Only Connect fans left 'feeling old' and astonished by contestant knowledge gap

Katie Archer
Updated
Victoria Coren Mitchell and Only Connect viewers were surprised by what the teams didn't know. (BBC screengrab)
Victoria Coren Mitchell and Only Connect viewers were surprised by what the teams didn't know. (BBC screengrab)

Only Connect viewers have shared how stunned they were by a huge gap in the general knowledge of this week's contestants, admitting it left them "feeling old".

The BBC Two quiz show is usually known for its super-bright teams, but with two groups of youthful contestants going up against each other this week, fans of the programme couldn't believe what they didn't know.

Questions included classic sitcoms, gameshows and an iconic puppet that all went straight over the teams' heads.

For once, Only Connect viewers were able to feel smarter than the show's contestants as they were left in shock by some of the gaps in the general knowledge of this week's teams.

While the Harmonics and the Cat Cows had some impressively quick answers to questions on maths, languages and acronyms, they were left stumped by any cultural knowledge from earlier than the Noughties.

The Cat Cows were stumped by a reference to Play Your Cards Right. (BBC screengrab)
The Cat Cows were stumped by a reference to Play Your Cards Right. (BBC screengrab)

In one question, a clue included a catchphrase from Bruce Forsyth gameshow Play Your Cards Right where the audience would shout out "not in this game", but the teams looked blank as host Victoria Coren Mitchell asked them about it.

Read more: Only Connect

One viewer wrote on X: "They don't know PYCR? Jeez I feel old" as someone else agreed: "Never heard of Play Your Cards Right? I feel old."

Another person added: "Watching #OnlyConnect and feeling old that none of the contestants knew what 'Not in this game' comes from."

The Harmonics were none the wiser either. (BBC screengrab)
The Harmonics were none the wiser either. (BBC screengrab)

Other moments that surprised viewers were teams not recognising Keith Harris and his puppet Cuddles the Monkey in the picture round, and the Harmonics admitting that they had never watched classic sitcom Cheers.

One person wrote: "Nothing makes me feel as old as NOONE on #OnlyConnect knowing who Cuddles the Monkey is!" Someone else commented: "Not seen Cheers...sacrilege.."

Another viewer wrote: "Have this lot had an 80s English culture bypass??"

As someone commented: "both teams only know stuff from 2000 onwards," another person replied: "I suppose it is quarter of a century ago."

Last week, Victoria Coren Mitchell admitted Only Connect viewers would be "rowing for weeks" after one controversial decision.

Four Opinions made up of Jacob Epstein, Rafi Dover and Aron Carr, took on the Bean Farmers — Furo Cookey, Pippa Woolley and David Todd — on the notoriously difficult BBC quiz show. Only Connect viewers were surprised when Mitchell gave the points to Four Opinions when the team's reasoning behind the answer was wrong.

Later, Mitchell evened it out as she admitted she had been "lenient" earlier on so she gave out two points to the Bean Farmers when they didn't get the "absolutely perfect answer". However, viewers at home were not impressed with the "generous" point scoring.

Only Connect airs on BBC Two at 8pm on Monday.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/only-connect-viewers-feel-old-204604387.html

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