University Challenge 2022-23: Round 1: Match 2: Open vs Newcastle

Good evening again friends, and welcome to the second match of the series! After missing a bit of it last week as I was writing my review, I have now watched the UC at 60 documentary; it was a good watch, though I'd have maybe liked to see more of the older series, as it seemed largely focussed on more recent years (but then, as Weaver's Week pointed out, they got their time in previous documentaries). Anyway, after last week's excellent series opener, hopes are high that things would continue in that vein this week, so would it?

The Open University won the show in 1998-99 (and previously in 1984), then vanished for many years before returning in 2014-15; it has appeared four times since, but not made it beyond the second round. This year's team were:

Dan Twigg, from Louth, studying Chemistry

Freddie Myles, from Edinburgh, studying Economics

Captain: James MacGregor, from Liverpool, studying History

Jess Baker, from Canterbur, studying Social Psychology

 

Newcastle University is appearing for the twelfth time in the BBC series; its last, and most successful, appearance was five series ago in 2017-18, where they produced a fine underdog run to the semis before losing in unfortunate circumstances to Merton of Oxford. This year's quartet were:

John Ingham, from Guildford, studying Control Theory for Brain Modelling and Analysis

Tom Speller, from Putney, studying Medicine

Captain: Sam Keay, from Bedford, studying Linguistics with Japanese

Elizabeth Lamb, from Morpeth, studying Film Theory and Practice 

 

So, off we set for the second time this series, and it was Mr Speller (a namesake of a contestant from the Alex Guttenplan series many years ago I believe!) who took the first starter, and the Tynesiders took two bonuses from their first set. Mr Myles quickly set Open off as well; Nobel laureattes born in South Africa gave them two correct of their own to start with, before a second starter in a row gave them the lead, though just one bonus went with this one. The first picture round, on locations of multi-branch museums, went to Newcastle, who took another two bonuses (I got the one they didn't, as I remember my parents going to the Dundee V&A on its opening weekend!), after which they led 40-35.

Open retook the lead with the next starter, but couldn't add any bonuses from a gettable set on prime ministers. Back came Newcastle with a starter and another two bonuses to take the lead, before a second starter in a row gave them a bonus set on autistic theory gave them another two correct. This form ended on their next set, on art, which they only took one on, but that coupled with the music round, on songs sampled by Beyonce on her album Lemonade, which they got nothing from, meant they led 105-45.

Back came Open with Mr Myles taking the next starter, giving them bonuses on British football clubs in Europe, which they got two of (Tottenham escaped me, but I got Celtic and Leeds). Newcastle immediately fought back with a starter and full set of bonuses which meant they now had double their opponents' score. A quick buzz from Mr MacGregor changed that, but they only took one resulting bonus. The second picture round, on winners of film awards in 2021, went to Newcastle, who took another full set, which increased their lead to 155-80.

A starter to Mr Speller and yet another full set of bonuses, Newcastle now led by 100, and that was game over. Which left Open with the task of getting a repechage score, and two starters to Mr Myles and three bonuses out of the resulting six deservedly took them into three figures, but another starter would probably be needed. But Newcastle took the final starter there was time to answer; just one bonus followed, but it didn't really matter now. There was time for Paxo to ask one last, rather complicated sounding, starter, but no time for anyone to answer it; at the gong, Newcastle won 195-115.

Another good enjoyable contest between two pleasant teams. Well done to Newcastle on a pretty good first performance and best of luck next time! Hard lines to Open, who gave a good account of themselves, Mr Myles especially, and whose score I fear won't be enough for the play-offs, but thanks for playing, a good effort.

The stats: Mr Myles was the best buzzer of the night with six, while Mr Speller was best for Newcastle with four. On the bonuses, Open managed 9 out of 21 and Newcastle 19 out of 30, and, for the second week in a row, there were no penalties all night.

Next week's match: LSE vs University College Oxford

Only Connect’s second match of the series pitted the Jillies, Mark Casarotto, Sara Benwell and captain Kat Brown, against the Road Runners, Harry Prance (UC alumnus), Emma Browne and captain Reece Jackson-Jones (who has also been on UC I think). The former led 4-3 after the first round, before a rather tough second round levelled the scores at 5-each. A better wall allowed the Jillies to regain the lead 15-10 going into Missing Vowels, and they maintained it after a round where both lost numerous points to win 19-12.

 

Brain of Britain was won by Tom Gibson, who led from the off and won with 13 points; Nicholas Comfort and Wendy Merrick came joint second with 9 points and Annabel Gaskell completed the line-up with 5, but it was a close game where no-one was ever totally out of sight.