First time I've watched it today but wasn't overly impressed, as others have said it's too slow, fifteen to one should be about quick fire questions and no gimmicks. Sandi does o.k. but I'm not sure she's a quiz presenter. Somehow it doesn't quite capture the essence of the original for me either, although I was tad young for it first time around.
There was a question on The Chase a while back - "What is the brightest star in the night sky?" The contestant said, "The dog star." Bradley Walsh said, "No,it's Sirius." Sirius is also known as the dog star. I think that should have been given.
Reminds me of a celebrity edition of The Weakest Link. Adam Woodyatt was given a question which had Macbeth as the answer but he referred to it as " The Scottish Play", as a lot of actor types do. It was considered an incorrect answer, much to his bemusement! Anne must be hard task master as I remember another time a contestent on the show correctly give an answer to the capital of Switzerland as Bern but pronounced it as 'Barn', perfectly acceptable in the French speaking part of the country, but not allowed by Anne! Could well have be down to her ignorance as much as anything though.
I've tried to give this a go but, as a big fan of the original, I find it unwatchable. Like others have said, what made the old series so good was its fast pace, chit chat free format, neither of which have survived. The Chase seems lightning fast in comparison.
I've tried to give this a go but, as a big fan of the original, I find it unwatchable. Like others have said, what made the old series so good was its fast pace, chit chat free format, neither of which have survived. The Chase seems lightning fast in comparison.
I was pretty sure it was going to be dire and since all the comments here have confirmed this is Fifteen-To-One in name only, I won't be wasting time watching it. There's loads of crappy, dumbed down quizs+chatter shows to choose from and I rarely bother. This should have been good but they couldn't let the opportunity to meddle with the format pass them by.
Still, I'd be interested to hear whether it's getting enough viewers to be considered a 'successful revival' by the show's producers, or it's not doing well enough, people are complaining about the revamp not living up to expectations, and a re-think and getting back to basics is in progress. I can hope.
I remember another time a contestent on the show correctly give an answer to the capital of Switzerland as Bern but pronounced it as 'Barn', perfectly acceptable in the French speaking part of the country...
I'd have thought the French pronunciation is "Berne" with a French accent. Certainly nowhere near "Barn".
I went to Las Vegas once and got talking to a blackjack dealer while I was playing. He knew I was Scottish,and it turned out he liked malt whisky. "I like Ardbeg",he said. "Oh yes?" "Yes,from the island of Islay",he said proudly,displaying his knowledge of whisky. Except he pronounced it as it is written - "Izzlay." I had to put him right and tell him it was pronounced "Aisle-uh". Poor guy,he had never actually heard it pronounced properly.
So don't be too hard on the Hailey's Cometters.
A bit like the 'Aix' in Aix-la-Chapelle, Aix-les-Bains and Aix-en-Provence which is pronounced 'Ex'. I got severely told off on a French train once by the only other passenger in my compartment for repeatedly mispronouncing Aix-les-Bains (a station on our route) as 'Eh'
Once learned, never forgotten! (Another one often mispronounced is the drink Noilly Prat - the t is not silent )
A bit like the 'Aix' in Aix-la-Chapelle, Aix-les-Bains and Aix-en-Provence which is pronounced 'Ex'. I got severely told off on a French train once by the only other passenger in my compartment for repeatedly mispronouncing Aix-les-Bains (a station on our route) as 'Eh' )
That's news to me,I never knew it was pronounced like that.
Other Scottish place names that trip some people up :
Kirkcudbright: Kir-KOO-bree
Kirkcaldy: Kir-KODDY
Milngavie: Mil-GUY
Mauchline: Moch-linn (The first bit sounds like loch)
I've even heard some of these pronounced wrong on the BBC. Good grief,what do we pay our licence for etc,etc..
Then there's St Louis,in Missouri. It's pronounced St Lewis,but I've heard people on the telly say it the French way,like Louis Pasteur.
My all time favourite pronunciaton blunder was a quizmaster at a not very good pub quiz I went to years ago. It was one of those ones where the quizmaster doesn't set the quiz himself,he just reads out questions that get sent out. He asked a question about the River Thames - and pronounced it as it is written- rhyming with James,with a 'th' sound at the beginning. And this was the quizmaster. How he had managed to go through at least ten years of school and the rest of his adult life without knowing that it was pronounced Temms is beyond me. He also pronounced the Batttle of Culloden,probably the most famous battle fought in Scotland,as CulloDEN. And he was Scottish as well.
Like I say,it was not a very good quiz. It didn't last long.
