Current UK TV quiz / game shows

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Yay - Christmas TV is over which means we get regular programming of game shows. I've only included current ones afaik and knowledge based ones so no The Cube, Deal or No Deal, Total wipeout.

Poll Results

OptionVotes
Pointless 17
University Challenge 11
Only Connect 7
Weakest Link 1
The Chase 1
Perfection 1
Mastermind 1
Eggheads 0
The Bank Job 0
Countdown 0
Million Pound Drop 0
A Question of Taste 0


danzig, Thursday, 5 January 2012 04:09 (thirteen years ago)

Pointless is my absolute favourite. I want a I heart R O shirt the guy the was wearing yesterday.

danzig, Thursday, 5 January 2012 04:11 (thirteen years ago)

UC, motherfuckers. Though I'm always a bit gutted when the music round is about anything other then pop.

Inevitable stupid samba mix (chap), Thursday, 5 January 2012 05:24 (thirteen years ago)

UC, tho i'm mostly gutted when the music round is about pop.

Nogood (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 09:37 (thirteen years ago)

UC. One great regret of my University years is not getting it together to try out.

you don't exist in the database (woof), Thursday, 5 January 2012 09:46 (thirteen years ago)

Pointless, by a long way.

Sugary pee is not normal (aldo), Thursday, 5 January 2012 09:48 (thirteen years ago)

UC over Pointless. Was an Eggheads stan but then I overdosed, watching it every day after work for a month or two. Mastermind is too dull if you know nothing about the specialist subjects. Million Pound Drop has far too many "which happened first" questions which always end up being a complete guess. Weakest Link has the fatal "vote the best person off" flaw.

Quoth the raven "Nevermind" (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2012 09:50 (thirteen years ago)

most of these are functionally useless as quizes to play along with - too stupid or not enough questions or the presence of George Lamb stops you ever watching it in the first place.

Mastermind's longevity i think is interesting cos ledge has identified the massive flaw in the format - first half of the show used to be quite meaningless back in the day when specialist subjects were obscure. obv nowadays in the world of "the Harry Potter films but not the books cos too much work" as specialist subjects it's a bit less obscure, just dull in a different way.

Pointless is big fun, might apply at some point. The Weakest Link has the fatal "95 percent of the questions could be answered by a 10 year-old" flaw. love Only Connect, obv, and The Chase is often a decent quiz fix, just on at a wrong time. UC is head and shoulders just by sheer number of actually challenging questions within yr half hour.

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 10:08 (thirteen years ago)

Eggheads question difficulty is pretty decent I think, a few no-brainers in there but it's actually quite tricky to beat them - yeah I used to take a running tally :/ The overwhelming annoyance factor for me ended up being the stupid contestants, I actually started to feel sorry for the Eggheads not getting a decent challenge. "You don't know that 'quid pro quo' means 'this for that'?! And you can't even work it out?" *throws shoe at TV*

Quoth the raven "Nevermind" (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2012 10:15 (thirteen years ago)

yeah Eggheads questions are ok, they should do less multiple choice imo, main ish for me is slow pace of the show plus at least 3 Eggheads who u wdn't wanna be stuck in a lift with

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 10:18 (thirteen years ago)

Pointing and laughing at CJ is all part of the fun.

Quoth the raven "Nevermind" (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2012 10:21 (thirteen years ago)

it's true he is fun to laugh at

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 10:25 (thirteen years ago)

think I mentioned that an acquaintance had an OC team in the 'come and have a go' thread; in the end they won the series. V impressive to me, was just gawping at their final fill-in-the-vowels round.

you don't exist in the database (woof), Thursday, 5 January 2012 10:27 (thirteen years ago)

UC, because you feel smart if you get more than 10 right in any episode.

As opposed to "feel stupid because you got more than 10 wrong" in WeakestLink.

Mark G, Thursday, 5 January 2012 10:34 (thirteen years ago)

xp

yeah i remember u mentioning it woof, which series was it?

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 10:43 (thirteen years ago)

This one just gone - the final from last month.

you don't exist in the database (woof), Thursday, 5 January 2012 10:48 (thirteen years ago)

oh right! was it the team that didn't beat us who won the final, i can't remember now?

