c4countdown

So, with just six Preliminaries of Series 81 yet to air as of the time of writing, we now know who are the final eight and here they are (I know I should have written this yesterday but I was busy having Exams, and don't you worry, photos of the contestants I've missed out will be up on the Wiki later today!):

Quarter-Finals #1 (12 December): James Haughton (#1 Seed) vs David Law (#8 Seed)
Quarter-Finals #2 (13 December): Jamie Wing (#2 Seed) vs Tom Silverlock (#7 Seed)
Quarter-Finals #3 (16 December): Paul Nixon (#3 Seed) vs John Osmond (#6 Seed)
Quarter-Finals #4 (17 December): Morgan Sauer (#4 Seed) vs Andy Evans (#5 Seed)

The first ever series in 37 Years to have more than Eight Octochamps would you believe that? It's a shame Corrina Attwood becomes the first player with eight wins to not even make it to the Finals. Then again, what are the odds of this happening? I mean it could well happen again in the near future but I don't foresee it anytime in the next few Series... Nevertheless, we've seen so much action once again, with several Octochamps such as John and Tom fighting off potential players that could have defeated them but in the end, they won and now they're here! It's certainly a great time to be alive watching Countdown in this modern era! Also, could this be the third Series in a row where the #1 Seed fails to lift the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy? Only one way to find out!

I'm not going to be sharing any predictions and will be writing a review of the episode each day as per the last three Series once again, so if you have any feel free to post them here!

(P.S. As per the last three Series, the poll will close on the day the Grand Final airs, so if you happen to be reading this in the near future (in which I mean potentially in the 2020s), apologies but you will not be able to vote since the result is known.)

I'm sorry to hear you won't be doing them mate. I really enjoy them.

My view - controversial, I know - is Corinna Attwood should be allowed into the S82 finals.

Whilst I do think that Corrina should be allowed to play again (most suitably in a special), I think that if you are not in the Top 8, then you should not be in the next final. A potential appropriate special ep should perhaps be Corrina v Paul Anderson as they were both in the same series and were unfortunate for different reasons, Corrina because she became the first octo not to qualify for the finals, and Paul down to the fact he got a high total than 4 of the octos, despite playing a game less. Planting the seed for it though ......

Well I was told by a researcher when I got 8 that if I couldn't make the filming dates for the finals, I would be able to appear in the next series finals. Whether that would have actually happened, I've no idea! But it would certainly have made things even more difficult!

Having spoken to Corrina on facebook, she was very happy to retire gracefully, so it may be that she wouldn't want to carry forward to the next series anyway. She was not at the studios as reserve, although I don't know if that was by choice or availability.

Rhys Benjamin wrote: ↑Wed Dec 11, 2019 1:12 am My view - controversial, I know - is Corinna Attwood should be allowed into the S82 finals.

That would be unfair to the eighth seed in the next series though. It ends up being an endless onwards shuffle.

I don't think it's a spoiler to say that at the very beginning of the first QF Nick addresses that Corrina is the first ever octochamp to not qualify for the series finals. Addressing it at the start is, I think, the show's way of saying 'commiserations Corrina, you're desperately unlucky but won't be invited back for a later series finals.'

With the increase of episodes per series going forward (no horse racing or darts, and very little F1, for Countdown to take a break for), another series with more than 8 octochamps may come sooner than you think.

James Haughton wrote: ↑Wed Dec 11, 2019 4:15 pm With the increase of episodes per series going forward (no horse racing or darts, and very little F1, for Countdown to take a break for), another series with more than 8 octochamps may come sooner than you think.

I was thinking the same. We had 8 octochamps at what was basically the first attempt in series 47 but most series since have been slightly shorter. At least 6 is the norm now. 7 is no rarity. 8 is not unheard of, so the odd 9 is bound to come up.

Owen Carroll wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 4:10 pm I'm sorry to hear you won't be doing them mate. I really enjoy them.

I will be doing the Reviews, BUT the issue is that my Internet has decided to play with me for this entire week, so I'm a full three episodes behind I will most likely get them up over the weekend once I watch the first two quarter-finals in full... (In all seriousness, I hope my Internet gets fixed soon...)

Ryan Lam wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 1:52 pm

Owen Carroll wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 4:10 pm I'm sorry to hear you won't be doing them mate. I really enjoy them.

I will be doing the Reviews, BUT the issue is that my Internet has decided to play with me for this entire week, so I'm a full three episodes behind I will most likely get them up over the weekend once I watch the first two quarter-finals in full... (In all seriousness, I hope my Internet gets fixed soon...)

Oh ok. Fingers crossed for your internet being fixed soon.

Ryan Lam wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 2:10 pm (P.S. As per the last three Series, the poll will close on the day the Grand Final airs, so if you happen to be reading this in the near future (in which I mean potentially in the 2020s), apologies but you will not be able to vote since the result is known.)

It would make more sense for it to close before the first quarter final.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 3:39 pm It would make more sense for it to close before the first quarter final.

Maybe from the 2020s onwards I might do that who knows, but to compensate I've forbidden people to change their vote once it's casted.

There you have it, congratulations to James Haughton and to the eight of you who voted for him! This time it is indeed the Majority that wins!