Only Connect, BBC Four

[merman]

So, rather than jam up the You Have Been Watching thread, I thought I would start one for this great little quiz show on BBC Four.

Two teams of three, given a title based on their hobby/job/association. For example, The Chess Men (featuring a couple of recent University Challenge competitors).

First round - a set of four items, and the team have to work out the connection. Six possible questions chosen by picking a Greek letter, with one music and one picture question. Get it after one clue and there's 5 points, 2 clues gives 3 points, 2 points for 3 and 1 point after the fourth.

Second round - up to three items are shown, and the teams have to guess what comes fourth.

Third round - the connecting wall. Sixteen clues to be arranged into four groups of four. A point for getting a group, a point for getting the link, and two bonus points for getting all four connections. This is my favourite round, very clever with its red herrings

Fourth round - Mssng Vwls. Take a word or phrase, remove the vowels and realign the consonants. The topic changes every four answers, for example "Statements by Prime Ministers" gives us WRGR NDM THR - WE ARE A GRANDMOTHER

It's the final of the current series on Bank Holiday Monday...

...and of course there's another reason for watching. Victoria Coren. Brains and looks.

[deerokus]

It's brilliant but so so difficult. The Chessmen team with the guy who was on the team who won University Challenge by default, who came third in this series were freakish, really don't know how they worked out some of the things they did. Yet still they got knocked out as it is, I think, infinitely harder than University Challenge.

You know the last round? the best I've ever done at that was when they asked three questions where the answers were in French. Really strange that it was much easier in my second language where I'm anything but fluent, but there you go.

One thing I like about it is when these ultra-geek teams who are brilliant at lateral thinking and have spent far too long doing maths or whatever miss some really obvious pop-culture 'joke' answers in the third round. In the last game, for example, one team didn't connect 'ball', 'board', 'plough', and 'mobile', and when they were told these were a group, they thought the connection was that you could add '______ game' to it

[joeplus]

In the last game, for example, one team didn't connect 'ball', 'board', 'plough', and 'mobile', and when they were told these were a group, they thought the connection was that you could add '______ game' to it

Er... what is the connection? Am I retarded?

Caught a bit of this after my folks said it was "just ridiculous" in its difficulty. Was intrigued. It is fucking hardcore. Might have to tune in for the final.

[earlymodernsteve]

Snow.

[Made of Ghosts]

That time when I was watching the second round and the first clue was "Rest" and I IMMEDIATELY said "Elevation" and it turned out to be right was pretty much the pinnacle of my life thus far.

[Comrade]

EPSILON!

[Marzipan Travolta]

I have filthy thoughts about making a connection with the girl from the maths team. Think I got about 5 points this week. The electrons, blackadder, snow_, snooker players and yoga positions.

[kloid]

I admit to getting a rather steamy mental image upon Victoria Cohen stating she would like to 'play the plough-game'.

[joeplus]

Downloaded the series. This is like crack, it's amazing. I got 4 right before the contestants on the first episode and my brain felt the size of a house.

Anyone up for forming a Muk Rllers team for next series?

[Darragh]

I did watch a few episodes of this on the wondrous BBC iPlayer the last time I was in England. It's quite brilliant in that if you get something that none of the contestants can work out, you feel like a fucking genius - much more so than in any other gameshow.

It also doesn't hurt that I've had a soft spot for Victoria Coren for a number of years. Her voice does...things to me. Mysterious, lovely things. Mmm.

[joeplus]

Had to watch another.

EIGHT, bitches. I was fucking HOT on the missing vowels round.

[joeplus]

Palindromic surnames, you thick twats!

This is AMAZING. I got LOADS on Episode 3. I'm off to bed now, on a high.

[Pioscene]

Why isn't this on iPlayer?

[FishyFish]

I love this show, but it's a rarity that I ever answer more than about three questions correctly.

I felt really pleased and yet, at the same time, distinctly lowbrow when I correctly answered the Top Gear corners question.