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:00 (thirteen years ago)

i think so - you played the Antiquarians, who lost the final to the Analysts, captained by the person I know (who also seems to be the Quiz League of London's 'Brain of London'.)

you don't exist in the database (woof), Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:15 (thirteen years ago)

feel I should be amused by 'brain of london' but really i covet the title.

you don't exist in the database (woof), Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:16 (thirteen years ago)

xp

yeah that's right. Analysts seemed like pleasant peeps iirc

hardcore quizzers are a different breed tho, i'm happy to just watch the TV nowadays

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:17 (thirteen years ago)

Pointless by miles. My crowning achievement of 2011 was being called a clever clogs on Twitter by Richard Osman. I absolutely love it, it's my total favourite show, and the only one I'd consider going on.

I also love University Challenge and Only Connect, and am generally quite good at both.

I still like Countdown too (lol underemployed), and particularly like when Rachel can't do a numbers round and gets pwned by Jeff who is actually quite good at it. I await the Nick Hewer era with some trepidation.

Mastermind can fuck off and get a new presenter. I hate Humphrys on it with a passion - he keeps laughing at things and being annoying.

They should totally bring back 15 to 1 though. That was the daddy.

ailsa, Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:28 (thirteen years ago)

Saw Humprheys being ultra-annoying on Celeb Mastermind, if he's like that on the normal one too then ugh for sure. And he says "yes" not "kolekt".

Quoth the raven "Nevermind" (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:33 (thirteen years ago)

15 to 1 was hardcore, true. Humphrys is a terrible host, his "so, your specialist subject was the life of Colley Cibber, do you like Colley Cibber?" shtick is agony

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:33 (thirteen years ago)

xps

yeah, i occasionally encounter the hardcore & that just isn't me. I am fascinated by their twilight world of sitting around pub tables, but I don't think I could join it.

you don't exist in the database (woof), Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:34 (thirteen years ago)

Never seen "Pointless"! Have only watched Mastermind a couple of times since Humphreys + dumbing way down occurred. Univ. Chall. is unassailable imo.

Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:57 (thirteen years ago)

Bear in mind Mastermind is wayy easier if "Celebrities" are involved, particularly for Round 2.

Mark G, Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:58 (thirteen years ago)

Yeah, I saw some of that, celebs are thickos.

Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 5 January 2012 11:59 (thirteen years ago)

Went for Only Connect, UC and Pointless also great though.

Dust, Thursday, 5 January 2012 12:49 (thirteen years ago)

http://www.mndassociation.org/images/hi_res/1794_Stewart_Lee.jpg

Ward Fowler, Thursday, 5 January 2012 12:59 (thirteen years ago)

1. University Challenge
2. Mastermind
3. Pointless

University Challenge and Mastermind are top because they're the best pure quizzes (although i pretty much ignore the specialist subject rounds on Mastermind). Pointless has a nice concept but it's just too slow moving. It was interesting to see the difference in speed on the recent Christmas editions of UC, i'd say they got through about half as many questions due to the doddery nature of some of the contestants. Agree with the 15 to 1 love, just a load of questions and and no bullshit.

Number None, Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:05 (thirteen years ago)

(xp) I missed that one! You know the actor Paul Bradley (he's in Holby City at the moment)? I used to occasionally do pub quizzes with him and he did the Life and Work of Captain Beefheart and got *ONE question wrong, I didn't let him live that one down.

(*Who was the Alex in the Beefheart song, "Owed t' Alex". Jesus what a howler!)

Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:08 (thirteen years ago)

(Had to look it up, was thinking "who *else* could it be?" (ans: nobod else)

Mark G, Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:14 (thirteen years ago)

i like the fact tom d is pals with nigel from eastenders

(Algerian Goalkeeper) Vs (Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker), Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:26 (thirteen years ago)

The questions may have been dumbed down on Celeb Mastermind, but Humphrys' annoyance levels exactly the same.

