If you could ever be on a quiz show….
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….what specialist subject would you choose for yourself?
I’ve always been obsessed with quiz shows and quiz games, ever since I was a wee lad. We had a TV show in Norway called KVITT ELLER DOBBELT (“All or Nothing”) for many years, in several iterations from the 60s onwards — it actually used Morton Gould’s “Proclamation” as the thinking music while people sat in the booths — but alas, the latest iteration stopped in 2009. I’ve also started watching the British show MASTERMIND on YouTube in the last few years (I watch the more laidback and easygoing POINTLESS while I eat dinner). I’m talking about hardcore niche knowledge quiz programs like that.
My subject would obviously be John Williams. But I have a few alternatives, mostly within the film/music area. Not sure if I have enough specialized knowledge on anything else.
We enjoy Pointless, Thor, and the occasional episode of University Challenge, although I spend half the time wondering how the students got to know so much, and the other half wondering if they’ll ever know love.
My specialist subject, should I ever need one, would probably be the life and works of Dmitri Shostakovich, although the footballing crimes committed against Leeds United would also be an option.
What is the significance of the number 42?
You just answered it yourself 😉
But seriously I don’t think I am an real deep expert on anything, not even film scores or my favorite composers. But I have some wider knowledge about lots of things I think. For example recently I played a pop music quiz with friends. We got 30 secs to listen or so and had to put it into the right year and possibly name artist and title. I did very well to my own surprise 😉
We got 30 secs to listen or so and had to put it into the right year and possibly name artist and title. I did very well to my own surprise 😉
Ah, the eternal sampling!
I’ve never been a big fan, to be honest. Yes, I can probably recognize a few (especially if it’s film music), but it’s so random. Either you’ve heard it or you’ve not. I far prefer pure knowledge questions. But everytime someone is doing a ‘film music quiz’ on the spur, it’s always about recognizing samples. 🙁
and the occasional episode of University Challenge
I’ve vaguely heard of UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE, but never seen an episode. Everytime I want to start watching a British show, I like to start at the beginning. And everytime I look it up on Wikipedia, it’s not like it’s been running for a couple of seasons. No, it began in 1947 and has been running for 36.857 episodes. Sheesh. What is it with Brits and all these endless shows?
Well, you certainly have television format stamina. EASTENDERS is up to 7258 episodes now, according to Wikipedia.
Wildly off-topic, but I remember the whole DR. WHO situation in that regard. I didn’t care for the show as a kid, but latched on to the 2005 version. So I decided, after that, to see all preceding episodes. And I DO mean EVERY SINGLE DR. WHO THING IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD!
So I went all the way back to 1963 and saw all 800+ episodes, on YouTube and wherever else I could find them. Even the missing ones that only had audio. Took me about 6 months, I think. I decided that this British “neverending format” thing would not break me.
I considered doing the same for MASTERMIND, which started in 1973 and counts about 1000 episodes, but then opted not to. I have, however, done so with POINTLESS. At season 5 soon.
Sorry, back to specialist subjects now. We have me down for John Williams, and TG for either Shostakovich or Leeds, depending on his mood. What else?
If you can’t think of a specialist subject, I will have your nerd card withdrawn immediately!
I’ve never been a big fan, to be honest. Yes, I can probably recognize a few (especially if it’s film music), but it’s so random. Either you’ve heard it or you’ve not. I far prefer pure knowledge questions. But everytime someone is doing a ‘film music quiz’ on the spur, it’s always about recognizing samples. 🙁
Well, what is knowledge: It’s about something you know about because you heard about it 😉
Wildly off-topic, but I remember the whole DR. WHO situation in that regard. I didn’t care for the show as a kid, but latched on to the 2005 version. So I decided, after that, to see all preceding episodes. And I DO mean EVERY SINGLE DR. WHO THING IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD!
Wow, I basically never really knew DOCTOR WHO because it was to my knowledge not shown over here when I was a kid. I also started with the 2005 version. Actually I started it with the German dubbed version on TV but stopped. It only clicked when I watched it in English some weeks/months later. Watched a few of the old episodes – too much there 😉 – to see how it was originally. Although I have a few problems with the now a little dated and theatrical look, they are for sure weird and creative stuff.
Well, what is knowledge: It’s about something you know about because you heard about it
It’s a matter of definition, I suppose. But I’ve always preferred hardcore encyclopedia-type facts than various forms of randomness in quizzes (and that includes music clips to a large extent). Which is why I sometimes have issues with Trivial Pursuit. Some of those wacky questions there, oh God.
And another thing with those quiz shows like MASTERMIND. If there are some who choose, let’s say, Harry Potter as their specialist subject, the majority of the questions concern plot points in the novels or films. So boring! I’d rather hear about names of publishers, the composers of the movies etc. etc. Screw plot! 😀
Funny thing is, I not too long ago played (and won) around of (regular normal “rock/pop”) Hitster we played with some befriended neighbors, and they jokingly remarked they would never even dare to play in a “Film Music Hitster” against me (I don’t know if such a thing exists). Fact is, I only won that round because I got lucky (there were really lots of songs I didn’t even recognize, but whenever it was my turn, it was a song I not only knew, but could correctly place.).
Not sure I know enough about any subject to be successful in a quiz show… there should be plenty of people who know more about any given subject that me.
But if I had to go on a Quiz show and pick a subject, and would be surrounded by film music experts (as I am right here, so I can’t count points on that subject) … it might be about Carl Barks Duck comics.
Funny thing is, I not too long ago played (and won) around of (regular normal “rock/pop”) Hitster we played with some befriended neighbors, and they jokingly remarked they would never even dare to play in a “Film Music Hitster” against me (I don’t know if such a thing exists).
Thanks, I had forgotten the name of the game but that we played and that is exactly what my friends said as well! There is indeed a “TV and Movies Soundtrack expansion pack”! I remarked that I would probably fail unexpectedly hard because it would be all about “songs” 😉
it might be about Carl Barks Duck comics.
Oh, cool topic! Ardent fan myself, although don’t know if I have enough hardcore knowledge about plots and details to use as a specialist subject. Funnily, I read this book last summer, Øyvind Holen’s Donald-Landet (“Donald Country”) about how Carl Barks’ “Donaldism” both mirrored and shaped elements in Norwegian society in the 20th century. Don’t know if there is an English-language version, but there should be.
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