University Challenge 2017-18: Series Highlights

OK, time for my annual University Challenge end of series retrospective. After a rather inconstant first round, the series jumped into life in the knockout round, and that momentum carried on throughout the series. So, let's do this thing...

Starting with my usual selection of the best match of each phase:

• First Round + Play-Offs: Emmanuel vs St Hugh's just gets my pick here, followed very closely by Edinburgh vs Ulster.
• Second Round: Warwick vs Ulster, followed by U.C.L. vs Edinburgh. As I said at the time, those would be a good pair of matches to chose if you're going to get someone started on UC.
• Quarter-Finals: Has to be Newcastle vs St John's, with Fitzwilliam vs Emmanuel not far off.
• The Final Three: All were pretty good, but I enjoyed St John's vs Edinburgh most.

 Not a great deal to chose from in terms of close matches, but the series remained enjoyable almost throughout. As Dave C. said on LAM, even a weaker episode of UC is more watchable then average episodes of other quizzes.

In terms of the diversity of the institutions that appeared, we had a good range of non-Oxbridge teams this year, with four London teams, three from Scotland and one each from Scotland and Wales. No Manchester this series, the first absence of the former powerhouse for a few series, and Oxford Brookes and Sheffield Hallam flying the flag for the post 92 intake. For the third year in a row, Cambridge slightly outranked Oxford with six to five.

U.C.L. take the prize for the highest score of the series, with 315 in their play-off demolition of St Hugh's; they and Ulster narrowly avoid the ignominy of being the lowest scorers of the season, with Cardiff and Sheffield Hallam taking that unfortunate accolade with 40 each. U.C.L.'s winning margin in that play-off, 270, is also the largest of the series, while the largest aggregate score is 430, from Merton's second round win over Oxford Brookes.

Now for the annual highlights reel:

• "Yul Brynner." "No-one's saying anything!" Also, the Red Dwarf theme tune in the music round.
• "Katy Perry" and "One Direction" in a music round!
• "My brother is an aficionado of oolong tea."
• Mr Raii's attempts to hurry Paxo through his pre-bonus spiel!
• "Brexit?" "Yes!"
• Ms Dihal's single handedly answering a bonus set on her homeland! Also, "Troilus and Cressida?" "Good heavens no!
• The music round on songs that received attention the day after the 2016 US election!
• "Fear of bellybuttons!"
• Paxo spookily pre-empting Jose Mourinho's 'Bristol were lucky' comments!
• "Justin Bieber!"
• "Cole Porter" being right this time!
• Newcastle achieveing two 'ONE YEAR OUT!'s in a row!
• Ulster suggesting Roland Garros has had a sex change!
• "Irn Bru!" "Doubtless made you what you are!"
• "Oasis?" "Good heavens no! That's Led Zeppelin's IMMORTAL Stairway to Heaven!"
• Mr Carson's brilliant shout of "Tristan and Isolde". Also, "Denis Compton".
• "1 6 15 20 15 6 1?"

Wow, came up with more than I thought I might there. If anyone has anymore, do let me know.

So, that's it for this series of University Challenge on this blog. It's been another great series to cover, and if it is the last one I decide to do in this format, then it's a great one to go out on. Thanks once again to Paxo, Roger Tilling and all the teams involved for the last few months' viewing, been great as always!

I will post up some more serious thoughts next Friday, once Only Connect has finished up too, as they are connected to it as well. Hopefully I will get my blog of the OC final done promptly in the week.