I don't think I've got a single general knowledge question wrong on this entire run of Celeb Mastermind. I've done pretty well on most of the specialist rounds too - they are way too general to be considered to be purely for experts on the subject.

ailsa, Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:28 (thirteen years ago)

I remember Myleene Klass was on one time an her specialist subject was "Season 3 of Sex and the City". I've often wondered what kind of restrictions there are on your choice for that round.

Number None, Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:31 (thirteen years ago)

when the proper series was first resurrected under Humphrys there was a woman who took "the Harry Potter movies" as her specialist subject. I think there were 3 of them at the time. did the stress.jpg

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:33 (thirteen years ago)

tho i remember a documentary many moons ago when Magnus Magnusson was still doing it and one of the setters said that the narrower the subject a competitor chose, the more likely they were to get hyper-obscure questions about it, whereas a relatively broad specialist subject usually got relatively shallow questions

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:35 (thirteen years ago)

hooked on 'Pointless', love that show

Michael B Higgins (Michael B), Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:57 (thirteen years ago)

Myleene Klass

She got all but one question correct on her specialist round, and got all but one wrong on the General knowledge round.

Mark G, Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:58 (thirteen years ago)

ailsa is correct up above. 15 to 1 was the best.

Michael B Higgins (Michael B), Thursday, 5 January 2012 13:59 (thirteen years ago)

a friend of mine used to run 15 to 1 contests in the pub every few months. they were the best.

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 14:00 (thirteen years ago)

My family got the Pointless board game for Christmas. The satisfaction of getting a pointless answer against your nearest and dearest is quite something.

Number None, Thursday, 5 January 2012 14:02 (thirteen years ago)

idk anything about UK game shows, but is the Cube about an extra-dimensional box filled w/ rooms and each room is filled w/ death traps and a group of humans w/ different skills (math person, computer person, autistic person, politician person, old professor) are put in the box each season and filmed as they try to escape and die one by one?

Mordy, Thursday, 5 January 2012 14:07 (thirteen years ago)

close enough.

Quoth the raven "Nevermind" (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2012 14:07 (thirteen years ago)

yeah except it's a group of humans w/ no skills

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 14:10 (thirteen years ago)

i hate The Cube with a vengeance btw

the white plies (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 January 2012 14:10 (thirteen years ago)

I have never seen the Cube, but it's on ITV so it's probably shit (as opposed to that Jeremy Kyle one which is *definitely* shit, even though I haven't seen it either).

I once beat that bloke who got full marks on 15 to 1 in a pub quiz once. Being recognised as a clever clogs by Richard Osman gave me a similar sense of sad bastard pride.

ailsa, Thursday, 5 January 2012 14:29 (thirteen years ago)

Pretty sure Duglas Stewart from the BMX Bandits was once on 15 to 1. Didn't do very well.

Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 5 January 2012 14:39 (thirteen years ago)

btw i voted pointless, and i want that Pointless game!

(Algerian Goalkeeper) Vs (Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker), Thursday, 5 January 2012 14:47 (thirteen years ago)

bevis frond was a regular on Countdown iirc

Ward Fowler, Thursday, 5 January 2012 15:04 (thirteen years ago)

Pointless is a great concept with an irritating execution. It spends too much time showing contestants deliberating and numbers going down and not enough time on actual trivia.

― salsa shark

Completely disagree. Pointless is the most genius concept in the history of trivia shows because you can continue to think about the questions during all the guff. Also Richard and Xander's interactions are gold.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Friday, 5 September 2014 23:18 (ten years ago)

A question like 'Think of the most obscure Southern hemisphere country in Africa you can' is a gift that keeps giving, to pick a recent example.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Friday, 5 September 2014 23:20 (ten years ago)

should they continue making Pointless after Alexander Armstrong decides to pack it in y/n

a puddle of quivering 501s (soref), Friday, 5 September 2014 23:23 (ten years ago)

n, also the format has necessitated more use of rubbishy questions over time

Daphnis Celesta, Friday, 5 September 2014 23:28 (ten years ago)

'Pointless with Nick Knowles'

a puddle of quivering 501s (soref), Friday, 5 September 2014 23:28 (ten years ago)

