Evening all. Back to normal service tonight after last week's golf delay. Tonight's show was OK, although it did, unfortunately, see the return of something I, and many other no doubt, were hoping we wouldn't see this series after the trouble it caused last series.
The University of Kent, appearing for the first time in the BBC series, was founded in 1965, and is based mainly in Canterbury, with campuses in Medway and Tunbridge. Alumni include writer EL James and, as mentioned on QI, performer Alan Davies. The first Kent UC team of the BBC series were:
Alexander Atmore, from North London, studying Comparative Literature
Emma Isworth, from Tenterden in Kent, studying Medical Humanities
Captain: Caitlin Gilroy, from Durham, studying Physics
Thomas Cheetham, from Bournemouth, studying Military History
Newcastle University was born out of two schools of medical science and physical science, and later became part of the University of Durham, before splitting and becoming it's own in 1937. Alumni include performer Rowan Atkinson, music man Bryan Ferry and war reporter Kate Adie. It last sent a team back in 2011-12, who made the QFs before losing to eventual champs Manchester. This year's quartet were:
Alexander Kirkman, from Surrey, studying Biomedical Sciences
Nicholas Smith, from Chorley in Lancashire, studying Medicine
Captain: Tony Richardson, from County Durham, studying International Politics
Kate Bennett, from Chichester, studying Film Theory and Practice
Off we set again then, and Kent were first out of the traps, with Mr Atmore spotting the items Paxo describing to all be linked by the number nine. One bonus followed, as did a second starter for Mr Atmore. Comedy moment of the week came when the side guessed Kent for a county cricket side! Newcastle promptly got going courtesy of Mr Richardson, and a full set of bonuses on clouds followed. The first picture round was a good one, on hypothetical signs detailing notable tourist locations of English counties; Newcastle took the starter and all three bonuses, and thus led 50-35.
That lead disappeared when Miss Bennett had
an unlucky slip, and allowed Kent in through the back door, and to draw
level with one bonus on puppetry. The Southerners took the lead when Mr
Atmore took the next starter, but no bonuses followed. Mr Smith looked
like he was guessing on the next starter, but he guessed right, and
Newcastle retook the lead via one bonus on lines. The Tynesiders had one
fewer starter under their belts, but their better bonus conversion had
given them a narrow lead.
The music starter saw Mr
Atmore identify Craig David, the second week running he has come up in
Quizzy Mondays! The music bonuses, on artists who have been banished
into Room 101 on the excellent BBC series of the same name, saw Kent
take one and unluckily miss another by offering U2 instead of Bono. They
now had a slender lead of 75-65, but Newcastle took the next starter to
draw level, and another full bonus set gave them the lead back. Another
of those 'three rhyming word' starters followed, and Kent were, again,
unlucky to miss, giving Newcastle the points, and two bonuses. Mr
Kirkman slipped up, losing five, but Kent couldn't pick up. Mr
Richardson took the next starter, and two bonuses gave Newcastle a
substantial fifty point lead.
The second picture round,
on depictions of British buildings of Canaletto, went to Kent, but no
bonuses followed, leaving the deficit at 125-85. The next starter was
missed by both sides, the next went to Mr Richardson, and another full
bonus set on Greek myth gave them a strong lead, and Kent would have to
push hard to catch them. Ms Isworth took the next starter to just about
keep them in it, but just one bonus went with it.
Then,
I'm afraid, we saw the return of the controversy that clouded the show
last series, as Mr Smith was fined for interrupting just a Paxo was
finishing the final word of the question. Kent couldn't pick up, but Ms
Isworth took the next starter to keep their chances alive, but just one
bonus followed again. Mr Smith took the next starter for Newcastle, and
that was game over, even though just one bonus followed. Both sides
missed the next starter, and the gong went just as Kent buzzed on the
next starter. Newcastle won the match 160-115.
A slow
and steady match, but a pleasant one nonetheless, in spite of that
penalty, which thankfully had no impact on the outcome. Unlucky Kent,
who did OK on the buzzer, but didn't follow though on the bonuses well
enough, but, as Paxo said, you managed a decent score, so good on yous.
Well done Newcastle though; as Paxo said, you'll need to speed up next
time, but do that and I suspect you could do well this series, so good
luck for that next time!
Mr Atmore was best buzzer of
the night, with four for Kent, while Messrs Smith and Richardson were
joint best for Newcastle with three each. The bonuses were what decided
the match, Kent managed just 7 out of 24, while Newcastle managed a very
good 18 out of 24, with two penalties. That rate coupled with a
stronger showing on the buzzer, and you've got a very promising team
there.
Next week's match: Manchester (the Team Everyone Wants to Beat) vs York
Only Connect saw the return of some old faces you may remember tonight; I'll go into greater detail tomorrow or Wednesday night.
The statistics paint a fascinating story this week. For much of the game, I was sharing Paxo's "this is a close match" sentiment, with the lead regularly changing hands - I didn't realise until much later how close it really had been on the buzzer, and how convincingly Newcastle had won on the bonuses. 18/24 is excellent, and if they keep producing rates like that, they could hang around for a while yet, provided they don't get decisively outbuzzed next time.
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