Evening all. It says a lot about how disinterested Deal or No Deal's fanbase has become with the show that the news that it's coming back in two week's time has been met with such indifference. I'll probably not watch the remaining shows, apart from the Farewell Tour shows maybe. Been enjoying the morning repeats on Challenge from 2008 though. Wonder if Challenge will ever acquire any 90s University Challenge; I should maybe suggest it to them on Twitter. Anyway, on with tonight; a losing score of 180 or more would give tonight's runners-up a definite place in the play-offs.
Queen's University Belfast was founded in 1810 as a Presbyterian alternative to the Anglican Trinity College Dublin, and became a university 98 years later; alumni include poet Seamus Heaney, funnyman Patrick Kielty and ex-Irish president Mary McAleese. It has regularly sent teams in the BBC era, last year's team lost to eventual runners-up St John's in the second round, and it won the show back in 1981. This year's foursome were:
Padraig Regan, from Belfast, studying Poetry
Caitlyn Newby, from Los Angeles, studying Poetry
Captain: Stuart Mathieson, from Belfast, studying Modern History
Enda Doherty, from Strabane in County Tyrone, studying Finance
Birmingham University is one of the original redbricks, founded in 1900; alumni include the late Victoria Wood (who was presumably still alive when this was recorded?), quiz show legend Chris Tarrant and Iain Weaver of Weaver's Week fame. It too has regularly appeared in the past 22 years, reaching the QFs in the first BBC series in 94-95; it last sent a team back in 2011-12, who were unlucky to go out in the second round. This year's quartet were:
Elliot Jan-Smith, from Derby, studying Chemistry
Fraser Sutherland, from Edinburgh, studying History
Captain: George Greenlees, from Plymouth, studying Medicine
Chris Rouse, from Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire, studying History and Politics
Off we set again then, and a slip-up from Birmingham allowed Queen's, eventually, to identify the SNP for the first starter, and the first bonus set, on vandalised artworks, provided them with ten further points. Birmingham quickly returned to positive figures thanks to a very prompt buzz from Mr Greenlees, but the Midlanders got nothing from a bonus set on Wikipedia. Miss Newby moved Queen's further ahead when she identified cockroaches for the next starter, and they, again, took two bonuses. The first picture round, on port cities on the Med, went to Queen's, who collected two bonuses, which reduced their deficit to 40-25.
A second penalty then pushed them further back, and allowed Mr Regan to pick up the points, and Queen's as a whole to take two bonuses on Chinese history. What looked like a guess on the next starter gave Queen's a second starter in a row, but they broke their hitherto record by just taking one bonus. The next starter was dropped, with Birmingham incurring another penalty, before Mr Greenlees recouped their lost points, and unlocking a set of bonuses on trees and shrubs, which they took two of.
The music round, on David Bowie songs and their albums, went to Queen's, who took just the one bonus again, took just the one bonus, increasing their lead to 90-35. Mr Greenlees identified the artist Botticelli for the next starter, and the work of Luc Besson provided them with two correct bonuses. The next starter asked for two of the four monarchs since 1715 who weren't succeeded by an offspring; Miss Newby buzzed, but just one answer came in time, allowing Mr Greenlees to collect the points. Bonuses on astronomy provided just the one correct answer, before Mr Greenlees took a third correct starter in a row; just one bonus followed again, but they had now cut the gap to just five points.
The second picture round, on French impressionist paintings of Argenteuil, went to Birmingham, who missed the trick of saying the same thing three times and getting it right third time around, but had nonetheless taken the lead 95-90. A fifth starter in a row went Mr Greenlees' way, breaking them into triple figures, and the side added by taking one bonus on airports. Mr Doherty tried his luck on the next starter, but was wrong, and the increasingly impressive Mr Greenlees did the honours; two bonuses on French words followed this time.
And when Mr Greenlees took a seventh starter in a row, and the Midlanders swept the board on a bonus set on Tolkien's The Hobbit, that was most likely game over. Mr Doherty deservedly took Queen's into triple figures, and the side took one of the resultant bonuses. Mr Sutherland took the final starter, and that was the gong; Birmingham won 165-105.
Not as good as the last two matches, but still a very good half hour's quizzing nonetheless. Unlucky Queen's, who simply ran out of steam after half-time, but a respectable effort, so thanks very much for playing. Very well done Birmingham though; an excellent recovery after a slow start, and very best of luck in the second round!
Mr Greenlees was the best buzzer of the night, and the difference between the two sides, finishing with NINE(!) starters to his name; Mr Regan was best for Queen's with three. On the bonuses, Queen's converted 9 out of 18, while Birmingham managed 14 out of 30 (with three penalties).
Safely through to the repechage: SOAS and Jesus College Cambridge (both 175)
Next week's match: St Andrews vs Worcester College Oxford, in a replay of a play-off from 2011-12
Only Connect was pretty good tonight as well, despite none of the participants being familiar serial quizzers; more info tomorrow night, of course.
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