Yeah questions are definitely getting worse. Still the odd cracker though.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Friday, 5 September 2014 23:28 (ten years ago)

TBH Xander is less vital than Richard - any extremely amiable posh bloke would kind of do.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Friday, 5 September 2014 23:29 (ten years ago)

that kind of makes sense- but who? most of the amiable TV posh blokes I can bring to mind come off as too dim, Ben Fogle for example

a puddle of quivering 501s (soref), Friday, 5 September 2014 23:37 (ten years ago)

Armstrong is good at being wry without appearing supercilious

a puddle of quivering 501s (soref), Friday, 5 September 2014 23:39 (ten years ago)

Palin?

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:00 (ten years ago)

Michael Palin would be perfect but is probably too old and/or rich to do it

a puddle of quivering 501s (soref), Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:04 (ten years ago)

He meant Sarah

kinder, Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:05 (ten years ago)

Haha

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:05 (ten years ago)

Previously I would've said you could get rid of Armstrong as long as you kept Osman, but I can't fucking stand Two Tribes, and think Osman is terrible and boring on it. So I think Pointless only works with the particular chemistry it has.

emil.y, Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:16 (ten years ago)

That's probably entirely fair. Osman is WAY funnier than Xander on Pointless, but, yeah, he's sparring with an old uni mate.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:18 (ten years ago)

I just watched an episode of Two Tribes on the iplayer where one of the contestants was this conspicuously working class guy from Salford and there seemed to be this slightly awkward atmosphere with Richard making point of observing how clever he was, maybe I'm just projecting though

a puddle of quivering 501s (soref), Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:24 (ten years ago)

He often makes a point of being much more common than Xander on Pointless. Think he might have a (very slight) working class chip.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:28 (ten years ago)

I was thinking along the lines of middle class anxiety about seeming patronising or snobbish on RO's part, but this may all just be in head

a puddle of quivering 501s (soref), Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:36 (ten years ago)

I don't mind The Chase, though Bradley Walsh is a bit of a wanker obviously.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Saturday, 6 September 2014 13:49 (ten years ago)

I like The Chase.

Anything with quickfire general knowledge questions > anything else.

I misuse (onimo), Monday, 8 September 2014 00:14 (ten years ago)

Anything with quickfire general knowledge questions > anything else.

this would include Cleverdicks though, and that's the most depressing show in the world

a puddle of quivering 501s (soref), Monday, 8 September 2014 07:12 (ten years ago)

And Eggheads. Eggheads is rubbish.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Monday, 8 September 2014 10:07 (ten years ago)

Yeah, I was put off the Chase for ages by the words "Bradley Walsh" but it and, surprisingly,Bradley are both pretty good. Would be immeasurably improved by getting shot of Shaun Wallace, he is so much poorer than the other three chasers.

ailsa, Monday, 8 September 2014 10:45 (ten years ago)

Mark Labbett was in our local pub the other night.

and she's crying in a stairwell in Devon (aldo), Monday, 8 September 2014 10:57 (ten years ago)

Eggheads is not quickfire. It's also multiple choice

which means it's shit

Number None, Monday, 8 September 2014 14:01 (ten years ago)

I was about to moan about Eggheads not putting questions on screen then did a quick ctrl-f

I hate that Eggheads presents the multiple choice answers on screen but not the questions - this stops you from being able to play it in the pub without the sound up.

― I was otherwise very normal before I became (onimo), Friday, 6 January 2012 15:29 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I misuse (onimo), Monday, 8 September 2014 14:12 (ten years ago)

Bored, so giving Cleverdicks a go on Challenge. Widdecombe is an appalling host.

Also, there was a round on campaigning organisations and one supposed cleverdick decided that the organisation most likely to have their logo displayed by Barcelona on their shirts was ETA.

ailsa, Tuesday, 9 September 2014 12:27 (ten years ago)

Haha, trolling surely?

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, 9 September 2014 12:32 (ten years ago)

The cleverdick, not you.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Tuesday, 9 September 2014 12:32 (ten years ago)

I don't think he was. He seemed somewhat incapable of humour.

ailsa, Tuesday, 9 September 2014 15:04 (ten years ago)

I like The Chase.

