Yes, I'm going to need to switch back to posting the podcast at the weekend now, so here's the latest. Features include: -
Questions on the Seasons, especially Autumn
Talking points on Mastermind and picture quiz handouts
The Hall of Shame
The Court of Public Opinion
Answers to London Underground questions
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15 comments:
Fame at last :-)
Hi Gavin
The voting on Eggheads currently stands at 1 - 1 - you for inclusion, and me against. We'll see what the outcome is by the weekend.
Hi Dave
Hope all is well!
RE: Picture Round Debate
Regarding the revision on Picture Rounds. I have tried several aspects. When I first started pub quizzing and improving my GK it was always picture rounds and music rounds that were my Achilles heel. I have managed some basic improvements in music rounds but picture rounds....very little.
I have tried all sorts of methods ranging from doing daily online picture quizzes, finding suitable apps for my phone and Kindle etc. I was, for a period, also setting picture rounds for a friends quiz all of which I hoped would boost my knowledge.
I have made sure every time a face comes on TV I don't know I note it down, either mentally or literally, as it tends to be things like TV presenters and TV actors I fail on.
My current affairs revision involves reading some tabloids every week and I try my best to remember faces of all the current Z-listers.
But alas...it still lets me down.
I quiz usually with a non-quizzer who is the same age as me (28). I think short of drafting in a few team mates with mixed ages we are never going to make that Picture Round anything but a threat to our chances of winning.
Hi Dan,
I tend to agree that it's the one time in a quiz where having a team of more than 4 members is actually more of a help than a hindrance.
RE: Eggheads
I would vote No!
Although some of the points are valid....slow paced, contestants talking out answers they clearly know (which you are instructed to do....hence my Cape Horn mumbling when I was on. I don't agree the odds are stacked in favour of the Eggheads in any other way other than the plain and simple fact they have the best two quiz players on the planet playing for them. But as you say...that's the nature of the show.
The one complaint I often here from quizzing circles is that the multiple choice nature takes the edge of it. Giving Kevin, Pat, Barry et al Multiple Choice questions really does not show off how good these guys really are! The Chasers work much harder in the Final Chase etc
...but then again. Without Eggheads would we ever have seen The Chase emerge (arguably the finest new quiz show to emerge in the last 10 years (perhaps second only to Only Connect.
Eggheads raised the profile of top level (don't want to use the word elite)quizzing in this country. When the presenters say "World Quiz Champion" "European Champion etc" it surely has made some people look further into this and discover the British Quiz Circuit etc
A show that recognises, displays and respects top quiz players should never be in the court!
However...
Nomination for the Hall of Shame.....Revenge of the Egghead!
Also...
Mastermind policy. Mike Foden told me 2 years ago when he appeared on Mastermind that he was informed he would have to wait another 2 years to reapply. Sure enough he reapplied an is a contestant on this series.
Obviously not being put into practice in all cases!
Hi Dan,
Thanks for your nomination. The case for Revenge of Egghead is now on the books, and will be considered within the next few weeks.
Yes, I've had a very similar experience with regards to being told official policy while something very different is clearly being practised. Case in point - when I was stand in for the 2006 semis, I asked Laura of the production team what the policy was regarding reappearances. She told me that the policy was - lose in the first round and you can reapply for the very next series. Lose in the semis, and you'd have to wait three years. Lose in the final, and it would have to be three years. Yet she was sitting right opposite Geoff Thomas, who went on to win the series - and Geoff had been runner up in the 2003 final! So I think that if there actually is a policy, it's flexible to say the least.
I wouldn't go along with putting Eggheads in the Hall of Shame.
Yes it has its faults as stated, which I would agree with. However, when it first came on, for me it was compulsory viewing for three or four years.
Finally, it is still on, so it must still be popular and doing something right or people just wouldn't watch it.
Anyway I nominate Perfection, I know its still on, which kind of invalidates my arguement in the previous paragraph, but hey I dislike it!!!
HI Ian,
Thanks for your vote. Your nomination of Perfection has been noted, and we shall discuss it's case as soon as a court date becomes available.
I really wasn't that serious about nominating the British versions of Jeopardy. The episodes I've seen on Youtube weren't to the level of the 1984-present US version, but they were still pretty good. My only issue with them is that they seemed to care too much about the money gained or lost on every question as opposed to the US version where they just keep reading answers for the contestants to provide questions for.
Many thanks for picking up my nomination of Dirty Money, will be interested to see what is made of it next week!
Daniel, no conversation about "best quiz show from the last 10 years" is complete unless Pointless is mentioned also. That one has perhaps a claim to having actually increased the GK of its viewers, given the way chemistry and geography questions are approached now compared to previous years.
I've no idea how the 100 people are found, but answers like Nauru, Tuvalu, etc which would be guaranteed Pointless in the earlier series are definitely not now. The periodic table has come in for similar, with many obscure elements now no long being pointless. If the show has been responsible for viewers picking up knowledge of such things (Alexander and Richard certainly claim it on the show, but they may not be serious about it), then that is definitely to be applauded.
Agreed that Only Connect and The Chase would be a top 3 of the last 10 years, though I wouldn't like to suggest an order.
My top show in the last ten years would definitely be OC. If I had to name a top 3 that would be harder. Probably Pointless, maybe the Chase, but unlike OC I wouldn't generally watch the other two on catch up TV if I miss it.
OC UC and MM are iPlayer favourites!
Hi Guys
Umm - I think you're making nominations for a Hall of Fame rather than a Hall of Shame!
Might get onto that in the future. As a rule, I review the shows which I love - hence Mastermind - Only Connect - University Challenge - Brain of Britain - Round Britain Quiz.
Eggheads in the hall of shame? Never!
OK, I don't watch it any longer, but I was on it once, a decade ago, and in those days I never missed an episode. It is perhaps tired-looking in these days of Chasers etc, but it is a fine vintage quiz. And as Dan has indicated, it bought to the non-quizzes attention the UK quiz scene and paved the way for The Chase.
My nomination for a The Hall of Shame: in It To Win It.
Thanks for your vote and comments Ben, and your nomination of In It To Win It. This will be put before the court of public opinion as soon as a court date becomes available.
You can follow the voting on Twitter.
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