All discussion relevant to Countdown that is not too spoilerific. New members: come here first to introduce yourself. We don't bite, or at least rarely.
The conundrum 'spot' in the final was absolutely legendary - soon after it's shown there will probably be a Youtube clip of both of them, one after the other. I am also hoping it will be a scramble in a future game.
Thank you very much everyone for making it such an enjoyable experience, especially by introducing me to the world of Box Pizza, as I managed to finish a whole pizza on my own.
Hope you all enjoyed it too.
16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
Bloody amazing. My life is complete. It was so awesome to meet (or re-meet) you all. I don't have the articulacy to express how I feel about the whole thing, so I'll just stop there before the tears get in my keyboard.
Just got home and had to log on to say that it was a pleasure to meet you all and a privilege to be paired in the 1st game with a player such as DoD. (Kai - remember for the recap I buzzed first for the conundrum but it didn't work ) Some amazing games and some great humour throughout. A shame it all has to end. Looking forward to reliving some of the moments in January.
Right I need to get on apterous and do some apologising....
Many thoughts buzzing in my head, but what an incredible few days. It was great meeting everyone, I had so much fun. A fitting end to this amazing chapter of my Countdown journey.
One of the best matches of all time (Briers-DoD), one of the best performances of all time (beloved Reams vs Bad Boy Online Player Corby), the most heartfelt Countdown moment of all time (Reams-Corby hug), the most hilarious Countdown moment of all time (gangiseed take 2) and a truely worthy winner - well done Steven, you were awesome. It was all played in such a great spirit, I feel privileged to have been part of something so special.
Junaid "Mike" Mubeen has summed it up well. It was a fantastic weekend++, and a real pleasure/privilege to experience. I can't imagine I'll be able to watch any standard series games again after the ridiculously high standard you've all shown. Time for me to start playing and getting on with learning some of those word lists!
It was fucking amazing; everything I hoped it would be and more.
I'm actually pretty depressed at returning to normality, and still being haunted by my couple of regrets (which, knowing me + booze I probably mentioned somewhere in the region of 1000 times on Tuesday night so I won't go into that again here), but that'll pass I hope. I've also just seen my boss, and am wondering what the fuck I was thinking putting that bit in at the start of the "Raping by Reams" show.
Charlie Reams = Fucking Legend! Well done, Steven, you were too good for me to have any regrets about losing to you.
Great to meet you all even if I was rarely sober enough to fully appreciate it. Surprised by how nice Corby is as I expected him to be a bit more brutal. Some truly comical moments both off and on the camera - great stuff.
I shall probably eschew all things Countdown related for a bit so until our paths cross again, slan.
Yeah, I enjoyed it. It was good to meet you all. David, I enjoyed your company throughout but things went a bit awry on the last night. Lol, I think we were both only joking around though, I actually liked you and your mad Irish ex-catholic drinker demeanour. I think you're right in that we have some similarities too.
I didn't really expect Corby to be a brutal piss-taker in reality though, in the same way I'm not a complete psycho in reality. I think it's quite easy to become something you are not online because it's such an unnatural mode of communication, looking at a screen and talking to a name or avatar which only really exists in your head, and inferring things about them. Nonetheless I am actually a partial psycho but maybe didn't show it enough.
Charlie Reams is definitely a legend though, probably the safest guy going. I am pleased for him putting in an amazing performance against Corby to reach the final, but also pleased for Briers upholding the honour of Series 55.
I think, like David, I'm going to move on from Countdown now, probably permanently. I was only really interested in it because I wanted to win a cool TV game show, but I'm not actually genuinely very interested in anagrams and word games per se. But I'll definitely keep in touch with some of the cool people I've met here. Might still post on the forums occasionally. But, yeah.
Don't feel worthy to post here really as I am punching above my weight but as Charlie has had the good grace to let me in feel I should say something about the fantastic 3/4 days. It was a great contest and you guys played out of your skulls. It was good to meet some other contestents too like Matthew Green, Kirk, Dinos and Ben. I had some preconceived ideas about what some of you would be like, having seen you on TV and read your contributions online - with some I was spot on, with others I was taken a bit by surprise. Charlie I got spot-on (probably the podcasts helped here) who is just a fantastically nice guy with razor sharp wit, an extensive vocabulary, and a great ability with all things computers - but a nerd he is most definitely not. James Hurrell and Steve Baines were also two top guys whose charm and personality were never given a real chance to shine on TV, but I saw plenty of it here. Kai proved himself able to mix it with the big boys and managed to gate-crash most of the photos I took after the games were all over - a typical 12 year old, but played the game like a man. You couldn't help but get caught up in all the adulation stuff - his Mum was a great lady too, but what was she thinking of going to bed on the last night and leaving him with all those corrupting influences? I expected Junaid to be a bit cocky but got him wrong - he was an absolute gent and full of praise for all of his fellow contestents. The rest of the fifteen (won't include my son) I saw and spoke to all too briefly so won't comment, suffice to say that this will be a period in all your lives when you can look back with immense pride, punch the air and say, "Yeah I was there, taking part in the best ever C of C!"