Anything with quickfire general knowledge questions > anything else.


Yes. Which partly is why Jeopardy! > anything else. 61 questions in 22 minutes! Alex Trebek! Minimal banter with contestants! An occasional robot contestant! etc. How did Jeopardy never pick up in the UK?

salsa shark, Tuesday, 9 September 2014 21:29 (ten years ago)

You can play Cleverdicks yourself on the Challenge TV website:

http://www.challenge.co.uk/games/play-cleverdicks.html

it's multiple choice though and you can get quite a way by just methodically clicking through all the options, also includes clips of Ann Widdecombe shrieking at you

a puddle of quivering 501s (soref), Tuesday, 9 September 2014 21:44 (ten years ago)

Eggheads is not quickfire. It's also multiple choice

which means it's shit

― Number None, Monday, September 8, 2014 3:01 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

also the questions on The Chase are mostly too shit to make it a quiz fix

Daphnis Celesta, Tuesday, 9 September 2014 22:34 (ten years ago)

Fifteen to One and University Challenge are obviously the GOAT. Nothing else compares

Number None, Tuesday, 9 September 2014 23:57 (ten years ago)

Pointless has joined the pantheon.

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Wednesday, 10 September 2014 01:12 (ten years ago)

The new Celebrity version of Fifteen To One is pretty bad. The questions are far too easy and the host is no William G Stewart.

nate woolls, Wednesday, 10 September 2014 05:55 (ten years ago)

The non-celeb one isn't great either. Too much faff and too much Toksvig.

ailsa, Wednesday, 10 September 2014 08:50 (ten years ago)

I didn't know there still was a non-celeb version.

nate woolls, Wednesday, 10 September 2014 09:30 (ten years ago)

Fifteen to One and University Challenge are obviously the GOAT. Nothing else compares

I'll give you 15-to-1 but for me UC has always struggled to set its brow at the ideal height to appeal to the masses (by masses I mean anyone who isn't or wasn't in a UC team) without being too easy.

Pointless seems too much like finding the bottom answer in Family Fortunes for me.

I misuse (onimo), Wednesday, 10 September 2014 11:48 (ten years ago)

Pointless seems too much like finding the bottom answer in Family Fortunes for me.

― I misuse (onimo)

This is essentially what it is, but that is a really good idea!

the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Wednesday, 10 September 2014 12:16 (ten years ago)

It isn't really like that

smithery loves cuntery (wins), Wednesday, 10 September 2014 12:24 (ten years ago)

Bottom answer on family fortunes would be like "something found in the kitchen" or whatever bullshit and there would be a trillion "obscure" answers

The point of pointless is that it's actual general knowledge questions pertaining to actual facts

smithery loves cuntery (wins), Wednesday, 10 September 2014 12:27 (ten years ago)

quizplaining

I misuse (onimo), Wednesday, 10 September 2014 15:17 (ten years ago)

two years pass...

What good can come of confessing to murder in your autobiography, eh?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-37437498

ailsa, Thursday, 22 September 2016 10:58 (eight years ago)

Always hated CJ.

chap, Thursday, 22 September 2016 11:03 (eight years ago)

(also I take back the bad things I said about nu-Fifteen to One, oops)

ailsa, Thursday, 22 September 2016 11:04 (eight years ago)

always thought daphne was the one most likely to be a murderer

lazy rascals, spending their substance, and more, in riotous living (Merdeyeux), Thursday, 22 September 2016 13:34 (eight years ago)

Yeah, that's a lady with some dark secrets. I hope the forthcoming new Eggs have some juicy anecdotes.

ailsa, Thursday, 22 September 2016 14:10 (eight years ago)

one year passes...

oh, this is a poll. never mind, it'll do

Crystal Maze. how can a team calling themselves The Science Geeks be so illogical and so poor at puzzles.

koogs, Friday, 24 August 2018 20:42 (six years ago)

now having trouble finding Canada on the map!

now having trouble opening a suitcase...

koogs, Friday, 24 August 2018 20:45 (six years ago)


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