tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post5284123268149383527..comments2024-03-12T12:54:32.926-07:00Comments on Life After Mastermind: University Challenge 2018 - The Grand Final. Merton, Oxford v. St. John's, CambridgeLondiniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871325359167581176noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-70528405231826032912018-05-07T01:12:36.239-07:002018-05-07T01:12:36.239-07:00For Madge Alsopp, read Marin Alsop - the first wom...For Madge Alsopp, read Marin Alsop - the first woman to conduct the Last Night of the Proms (and quite a few other things), so almost certainly a standard quiz chestnut of the future. All in all, with Judith Weir doing the prizegiving, it was a very good night for classical music lesbians.Stephen Followshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00241893861868075325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-74899648848223746362018-04-29T04:08:10.896-07:002018-04-29T04:08:10.896-07:00Been waiting for the review & a very good one ...Been waiting for the review & a very good one it was too :) . Poor Merton - the look on Woodland's face as the title slipped from their grasp was all too similar to my own as question after question went over my head recently. Carlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04930608656460777027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-6480698457863634292018-04-28T08:00:37.683-07:002018-04-28T08:00:37.683-07:00Thanks both for your comments.
Jack, that does ma...Thanks both for your comments.<br /><br />Jack, that does make sense over the ontological starter. Aethelstan - you bring out the worst in me, since I'm going right back now to look at the last minute of the show again!Londiniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07871325359167581176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-72137711539086034612018-04-28T04:13:43.854-07:002018-04-28T04:13:43.854-07:00Thanks to you both, Dave and Jack for your comment...Thanks to you both, Dave and Jack for your commentry this year!<br /><br />I think this seasons matches were always going to struggle against the shadow of Monkmania last year and I'd agree with the sentiment expressed here that there were a lot of mismatches in the first two rounds that saw us lose some really good teams, I felt Warwick, UCL, Soton and Brookes were teams I would like to have seen more of. In a way I actually enjoyed this final more than last years, as I felt we were back to being one of the few serious quiz shows. <br /><br />I opined at Jack's that the whole music round business in the semis might have wrong footed Merton. Re-watching the match has not disavowed me of that notion. I even suspect Merton fell into the trap that I felt John's did in the QF's of underestimating their opponents. When young Rosie got going, that was it. Of course Merton would have had a quick turnaround after the music round kerfuffle, whereas John's marched into that studio fresh and satorially dapper. Merton looked very rattled.<br /><br />It's been a ladies year on UC - McKeown was simply, utterly, superb and I hope we see her on other serious quiz shows in the future. It will be interesting to see how this feeds into the demographic of future UC seasons; of course the 2018/19 matches will be done and dusted by now, so I hope we don't go back to 'ops normal' of being a blokefest. A few colleagues and friends commented on how Woodland and McKeown had inspired their own daughters! <br /><br />I have had to eat humble pie a bit in my sometimes critical remarks on John's QF performance. I was quite wrong - but you know, at the back of my mind, it did occur to me that the team with quite the social media twitter operation wasn't go to do too badly : )<br /><br />We say that Paxman behaved himself. Now possibly not a topic for a family website, but interested readers might want to see if they spotted what I did, when the Merton team filed past the great man in the last minute of the show. Or maybe I am becoming cynical in old age? <br /><br />Aethelstanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00941291511056658074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-39083510793029115242018-04-28T02:53:19.007-07:002018-04-28T02:53:19.007-07:00Not the best final of recent times, but not a bad ...Not the best final of recent times, but not a bad game either. Both sides did seem a bit more nervous compared to their previous imperiousness, but both did well considering, and St John's are certainly worthy champions. Merton need feel no shame either, worthy runners-up.<br /><br />Reportedly, after the 'ontological' starter, the recording was stopped to decide whether the points should stand given Mr Peplow said the right answer as well. Ms McKeown claimed she would have known the answer even if he hadn't said it, so it was allowed to stand.<br /><br />Anyway, that's it for another series. Thanks very much indeed Dave for your reviews this series, enjoyable reading as always. I myself may decide to scale back my UC coverage next series, but I haven't made a hard decision yet.Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06254840979557920582noreply@blogger.com