Big Disappointments

[Marc Meakin]

What are the biggest disappointments and let downs tou have witnessed.
Viewing the Mona Lisa , it looks so big when portrayed in films.
I am not by any means a philistine I have been wowed by the Cistine chapel .
Mount Rushmore , see also Stone Henge you travel for miles and you are hit with an "is that it feeling."

The Last Night of The Proms , much better watching on the TV , see also Glastonbury and other music festivals.
All this "I was there " boasting is over rated and impresses no one more , than when you get out photos of your latest offspring.

Also Brexit , The New Labour Government.
The Bear , that's the Disney series not the Ursine animal.
I just couldn't get into it.

I should add the caveat that I'm over 60 and of the age where I'm with Shania Twain on most things these days

[Mark Deeks]

The Hollywood sign. Ooooh, great, letters.

[Mark Deeks]

(which, incidentally, is completely at odds with my view on how Countdown should be played.)

[Fiona T]

Copenhagen's Little Mermaid statue - it's smaller than you think it's going to be, and when I visited was surrounded by rubbish including a broken office chair and a shopping trolley - took a lot of careful camera positioning to lose the rubbish! (Love Stonehenge when it's not busy - ditch the audio guide and just enjoy the peace!)

[Gavin Chipper]

I'm not a big football guy but a number of years ago I went to a few matches with a friend who is a big fan. I was quite disappointed with how small the pitches seem compared to on television.

[Marc Meakin]

I'm not a big football guy but a number of years ago I went to a few matches with a friend who is a big fan. I was quite disappointed with how small the pitches seem compared to on television.

Are you showing off about how big your tv is

I've never thought that about football pitches but just lately the excitement at being at a live game has waned.
I guess 3 minute highlight packages on YouTube are all I need.

[Marc Meakin]

Oh and I queued for hours to see the the Tour de France Peleton cycle through Stratford.
I think it was over in less than a minute.
I'm interested in Philip A's opinion on the F1
(I was trying to tag him doh )

[Fiona T]

To sum up, big disappointments are things that are smaller than expected, or over too quickly.

[Callum Todd]

The Hollywood sign. Ooooh, great, letters.

It's just some fucking letters on a hill

[Marc Meakin]

To sum up, big disappointments are things that are smaller than expected, or over too quickly.

That's what my last blind date said about me .

But seriously , I would also include overpriced things especially exhibitions and shows

[Thomas Carey]

The Hollywood sign. Ooooh, great, letters.

It's just some fucking letters on a hill

Beat me to it.

As for small paintings, I saw Hokusai the wave in Chicago recently which was a lot smaller than expected. Wouldn't say it was disappointing, just surprising, although with lots of people crowding aroind it made it hard to see for long

[Thomas Carey]

Copenhagen's Little Mermaid statue - it's smaller than you think it's going to be, and when I visited was surrounded by rubbish including a broken office chair and a shopping trolley - took a lot of careful camera positioning to lose the rubbish!

I was there at the start of the year (feels like a lot longer ago, had an absolutely insane year). The tour guide said it was voted the second most disappointing tourist attraction in Europe, behind only the peeing boy in Belgium. I saw that too a couple months later, it's exactly what you'd expect.

Related - remember when we were on the tour bus in Galway and the guy said that often people ask where the Spanish arch is while standing under it? That's probably up there

[Marc Meakin]

I almost forgot the Blarney Stone , probably because I made up for it by "doing " the ring of Kerry the day after.

[Paul Worsley]

The Spanish Steps in Rome. Should be called "some steps".

[Thomas Cappleman]

Appearing on Mastermind. You're only involved in the episode for your 4 and a half minutes of questions. And I was in the weird series where contestants weren't in for each other's specialist rounds, so even on set for less.

[Marc Meakin]

Appearing on Mastermind. You're only involved in the episode for your 4 and a half minutes of questions. And I was in the weird series where contestants weren't in for each other's specialist rounds, so even on set for less.

So it's all camera trickery when all contestants are seated together waiting for their go?

I can add my own personal disappointment for fluffing my Countdown appearance considering how desperate I was to get on.

[Thomas Cappleman]

Appearing on Mastermind. You're only involved in the episode for your 4 and a half minutes of questions. And I was in the weird series where contestants weren't in for each other's specialist rounds, so even on set for less.

