From random numbers and a random target? Impeccable logic.

I was about to post the very same question.

I know of no one who finds Jupitus even remotely funny.

I guess some TV executive likes him, hence all the TV work. Very odd. I normally turn off any panel show featuring him.

Not sure if Jimmy Carr has mentioned that it's a random target.
Many of the viewers may be watching this because of 8-10Cats and have never seen Countdown before.
I'm sure many casual viewers may think that the computer in the background takes the numbers and comes up with an eqation and target.

If you're not a regular viewer or into computing why would you think differently?

Thought it was just me

Joe Wilkinson... he was never funny. And even still, the joke has worn thin.

I like Phil Jupitus on Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

Dictionary Corner guests on 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown are rarely funny because they get little screentime.

Sorry but he just is not a funny man. 8 out of 10 cats would agree with me.

I wish they would go back to normal 8/10 Cats.

But then again, Roisin Conaty. So every cloud...

Thought it was a fairly average episode this week.

Quite impressed by Rachel's comeback when Sean said the audience shouldn't be applauding her for getting the correct result in the numbers game.

I bet the audience got a good view when Rachel was riding around the studio on the child's bike.

Agreed... Phil Jupitus is NOT FUNNY.. Fact..

just like all of the women guests. Sorry ladies but women just don`t have the funny Gene

Don't like Phil Jupitus but he didn't have much chance to really be unfunny, which is fine by me.
Generally just an average episode I thought, even David Mitchell wasn't that good and had the standard 'i don't really like this show' humour, really surprised they haven't gone back to normal 8 out of 10 cats, maybe that show is harder work

This show has now jumped the shark

I think the viewers got a good view.. No doubt it is already up on Youtube with 40% slo-mo and added 400% zoom by now

I have to say I thought it was a rather poor show, I have never really found David Mitchell funny and his contribution to the show was almost non-existent.
As for the woman (Roison?) is she really that dumb or was it just an act?
Even Jon Richardson looks like he has had enough of this show after just 3 series.
Joe Wilkinson was his usual imbecilic self, although he was not as bad tonight as previous episodes.
Strangest moment on the show had to be

Slightly apropos of nothing, has Rachel Riley ever done any lads mags? I can find no evidence of her doing so. She must've been asked. I wonder if the Countdown contract forbids her (as it did for various kids tv presenters) or it's her own choice?

There's a website devoted to her where weirdos post creepy pictures and videos. Maybe you should try there?

Clearly not a "fact", but there you go


She's never done the lads mags and I doubt she ever will.

Anyway, it was a pretty "meh" episode for me. At least Jon made his efforts to deliberately lose look slightly more convincing this time around.

David Mitchell wasn't as good as I thought he'd be. And by that I mean at the game. I've never found him funny so the lack of laughs came as no surprise.

His bit about numbers just didn't work. "One is the only number that matters, there are no other numbers just lots of ones. Nine doesn't exist, it's just nine ones."

He should have said "Nine doesn't exist, it's just one one one one one one one one one one.".

It often happens if the contestant picks several large numbers.

It wasn't a great show. I'll keep watching but I think they should limit the Countdowns and do more 8-10Cats series.

I thought Mitchell would have been better at the game.

Yes, you'd think that his history degree would give him the edge.

I'd expect a person who graduated from Cambridge and who is generally well spoken and comes across as an intelligent person to do well on the show.

Agreed. The only fact abut Phil Jupitus is that some people find him funny and some don't.

Obviously those who say he isn't funny, just don't find him so. Other like me, and those who employ him, obviously think he is.

How boring life would be if we all liked the same things and there wasn't an opportunity for some to assert that they are correct and try to force their opinions on others.

Being well spoken partly depends where you come from.

Also being intelligent doesn't mean you're good at everything.

Some of the audience will have had a worse view than on the TV. The studio audience have a good view of the contestant seats and the clock but what else you get a good view of depends which part of the studio you are sat in. There's quite a big gap between the small audience section sat right at the front and the rest of the studio audience, with quite a lot of cameras and equipment in between the rest of the audience and the set.

I didn't think Joe was at his worse this time.

However, next week you have Alex Horne taking Joe's place and the week after Rob Beckett.