University Challenge 2016-17: Round 1: Match 7: Balliol vs Imperial

Evening all. Back to the usual time slot this week, in a week when I've been seriously thinking about the future of the show and of this blog. I will try not to use the same phrases within all my reviews from now on, and I have also had a think about how the show's format could be tweaked and made fairer. I'll maybe publish my thoughts on that later in the week. On with tonight.

Balliol College Oxford is one of the university's oldest, founded in 1265 by John de Balliol, and alumni include prime ministers Asquith, Macmillan and Heath, another political heavyweight Denis Healey, and quiz legend Ian Bayley, who represented the college on the show in 2000-01. The college last sent a team three years ago, who unluckily lost in the first round; the 98-99 team reckon they could've won had they not lost their first match due to a dubious question. This year's foursome were:
Freddie Potts, from Newcastle, studying History
Jacob Lloyd, from London, studying English
Captain: Joey Goldman, from London, studying Philosophy and Theology
Ben Pope, from Sydney, studying Astrophysics

Imperial College London was founded in 1907, becoming independent on it's centenary, and alumni include penicillin re-rediscover Sir Alexander Fleming, Skyline from the DoND forum, and quiz legend Ian Bayley, who represented the college on the show in 96-97. It won the series in 95-96 and 2000-01, finishing second the following year; last year's impressive team fell in the quarter-finals. This year's quartet were:
Rupert Belsham, from London, studying Physics
Lottie Whittingham, from Tincleton in Dorset, studying Medicine
Captain: Jasper Menkus, from San Francisco, studying Physics
Nas Andriopoulos, from Bradford-on-Avon, studying Chemistry with Molecular Physics

Off we set again then, and the first starter of the night was taken by Mr Belsham, but his side didn't take any bonuses on Germany. Mr Lloyd took the second starter for Balliol, and they went one better than their opponents, taking one bonus on wikis. Neither side recognised the colour 'shocking pink' for the next starter; Balliol lost five on the next, allowing Imperial to take the lead, but no bonuses followed again. The first picture round was on maps with countries highlighted whose two letter abbrevs form a capital city's name (BR-US-SE-LS); neither side got that, but Imperial, who got the bonuses, took two of them. Thus, they led 40-10.

It was then Imperial's turn to lose five; Balliol couldn't pick up, but Mr Pope did take the next starter, and a full bonus set on astronomy went their way, including the Hale-Bopp comet, which, thanks to HIGNFY, I've always assumed was pronounced 'Hally-Bopp'. Imperial then unluckily lost another five on the next starter, allowing Mr Pope the dubious pleasure of correctly answering 'Taylor Swift'! Just the one bonus accompanied that starter. Mr Menkus identified rhinoceroses to take Imperial back into the match, but, again, they dropped all the resultant bonuses.

The music round, on pieces influenced by Antonio Salieri, went to Balliol, who couldn't take any of the bonuses, but they still slenderly led 60-40. Mr Pope unluckily lost five on the next starter, buzzing after the question mark and getting caught out by extra spiel; Imperial couldn't pick up. Mr Potts made up for his colleague's error by taking the next starter, allowing his side to take two bonuses. A second starter in a row went to Mr Potts, and a bonus set on the views of EH Gombrich proved to their liking, as they took a full set.

The second picture round, on robots in films, went to Balliol, who took two bonuses, increasing their lead to 120-40. The Oxonians now had the bits between their collective teeth, as Mr Goldman took the next starter and a full bonus set on Anglo-Japanese treaties added to their score. Mr Pope got just close enough to the next starter's answer for Paxo to give leeway and the points, and when the side took two bonuses, that was most likely game over.

Unless Imperial could get a run together. Mr Goldman didn't want to let them though; he identified Martin Amis for the next starter, and the side, again, took two bonuses on chemistry. A slip-up would surely prove immaterial to the final score; Imperial picked up the points, ensuring they wouldn't be joining the Sub-50 Club. Just one bonus followed. Mr Lloyd took Balliol's latest starter, and a full bonus set lifted them over the 200-mark. Another Balliol starter, two more bonuses, and another immaterial, unpicked-up penalty ended the match. At the gong, Balliol won 220-55.

An odd match that started slowly, then shot into gear once Balliol gathered steam in the second half. Unlucky Imperial, who were undone in the second half having been very much in it in the first, but thanks very much for playing. Very well done to Balliol though; an excellent first showing despite the slow start, and they could be one to watch in the next round. Best of luck to them for then!

Messrs Goldman and Pope were joint best buzzers of the night, with four each, while Mr Menkus was Imperial's best with two. On the bonuses, Balliol converted a decent 24 out of 36 (with a not so decent four penalties), while Imperial managed just 3 out of 15 (with two penalties), and, once again, all eight players got at least one starter correct.

Next week's match: Robinson College Cambridge vs Wadham College Oxford, in a repeat of a very one sided first round match from ten years ago! (It's on YT somehwere)

Only Connect saw the first of the play-offs from the first half of the draw. I'll cover it alongside the second next week, as I'm away for a couple of nights as of tomorrow. I do, however, plan to talk more about Deal, given it has now officially be cancelled. Watch this space.