TV review
University Challenge
BBC2/iPlayer
Being clueless about pop music brought them perilously close to shaming Scotland in the first round of University Challenge.
But now St Andrews had a chance to regain some R.E.S.P.E.C.T by bagging one of the last places in the second round of the UK’s longest-running quiz. Starter for ten: could they do it? Was there a spot available on the last helicopter out of Loserville?
Their opponent in this battle of the highest-scoring losers was UCL. Lining up for the London university were: Calum Jack, studying for a masters in science communication; Josh Mandel, masters in US history and politics; Olivia Holtermann Entwistle, PhD in human geography; and Sanjay Prabhakar, masters in science education.
For St Andrews: Diane Buffet-Mogel, studying classics and philosophy; George Capell, economics; Freddy Skerrett, captain, history; and Tom Rosas, physics.
First on the scoreboard was UCL but St Andrews came back with a run of answers that won them some “well dones” from host Amol Rajan - always a psychological booster.
A gloom settled over St Andrews when Buffet-Mogel (St Andrews) interrupted with a wrong answer on philosophy and lost five points, bringing the scores to 40 each. UCL’s Prabhakar answered the question correctly, and the team followed this with a clean sweep of bonus questions. It was to be a pattern repeated throughout the half hour.
Rosas (St Andrews) had a chance to halt the Londoners’ progress but took too long to answer a question on Kelvin and Ampere units. Team captain Freddy dispensed a consoling pat on the shoulder. It seemed to boost the team overall, with Buffet-Mogel winning a starter on Art Deco.
Somewhere out in the darkness, in Windsor Castle to be precise, a young couple, Kate and William, were among those daring to dream of a second-round place for their Scottish alma mater.
“A music round now,” announced Rajan.
Oh no. Here lurked the rocks on which the good ship St Andrews had foundered previously. Much to their relief the question involved classical music rather than modern, with quizzers asked to identify a piece by Holst. Captain Freddy knew the answer. Mandel from UCL knew it too - and he was faster on the buzzer. Point to UCL.
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It was a crunch point in the contest, and Captain Freddy knew it. Sure, his team would plough on with him at the helm spurring them on, but it would be to no avail.
Final score: UCL 215, St Andrews 105.
Edinburgh is now the only Scottish university left in the competition.
Rajan rushed to console the evening’s losers.
“Bad luck guys. That was so unfair. The main thing is that you came across as a very knowing Captain, Freddy, and you got on TV a couple of times.”
The Today presenter asked where it had gone wrong.
“Holst,” said Captain Freddy without hesitation. “I am never going to forgive myself for not getting that.”
Music, sweet, cruel music, had been the team’s downfall again.
“Well,” said Rajan, “we could see you buzzing in even if you didn’t get to give the correct answer.”
Kind words in tough times. St Andrews were hopeless on pop music and too slow on the buzzer when it came to classics, but they had won a spot in Rajan’s top ten of triers.
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