2016/17, Episode 29 - Emmanuel vs Corpus Christi

If you haven’t already you can watch the episode here before reading the review:

Another week, and another Paxman comparison of the ten match quarter finals to the works of a writer particularly associated with the bleak and lugubrious. Tonight it was the turn of Edgar Allan Poe, as Jeremy continued his one man crusade against the so-called “remorselessness” of this format. I’m starting to think he has real feelings of hatred towards this stage, as if the six extra shows he has to film on top of the regular four of other quarter finals trap him each year in some form of tortured purgatory.

Returning this evening to battle for the first semi final place and crush Paxman’s soul into even smaller pieces were Emmanuel, Cambridge and Corpus Christi, Oxford, fresh from formidable victories over the hotly tipped Universities of Warwick and Bristol respectively.

Cambridge captain Bobby Seagull switched up his College clobber for his fourth appearance, opting for a red Emmanuel rugby shirt rather than a hoodie this time. I reckon he may at some point, if the going gets tough, crack out a crested shirt and tie combo.

No member of the Corpus Christi team is displaying such open love for the badge, though I have been informed that their mascot, who resembles a pelican, is in fact a Seagull, so may well be squawking for the other side in this match.

It is they, however, who take the early lead, through Venkatesh, who doesn’t believe in the traitorous nature of plush birds. But Bobby does, and his secret agent disables the Oxfordians buzzers for the next few questions, allowing Emmanuel to flap freely into a forty point lead.

Included in these forty points are five on the film ‘Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging’, which Seagull has no clue about while his teammates flounder embarrassedly to the correct answer, with Bruno looking mildly mortified at the fact he had to say ‘thongs’ to Jeremy Paxman.

Nevertheless, they were displaying the same ruthlessness with which they destroyed Warwick, and now that they’d shown their knowledge base covered coming of age films from 2008 as well as medieval history from, well, medieval times, Corpus would have to get back quickly to prevent another steamrolling

And that they did. Venkatesh stopped the rot with a ten point answer of ‘swan’, proving that not all birds are against them. Unfortunately for them, no sooner had the rot been stopped did it begin again, and Emma stretched out beyond forty points ahead this time.

Following a neg on a poetry question by Corpus, Seagull holds up a warning finger to stop Hill and Ward from rushing in, after which Bruno calmly buzzes in and takes it. This is the closest you get in quizzing to an alley-oop in basketball, though Bruno imparts his knowledge with noticeably less enthusiasm than a player making a slam dunk, as if it is his eternal duty to educate all those around him, and one he now performs with a tired and heavy heart.

Seagull gets the second picture starter ridiculously quickly, and then he attempts to replicate the famous turkey-neck movement made famous by Del Trotter whenever he successfully brokered a dodgy deal.

During a bonus set on astronomers, Seagull defied his entire team’s assertion that William Herschel was British, and went with him in answer to a question requiring a German. It was an inspired decision, and summed up the way things were going for Emma at that point.

Perhaps the stuffed mascot really did have a say in proceedings…

Final Score: Emmanuel, Cam 170 - 55 Corpus Christi, Ox

Not the highest scoring match overall, but entertaining nontheless, and we now have our first semi finalist! Not 100% sure who’splaying next week, but I’ll find out in due course. As always, thanks for reading. Sorry this one’s a few days late (and a little short)