Less cerebral by far, but I'm hooked on Pointless which is showing daily on BBC2. It's oddly addictive and a good general knowledge test, plus it seems at times that Alexander Armstrong can barely hold back the sneers at some of the ridiculous answers given.

[merman]

Not had much chance to watch Pointless yet, but what I've seen so far is good.

There's supposed to be a "champion of champions" Only Connect, with the winners of the first two series playing each other. But it's kind of gone missing from the schedules...

[FishyFish]

The Champion of Champions episode is on on Monday 21 Dec:

QUIZ SHOW: Only Connect

On: BBC 4 (116)

Date: Monday 21st December 2009

Time: 20:30 to 21:00 (30 minutes long)

Crossworders v Rugby Boys: The Champion Of Champions.

Quiz show presented by Victoria Coren in which knowledge will only take you so far, as patience and lateral thinking are also vital. The Crossworders, champions of series one, return to challenge the kings of series two, the Rugby Boys, drawing together the connections between things which, at first glance, seem utterly random. So what is the connection between Sir George Booth, Yassin Omar, Mr Toad and Bonnie Prince Charlie?

(Stereo, Widescreen, Subtitles)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=8627

Copyright © GipsyMedia Limited.

[joeplus]

This is back for Series 3! Still as maddeningly fun as ever. Tested myself on the first episode, got a rather pleasing 21 points. Nearly all of those were from Missing Vowels which seems to have been invented purely for me.

There was an awesome connecting wall as well: contained Sweep, Punch and Big Bird, but "puppets" was totally not one of the groups. Clever.

[FishyFish]

I was shouting "Deck! It's deck you dozy bastards!" at the TV during the connecting wall.

Now, if only I could get loads more right - missing vowels aside, I'm happy if I get more than two or three correct connections.

[joeplus]

I was shouting "Deck! It's deck you dozy bastards!" at the TV during the connecting wall.

Haha, me too! You could see the lovely poker queen Victoria Coren just despairing, silently.

I got a couple on the wall before they did, and the one about OBEs and MBEs etc, and that was it apart from the last round. Great mental workout, and a reminder about how utterly little I know about any form of history.

[deerokus]

I did alright this week too. I can only assume they've made it a little easier

[Ravern]

I think it was easier this week. Especially the connecting wall!

I've got some friends on this later in the series actually, although I've no idea how well they did.

[joeplus]

I think it was easier this week. Especially the connecting wall!

I've got some friends on this later in the series actually, although I've no idea how well they did.

Have you asked, or is it just that they're being secretive?

When my mate was on University Challenge, we got him proper. "Did you win?" "Oh, I can't tell you that." "So when's the next one?" "24th of- oh fuck..."

[Ravern]

I just haven't got round to asking. I know, however, that the recording for the first round and semi-final were on the same day, so that trick sadly won't work.

[merman]

Was quite pleased to get the music question right on the third clue, loved the little deja vu joke in the Mssng Vwls round. Overall I wouldn't have said it was easier than an equivalent first round match from the last series.

[joeplus]

Was quite pleased to get the music question right on the third clue, loved the little deja vu joke in the Mssng Vwls round.

Don't you mean the M Ssn Gvw Lsr N D?

[dan_tm]

I think I love Victoria Coren

She's like a female version of Mark Corrigan.

[kloid]

I think I love Victoria Coren

Oh my, yes.

[merman]

Income Tax, VAT,

Money Back, Guarantee

... LOL

[Fry Crayola]

A guy I know from the internets (tenuous link there, but run with it) was on recently. Nice to see him win. Nice to see him sat next to Peter Serafinowicz's younger brother. (Not actually Serafinowicz's younger brother).

First I've seen of the show, looks good. First I've seen of zeta, too.

[joeplus]

I think I love Victoria Coren

She's like a female version of Mark Corrigan.

Haha, I just watched the newest ep after reading this post. When she went "...like the Looord of the Flies", in the intro, it sounds exactly like Mark. I guffawed.

17 last week, let's see how I do this time.