Trivia for the less divvier. (University Challenge)

Member Name: Vandersar

Product:	University Challenge
Date:	26/08/09 (38 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It is a real challenge. not just a set of general knowledge questions.

Disadvantages: Some questons are impossible without a degree in Physics

Since its inception in the 1960s University Challenge has become a national insitution which still draws a mass audience after years of an unchanged format. The show is typically aired during primetime on a weekday evening and features two competing teams from various universities and colleges around the UK. The teams answer questions from a range of topics including a music round and two picture rounds.

The whole point of University Challenge is that it does give the nation's brightest young things (and sometimes not-so-young) the chance to show off knowledge on slightly more academic themes than the average quiz show. The questions can range from astrophysics to linguistics or Maths with a healthy smattering of popular culture and trivia thrown in to keep us mortals happy. There will be those who complain it's too hard or that it is just a bunch of intellectuals showing off; however, let's be honest every pub quiz as well as every less taxing TV game show is just slightly less intelligent people showing off in a slightly less intellectual way. You can't ban clever people from appearing on quiz shows because they're too clever. Last year's run featured the now famous Miss Trimble of the deposed Champions from Oxford..Her incredible knowledge was such that she was nicknamed 'The Human Google' after destroying all adversaries; unfortunately in a dramatic turn of events, her team were disqualified for having a player with a job.

University Challenge is most definitely a challenge, and one that I aspire to do at least reasonably at every week. Most weeks I can get around 10 answers correct but what I find really 'challenging' is trying to answer the questions related to my degree. At least I can feel assured that 4 years of my life weren't a total waste. There are sometimes a few incredibly hard Maths or Physics questions which leave me running for the kettle but I find I can have a decent guess at around half of the content without a raging headache developing.

The show's presenter Jeremy Paxman is a somewhat belligerent host who has now become famous for ranting at contestants' 'obviously' (ahem) ridiculous answers to the quiz questions. A random example from a recent episode
Paxman: 'Name two of the three member states of the EU to include the suffix Land in their name'
Contestant: Finland and Swaziland
Paxman: Are you mad?

He seems to have adopted the same rude and confrontational attitude he takes with politicians but for me it just adds to the entertainment.

BBC 2's University Challenge is a quiz show for the intellectual and long may it continue. It's continuing popularity and primetime spot is testament to the fact that 'The Weakest Link' or 'Who wants to be Millionaire', although good quiz shows, are not the height of intellectual challenge and capacity.

And it's goodnight from me.
Goodnight.

Summary: The ultimate challenge of intellect.