2016/17, Episode 20 - SOAS vs Emmanuel

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

If I were to put a tentative figure on it, I would say that 50% of the total number of tweets with #UniversityChallenge attached to them tweeted since the start of this series have come from the mind of Emmanuel’s captain tonight, Bobby Seagull. When you only factor in his colleges previous appearance this number approaches 90%. The dude is a big believer in replying to just about every single post on the weeks quizzing activities, and I for one am a huge fan of such enthusiasm.

And his playful exuberance isn’t limited to the internet - he holds back none of his overflowing personality for the benefit of Paxman and the TV cameras. If Wolfson’s Eric Monkman is the shoutiest contestant of the series, then he is surely the bounciest.

And while he looks like there isn’t a place in the world he would rather be, (apart from maybe his hometown of Newham), his opposite number Henry Edwards looks like there isn’t a place he wouldn’t rather be. I described him on their last appearance as a long-lost vampire sibling of the Lannister twins, but I don’t think that’s taking it far enough. With every word he speaks, his mouth twists into such a grimace that I can only assume the long-lost vampire sibling of the Lannister twins is trapped inside him, causing him immense physical pain as it tries to break out.

Regardless of their differing managerial styles, the two captains have successfully guided their respective teams into this round with impressive performances; SOAS, in particular posting the highest score of the tournament (270) in their play off match against Durham. Whoever wins, the losers can count themselves unlucky to have been drawn against such quality opposition this early in the competition.

Seagull’s birdlike need to snatch chips from babies’ mouths results in a premature buzz on the opening question, and Magda Biran-Taylor swats him away to give SOAS a 25 to -5 lead, which quickly becomes 50 to -5. But one needn’t have worried about Emmanuel giving up so easily, and they take the next few starters, before being handed a set of bonus questions on people associated with Leeds, which they struggle on (as I would have unless my mother, grandmother, or grandfather had come up - who on earth is ‘Le Prince’?)

By the halfway stage, and following a musical answering of the music question on Grandmaster Flash from Seagull, Emmanuel had turned the 55 point deficit into a 50 point lead and now lead comfortably 115-65. Edwards’ patented brand of disgusted knowledge wasn’t operating at full capacity and he struggled to a single ten pointer, as compared to six and seven in his first two matches.

A lateral thinking question on the subject of milk gave a rare interlude of levity, with Seagull earnestly attempting to mentally milk a cow in order to work out how much was produced by a single cow on a daily basis. I don’t know whether or not he was able to factor in their weekends and holidays into his mental arithmetic, but either way he was very wrong, much to the amusement of The Pax, who appeared to have a detailed knowledge of the subject himself.

And I suppose its a bit disingenuous of me to say a “rare” moment of levity, given another humorous incident followed almost immediately (I know, incredible!) When posed a tricky question, Emmanuel’s Tom Hill lit up with the excitement of a child, and reminded his team that the answer had been mentioned on the train to the studio. But unfortunately they didn’t get it…

Not that they needed to.

Final Score: SOAS 130 - 195 Emmanuel, Cam

This is the fourth consecutive match to be won with 195 points, as Bobby Seagull may or may not have subtly suggested on Twitter last week. I’m not sure who’s playing next week, but there will be a match, and I’ll be there to review it. Thanks for reading.