with Nicholas Flindall looking the pick of them with 15 on Len Deighton's Harry Palmer novels. However the General Knowledge rounds were a lot less impressive. After Ashley Allen had set the bar at 22, we had the strangely fascinating sight of two successive contenders fall headlong into pass hell. John Dickinson only managed to add 4 points in the GK round. Katherine Jelfs at least managed to add 6 points in the GK. However, this was at a cost of no less than 10 passes. Nicholas Flindall managed to flop over the finishing line with 8 points. If this is typical of his prowess on GK you'd make him an outsider to get to the final. However, as I am always at pains to stress, it very difficult to predict results in the semis, so you never know.

The Details

Nicholas Flindall	Harry Palmer novels	15 - 1	8 - 4	23 - 5
John Dickinson	Life and Music of Tom Paxton	12 - 2	4- 6	16 - 8
Katherine Jelfs	The Athenian Empire	14 - 2	6 - 10	20 - 12
Ashley Allen	Life and Work of Richard Feynman	11- 0	11 - 1	22 - 1

Are You An Egghead ?

Its been difficult keeping up with this show all week. However I did notice Shanker Menon from Battle of the Brains. He was given a hell of a match by a lady from Swansea - Isobel Williams I think was her name. My ears pricked up when she said that she was from Swansea, but to the best of my knowledge I've never met her. Not surprising since she said that she never plays quizzes except from the armchair at home. She put a hell of a performance , whatever the case. Also through last week was former World champion, 2005 Mastermind champion, and winner of £1 million on WWTBAM, Pat Gibson, one of the nicest people in quizzing you will ever meet.

No University Challenge again this week , due to Autumnwatch.

Daftest Answer of the Week

Another little gem from The Weakest Link.

Question: Which large lizard shares its name with a certain type of Prefect in some of England's public schools ?

Answer : - Iguana ?