One thing they seem to have changed this series is that if you nominate somebody and they get the question wrong,you can nominate them again. I don't think that was allowed in the original series (except in the final three). It seems a foolish thing to do anyway because if you nominate somebody,they get the question wrong,you nominate them again,but this time they get it right,you can just about guarantee you'll get nominated back. The best thing you can do in the nominate round is try not to provoke people and sneak into the final quietly. Once you get into a nomination battle with somebody,you might survive it,but the chances are you'll be so badly wounded that somebody else will pick you off.
One thing they seem to have changed this series is that if you nominate somebody and they get the question wrong,you can nominate them again. I don't think that was allowed in the original series (except in the final three). It seems a foolish thing to do anyway because if you nominate somebody,they get the question wrong,you nominate them again,but this time they get it right,you can just about guarantee you'll get nominated back. The best thing you can do in the nominate round is try not to provoke people and sneak into the final quietly. Once you get into a nomination battle with somebody,you might survive it,but the chances are you'll be so badly wounded that somebody else will pick you off.
Was that not allowed in the original? If not, then I think that's actually an improvement to the format - at least from the point of view of the viewer. Obviously it's got to be used sparingly, as it is easy to get into a flame war, as you point out. However, a tactical second-swipe at a contestant makes a lot of sense if they appear to be wilting under the pressure. Hit them and hit them hard!
I like the tactical variations allowed by the format, and the option of a double-hit opens up the possibilities, and makes for some intriguing duels between contestants. Nobody's forcing you to use that tactic, but under certain circumstances it would be very effective at ridding you of a rival who's going through a wobbly patch.
One thing they seem to have changed this series is that if you nominate somebody and they get the question wrong,you can nominate them again. I don't think that was allowed in the original series (except in the final three).
Was that not allowed in the original? If not, then I think that's actually an improvement to the format - at least from the point of view of the viewer.
I was surprised when someone was nominated twice in succession in round 2 today. In the original show, we were told beforehand specifically not to do that, but to choose someone else if the first person got their answer wrong.
... and definitely not to nominate someone straight back. I don't think it was cast in stone in the rules - just in those days the impression was given that you were expected to play the game like a gentleman (or lady) !
It seems to me the nominate round is open to player "team tactics". Do the players meet beforehand? Let's say there's an ex-Mastermind champion,a Fifteen To One champion,two or three seriously good quizzers,professional standard,if you like,if there was such a thing as a professional quizzer (which there probably isn't,other than the Eggheads and the chasers on The Chase.)
The other dozen or so players are amateurs,some good,some not so good.
If one of the amateurs recognises the 'pros',and informs the others,they could effectively collude and agree between themselves to always nominate one of the three top quizzers,and not each other,until the top three are eliminated (if they are),then they would significantly increase their chance of at least getting to the final,because the top guys would be getting a lot more questions than the others,and they're inevitably going to get some wrong.
You could argue that this wouldn't be very sporting,though.
Unlike some on here, I think Sandi Toksvig is brilliant as compere. She's articulate, warm and pleasant to the contestants. She's is also very knowledgeable. I think that the small amount or repartee humanises the show. I used to watch the original show but found it a bit cold and clinical. I am amazed how little the show has changed after so many years.
I would say, going back to the 'nominate twice in a row' thing, I thought that was pretty mean the way the old buzzard was deliberately targeting the young guy. Hitting somebody when their mind seems a little floppy is fair enough. But just hammering somebody again and again for no real reason seems poor show. He was pretty unlucky with two of his answers too.
Interesting how he says, the main reason they didn't have any banter was so they could fit it all into the half hour yet that became one of the best, most unique features of the programme.
Wasn't Sandy the presenter of another, tediously slow channel 4 quiz show last year? I'm wondering if she was still under contract so they decided she was the perfect host purely for that reason alone. Maybe it would be better if it was presented by an actor who was well known for playing a nazi on film or tv. Shame Michael Sheard who played Hitler and Himmler many times, is no longer with us. How about Terence Hardiman from Secret Army, who also played the Demon Headmaster? Clifford Rose who played Ludwig Kessler, would've been ideal in his prime but he's probably a bit old now. Or Anthony Valentine, who played Major Moen in Colditz.
I'd have thought the French pronunciation is "Berne" with a French accent. Certainly nowhere near "Barn".
Yes I think you're right actually, it's "Barn" in Swiss German on second thoughts but since it's the local dialect in that part of Switzerland, it should still have probably been allowed.
Comments
Reminds me of a celebrity edition of The Weakest Link. Adam Woodyatt was given a question which had Macbeth as the answer but he referred to it as " The Scottish Play", as a lot of actor types do. It was considered an incorrect answer, much to his bemusement! Anne must be hard task master as I remember another time a contestent on the show correctly give an answer to the capital of Switzerland as Bern but pronounced it as 'Barn', perfectly acceptable in the French speaking part of the country, but not allowed by Anne! Could well have be down to her ignorance as much as anything though.
