University Challenge (also featuring Only Connect and other BBC quiz shows)

That was because it's named after Ada Lovelace innit. I didn't know the others but I know who the daughter of George Gordon, Lord Byron was. Hung out with Babbage, nice one.

(still, not as bad as the cow-orker who pronounces "spamhaus" "spamhorse")

My old drama teacher got to the semis on MM in '86 or so.

Didn't he get a wee bit more time than the others - Humphrys explained something by way of explanation about the lipreading thing but I was in the other room so missed most of what he was saying.

I wondered about the cane too.

Was the other interesting thing the karaoke backing tracks of cheesy ballads (all of which I recognised, much to the amusement of my husband and parents)? Wasn't there a Smiths lyrics question too, or was that last week?

Ah, I was appalled to see tetris in there. It was written in 1985-86! And not really commercially available until a while after that. It's hardly retro!

not a patch on "frottage" though :)

I bet Paxo LOVED this.

(not that i disagree necessarily ;))

One of the posh girls seemed awkward and silly. Yet she knew things that I don't.

It was hard: I scored only about 60 points.

I like the thought that we are the only ones who take it seriously enough to have this technical discussion.

*I must say the answer aloud, otherwise it doesn't count - do you have this rule too?

Madchen, it is an interesting question -- need one say the answer aloud? I think it does help. Also I have wee Isobel to say the answers to.

what you're saying is "youngsters these days, cuh? bunch of thickies" isn't it?

I say this about half a dozen times a week. They are though.

Does this explain his transformation into The Bellefox?

In a way I hope not, because it would affect my impression of his constancy towards Hillary.

it is insufferable.

I also like the idea that Rajan doesn't think it's beneath him to ask questions about video games or knitting.

and doesn't berate people for not knowing obscure classical composers

Ailsa it was a real delight to watch you on OC (and then to read back up this thread and see you gradually saying "hey, maybe I should try and go on OC")

I for one have kinda enjoyed the UC shift from affronted schoolmasterly "good lord how could you be so dreadfully wrong" to a coolly dismissive "nah, bro, that's kinda embarrassing" response. I hope to live long enough to see lots of different modes of shaming contestants applied

There was a round about 80s rap which concluded with Amol gently berating the team for not listening to enough hip-hop. I think that sealed the deal for my fandom of him - IMAGINE Paxo saying that.

On a bit of a tangent, it was funny to see Only Connect alumnus Michael Joel Bartellein the first episode of The Regime.

Yeah, I went into this season expecting AR to be a bit crap, but he’s turned out to be adorable and I like what UC has evolved into under his stewardship. And of the contestants, I particularly liked ailsa’s mate, the Open University captain who knew her female punk singers and rocked some fierce looks.

She popped up on BBC London news recently on the panel auditioning buskers for the Tube.

Yeah, she works for TfL and is just an all-round fantastic person. I was so happy she got the questions on female punk singers!

Also, thanks Nabisco!

She looked so pleased and confident about that one! (As opposed to the relatable share of people who, getting a topic they're familiar with, immediately panic at the prospect of still being stumped, which is almost certainly what I would do)