'University Challenged 2017/18: Volume Seven (04.09.17)'


The out-and-out winner of tonight’s University Challenge had to be Oxford’s Parr-Reid for me.

His similarities to a young Michael Caine (or Phil Cornwell’s Stella Street impersonation of him at least) were pretty uncanny, and the gift that kept giving (when you weren’t sucked in by the thickness of UCL Raii’s wonderous beard). My eyes kept being drawn back, like a moth to the-guy-in-Zulu-with-the-unconvincing-upper-class-accent flame; all he needed was the trademark angry point for the illusion to be complete.

With each passing episode, I listen to the questions less and less: it's just become an exercise in posting childish observations about the contestants on Twitter; It shouldn’t be allowed.

See below for what was said this week:

Trinity - Oxford Vs. UCL (04.09.17)

8:02PM: Parr-Reid is like a shifty Where's Wally.

8:04PM: When Nicole Rosenfeld wears her hair over her right shoulder, she's Evil Nicole; over the left makes her the Nice one.

8:06PM: Parr-Reid.

8:07PM: Michael Moore Moore Moore, How do you like it? How do you like it?

8:08PM: I'm going to buy a racehorse and call it Raii's Fuzzy Felt Beard.

8:09PM: Parr-Reid has the look of a man who secretly put a poo in your fridge and knows you haven't found it yet.

8:10PM: ...Gray's Desperate Dan beard.

8:12PM: I like how UCL's Dowell has managed to make the roll of his rollneck a feature.

8:14PM: Each of Gunn's answers should be underscored with the Peter Gunn Theme.

8:17PM: "What's it all about, Parr-Reid..."

8:18PM: Dowell's thinking face is a zombie face. 

8:19PM: Raii's beard comes off in one piece.

8:20PM: Allinson suffers from narcolepsy.

8:21PM: Gunn drove his team to the studio and settled into his seat so last-minute, he didn't have time to take his jacket off.

8:23PM: Raii's beard had the same density as Tom Selleck's moustache. Therefore he couldn't be more manly.

8:24PM: Rosenfeld and Gray were the only ones to get the mustard jumper memo.

8:25PM: Gunn is wearing a denim shirt under a suede jacket. 
A DENIM shirt, under a SUEDE jacket. 
DENIM. 
SUEDE. 
Madness.

8:28PM: Parr-Reid also has the slight air of a young Mr Barraclough.

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