Still, I'd be interested to hear whether it's getting enough viewers to be considered a 'successful revival' by the show's producers, or it's not doing well enough, people are complaining about the revamp not living up to expectations, and a re-think and getting back to basics is in progress. I can hope.
A bit like the 'Aix' in Aix-la-Chapelle, Aix-les-Bains and Aix-en-Provence which is pronounced 'Ex'. I got severely told off on a French train once by the only other passenger in my compartment for repeatedly mispronouncing Aix-les-Bains (a station on our route) as 'Eh'
Once learned, never forgotten! (Another one often mispronounced is the drink Noilly Prat - the t is not silent
That's news to me,I never knew it was pronounced like that.
Other Scottish place names that trip some people up :
Kirkcudbright: Kir-KOO-bree
Kirkcaldy: Kir-KODDY
Milngavie: Mil-GUY
Mauchline: Moch-linn (The first bit sounds like loch)
I've even heard some of these pronounced wrong on the BBC. Good grief,what do we pay our licence for etc,etc..
My all time favourite pronunciaton blunder was a quizmaster at a not very good pub quiz I went to years ago. It was one of those ones where the quizmaster doesn't set the quiz himself,he just reads out questions that get sent out. He asked a question about the River Thames - and pronounced it as it is written- rhyming with James,with a 'th' sound at the beginning. And this was the quizmaster. How he had managed to go through at least ten years of school and the rest of his adult life without knowing that it was pronounced Temms is beyond me. He also pronounced the Batttle of Culloden,probably the most famous battle fought in Scotland,as CulloDEN. And he was Scottish as well.
Like I say,it was not a very good quiz. It didn't last long.
Was that not allowed in the original? If not, then I think that's actually an improvement to the format - at least from the point of view of the viewer. Obviously it's got to be used sparingly, as it is easy to get into a flame war, as you point out. However, a tactical second-swipe at a contestant makes a lot of sense if they appear to be wilting under the pressure. Hit them and hit them hard!
I like the tactical variations allowed by the format, and the option of a double-hit opens up the possibilities, and makes for some intriguing duels between contestants. Nobody's forcing you to use that tactic, but under certain circumstances it would be very effective at ridding you of a rival who's going through a wobbly patch.
My post #342: ... and definitely not to nominate someone straight back. I don't think it was cast in stone in the rules - just in those days the impression was given that you were expected to play the game like a gentleman (or lady) !
I'd certainly frown on blatant cheating, but taking advantage of a player's apparent weakness is fair enough as far as I'm concerned!
Play as hard as you can, but when it's over, be gracious in defeat (or victory!)
(It's not as though they're losing limbs out there...)
That's just not cricket, old boy!
We're all Sandinavians now...
The other dozen or so players are amateurs,some good,some not so good.
If one of the amateurs recognises the 'pros',and informs the others,they could effectively collude and agree between themselves to always nominate one of the three top quizzers,and not each other,until the top three are eliminated (if they are),then they would significantly increase their chance of at least getting to the final,because the top guys would be getting a lot more questions than the others,and they're inevitably going to get some wrong.
You could argue that this wouldn't be very sporting,though.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2607251/The-BT-salesman-dreamed-TVs-toughest-quiz-sold-rights-just-200.html
He's not ashamed to blow his own trumpet, is WGS..
If C4 is looking for Deal's replacement then it's not this.
Five Minutes To Fortune is much better IMO
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2607251/The-BT-salesman-dreamed-TVs-toughest-quiz-sold-rights-just-200.html
Interesting how he says, the main reason they didn't have any banter was so they could fit it all into the half hour yet that became one of the best, most unique features of the programme.
Wasn't Sandy the presenter of another, tediously slow channel 4 quiz show last year? I'm wondering if she was still under contract so they decided she was the perfect host purely for that reason alone. Maybe it would be better if it was presented by an actor who was well known for playing a nazi on film or tv. Shame Michael Sheard who played Hitler and Himmler many times, is no longer with us. How about Terence Hardiman from Secret Army, who also played the Demon Headmaster? Clifford Rose who played Ludwig Kessler, would've been ideal in his prime but he's probably a bit old now. Or Anthony Valentine, who played Major Moen in Colditz.
I really felt that had potential. It's a shame C4 buried it against The Chase and Pointless in the schedules, and then axed it after one series.
Yes I think you're right actually, it's "Barn" in Swiss German on second thoughts but since it's the local dialect in that part of Switzerland, it should still have probably been allowed.