So it's all camera trickery when all contestants are seated together waiting for their go?

I can add my own personal disappointment for fluffing my Countdown appearance considering how desperate I was to get on.

No, it was just 1 (or maybe a little more, I don't watch) series where they did it that way, then had everyone walk in together on camera for the final bit.

[Graeme Cole]

Chapter 1 page 1 of the Book of Disappoint has to be this nonsense. At first glance it's a box of delicious chocolate, but then you realise it's only a jigsaw puzzle. Somehow this got through all the whiteboardy-flipcharty meetings at Cadbury. And despite what is claimed on the picture someone uploaded in the misplaced hope of finding a buyer willing to pay £5.99 for it, I refuse to believe it won Gift of the Year 2014.

[Gavin Chipper]

That reminds me - when people bring their rubbish homemade cakes into work or wherever in an emptied out tin of chocolates. Oh you brought ... oh.

[Marc Meakin]

Chapter 1 page 1 of the Book of Disappoint has to be this nonsense. At first glance it's a box of delicious chocolate, but then you realise it's only a jigsaw puzzle. Somehow this got through all the whiteboardy-flipcharty meetings at Cadbury. And despite what is claimed on the picture someone uploaded in the misplaced hope of finding a buyer willing to pay £5.99 for it, I refuse to believe it won Gift of the Year 2014.

On a par with opening up a tin of biscuits only to find a sewing kit your wife /mum made from last years empty biscuits

[Philip A]

Appearing on Mastermind. You're only involved in the episode for your 4 and a half minutes of questions. And I was in the weird series where contestants weren't in for each other's specialist rounds, so even on set for less.

So it's all camera trickery when all contestants are seated together waiting for their go?

I can add my own personal disappointment for fluffing my Countdown appearance considering how desperate I was to get on.

No, it was just 1 (or maybe a little more, I don't watch) series where they did it that way, then had everyone walk in together on camera for the final bit.

The rebooted format as Tom described lasted only one series (and it was awful). After this, filming moved to Belfast and production company changed to Hat Trick Productions, which saw the show revert to the classic music, atmosphere and format (still 4.5 minutes of questions, but no repechage for highest-scoring runners-up so only one contender can go through. Still 6 contenders in the final).

The winner does get interviewed though (except if there’s a tie-break). Sadly no audience anymore.

[Marc Meakin]

Fireworks , not big organised displays but buying your own setting them off sparklers are a nightmare for young kids rockets are unpredictable.
My Autistic daughter hated them (though I didn't know at the time , I meant autism not her hating it )

Mind you I used to get pleasure at watching my next door neighbors 100 quids worth going up in flames azms it were and my eldest and me enjoying it all from a safe distance.
Mind you this was all before I had a dog.
Always stay inside now with classic FM on 34 on the volume level

[Gavin Chipper]

Fireworks , not big organised displays but buying your own setting them off sparklers are a nightmare for young kids rockets are unpredictable.
My Autistic daughter hated them (though I didn't know at the time , I meant autism not her hating it )

Mind you I used to get pleasure at watching my next door neighbors 100 quids worth going up in flames azms it were and my eldest and me enjoying it all from a safe distance.
Mind you this was all before I had a dog.
Always stay inside now with classic FM on 34 on the volume level

34?! I thought 11 was high!

[Marc Meakin]

Fireworks , not big organised displays but buying your own setting them off sparklers are a nightmare for young kids rockets are unpredictable.
My Autistic daughter hated them (though I didn't know at the time , I meant autism not her hating it )

Mind you I used to get pleasure at watching my next door neighbors 100 quids worth going up in flames azms it were and my eldest and me enjoying it all from a safe distance.
Mind you this was all before I had a dog.
Always stay inside now with classic FM on 34 on the volume level

34?! I thought 11 was high!

You must have good hearing.
I don't have a sound bar.
I put it on 8 for the dog at bedtime as its quiet (to us)

[Gavin Chipper]

It was a loose Spinal Tap reference.

[Marc Meakin]

It was a loose Spinal Tap reference.

I did wonder
Btw I can't have it on an odd number but maybe I should put that in the little bit weird section

[Gavin Chipper]

Brick Lane is supposed to be the big Indian restaurant place in London, but all the restaurants I've been in there have been very disappointing. Cheap, low quality stuff.