The Countdown production team (too many to name) did a fantastic job, the new set looks stunning on TV, host Jeff is an inspired choice and lived up to his proven abilities as a moderator; Rachel looks gorgeous, came through a tough 15 shows with credit and of course can only really impress with her mathematics once the regular shows are back. I mean if you guys couldn't get the numbers, what real chance did she have?
No doubt you are all a bit down as it has dawned on you that the Countdown journey is over - but it is, only if you let it. Continue to correespond with each other by email, text, apterous, Skype or whatever - you were the magnificent sixteen and I am immensely chuffed I was able to view it at first hand. Having said all that, the best man didn't win, but isn't it the taking part that counts? Is it fuck!!
Richard Brittain wrote:Yeah, I enjoyed it. It was good to meet you all. David, I enjoyed your company throughout but things went a bit awry on the last night. Lol, I think we were both only joking around though, I actually liked you and your mad Irish ex-catholic drinker demeanour. I think you're right in that we have some similarities too.
I was joking ... of course I was ... I was never going to actually throttle you for your failure to admit that you thought Corby sounded like a chav. In fairness to you I was impressed at how well you took the abuse which made me want to keep going until I could get a reaction. I have tried to eschew Countdown but not very successfully as I have made several visits to the forum since coming home. I think I was a little depressed that my Countdown experience was finally over. Besides, I get off early on Fridays and plan to watch the Mubeen - Reams "grudge match" part one.
I really enjoyed the whole experience and meeting all the other CofC contestants and friends / family. Particular congratulations to Steven on a well deserved victory, Charlie for an excellent run to the final and the whole production team in both organising the event and for their efforts throughout the three days of filming. I think the future of Countdown is in very capable hands with Jeff and Rachel at the helm (and Susie's continued involvement) and feel privileged to be part of their first block of shows.
Sorry this post is a bit late - I'm finally coming to terms with the mundanity of ordinary life.
Guess I ought to make a comment in case you guys were thinking I couldn't wait to get away from you all on Tuesday. Have been in London for a couple of days and right now I should really be working on an essay. Suffice to say my coursework reading material wasn't required in Leeds as there was never a dull moment. So now I am horribly behind. But it was all worth it. I feel truly honoured that I was able to piggy-back (am I allowed to say that without any comeback? Am I allowed to say that? I appear to have lapsed into double-entendre mode) your experiences of the CoC recordings. I shall enjoy re-living it during the broadcasts in January and will watch with interest to see how much of the tomfoolery makes it past the Eadie editing machine. Would have been nice if my gushing father had managed to take one photo of me to upload to the site as my avatar, but he was too busy snapping Rachel and Kai. Perhaps he was hoping to trade in his own son and daughter for a couple of intelligent blondes.
Anyway, you were all FAT ANTICS....I think that's right.
Junaid Mubeen wrote:
.................the most heartfelt Countdown moment of all time (Reams-Corby hug)
Now that the programmes are being aired, I fear this will be lost by the 3.25 transmission. Every show so far has seen the credits go up on the left side of the screen over the studio set with the contestants and Jeff to the right. C4 then split the screen and uses the right half to trail the next and subsequent programmes completely blocking the right half of the picture. As many of us will be archiving these recordings, it may be worth recording the early-in-the-morning repeat at about 5.10am which may screen the credits in their entirety. It will also be shown in full on Video on Demand (C4's web catch up service) and Virgin On Demand (which I get) but as far as I know, it is not possible to record from either. Bummer!!
Chris Corby wrote: It will also be shown in full on Video on Demand (C4's web catch up service) and Virgin On Demand (which I get) but as far as I know, it is not possible to record from either. Bummer!!
That is a pain, and not just for Countdown reasons. I have to make sure I've caught up on stuff before it disappears after a week.
I suppose it's because they have pay-per-view stuff on On Demand too, and can't be arsed to do the extra programming necessary to make some stuff recordable and not others.
Glad they did air the hug. It showed much better how friendly the contests were than a handshake would've.
"My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me." Benjamin Disraeli
Lucinda Corby wrote:
Anyway, you were all FAT ANTICS....I think that's right.
As the only truly fat bastard present Lucinda must have meant me.
The overall result merely puts in place that which probaby should have happened in series 55.
Definately deserved - well done Steve