[Marc Meakin]

Brick Lane is supposed to be the big Indian restaurant place in London, but all the restaurants I've been in there have been very disappointing. Cheap, low quality stuff.

I haven't been for years
I used to go there at silly o'clock to get a salt beef bagel back in the day and found a healthy queue even at 2am .

[Marc Meakin]

I'm not one of those lazy people that buy pre-grated cheese , frozen mash peeled fruit pieces and partially chewed toffees (think I made that last one up)
But I tried to eat a fresh pomegranate today and the faffing involved on getting the pomegranate fruit out once peeled really isn't worth it so when it's reduced at work I will by prepared pomegranate or go without

[Callum Todd]

I'm not one of those lazy people that buy pre-grated cheese , frozen mash peeled fruit pieces and partially chewed toffees (think I made that last one up)
But I tried to eat a fresh pomegranate today and the faffing involved on getting the pomegranate fruit out once peeled really isn't worth it so when it's reduced at work I will by prepared pomegranate or go without

Reminds me of what I think is a Terry Wogan quote: "the only safe place to eat a mango is in the bath".

[Marc Meakin]

The new version of the Champions League , Europa League etc
32 teams in some sort of league format and 24 teams go through.
No home and away matches against the same opponents like previously
Wake me up at the quarter final stage.
If I didn't know better it's UEFAs version of a European League

[Thomas Carey]

Disagree. Old group stage was boring, often felt like a foregone conclusion. If you only have limited games why waste them on playing the same teams twice. This feels a lot more exciting to follow imo

[Marc Meakin]

Disagree. Old group stage was boring, often felt like a foregone conclusion. If you only have limited games why waste them on playing the same teams twice. This feels a lot more exciting to follow imo

Group games have synergy and you always have crap teams like Man U to come up short In an easy group.
These random games are like a lottery except all but 8 of the 32 will get to the knockout stage.
No relegation or promotion so not really a league at all .
The only good thing is that 3rd placed teams no longer get to play on the Europa League.

I just think it's no coincidence that UEFA vetoed the proposed European league and then come up with a watered down version of its own.

[Ian Volante]

The new version of the Champions League , Europa League etc
32 teams in some sort of league format and 24 teams go through.
No home and away matches against the same opponents like previously
Wake me up at the quarter final stage.
If I didn't know better it's UEFAs version of a European League

The old format was shite. This has me at least looking at the table for the first time in years. Not gone as far as watching any games though, it's still a shadow of the competition it used to be long ago.

[Marc Meakin]

The new version of the Champions League , Europa League etc
32 teams in some sort of league format and 24 teams go through.
No home and away matches against the same opponents like previously
Wake me up at the quarter final stage.
If I didn't know better it's UEFAs version of a European League

The old format was shite. This has me at least looking at the table for the first time in years. Not gone as far as watching any games though, it's still a shadow of the competition it used to be long ago.

You mean the days of the old European Cup when only league winners (and the previous years winner) could enter.

Though I don't remember many live games apart from finals

I mean the term Champions League is about as accurate as the Baseball World Series

[Ian Volante]

The new version of the Champions League , Europa League etc
32 teams in some sort of league format and 24 teams go through.
No home and away matches against the same opponents like previously
Wake me up at the quarter final stage.
If I didn't know better it's UEFAs version of a European League

The old format was shite. This has me at least looking at the table for the first time in years. Not gone as far as watching any games though, it's still a shadow of the competition it used to be long ago.

You mean the days of the old European Cup when only league winners (and the previous years winner) could enter.

Yep, Wednesday nights on a crappy phoneline broadcast to the radio. Made it feel special.

[Marc Meakin]

Outnumbered Christmas special.
Doomed to failure from the outset.
In̈ a family sit com cancer isn't funny.
It's usp was based on the things kids say as funny and the family dynamic is too but having the kids all grown up was doomed to failure .( take note makers of Malcolm in the Middle)


It makes the overhyped Gavin and Stacey christmas special look like a masterpiece

[Gavin Chipper]

I thought Outnumbered was fine. Random Christmas specials years after the programme has finished will never capture the exact essence of its heyday and once you go in knowing that, you won't be disappointed. It was no better or worse than par for this sort of thing.