Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament Of Houses - General Discussion

[tkc]

Did anyone else watch this show? We really enjoyed nerding out with the trivia questions, and casting Helen Mirren as the host (so she could finally add Potter to her extensive list of credits) and Luke Youngblood in a quasi-Lee Jordan role were wonderful choices!

[Popples]

I really enjoyed it and Dame Helen was terrific, though I'm a bit bummed out that Slytherin fell short. I also realized that I wouldn't have done that well since they asked so many film questions and I quit those after the fourth film (I'm still salty about the lack of Blast-Ended Skrewts and a Sphynx in the maze task).

[AZChristian]

17 hours ago, Popples said:

I really enjoyed it and Dame Helen was terrific, though I'm a bit bummed out that Slytherin fell short. I also realized that I wouldn't have done that well since they asked so many film questions and I quit those after the fourth film (I'm still salty about the lack of Blast-Ended Skrewts and a Sphynx in the maze task).

And I'd have loved to hear them ask, "In the BOOK, who provided Harry with the gillyweed before the second challenge in the TriWizard Tournament?"

Yep.  I nerded out the whole thing.  There were some questions where I knew the answer before the question was finished.  LOL.

[tkc]

It was funny how some of the questions seemed so much harder than the others. We were hoping that someone would choose the "Riddikulus" spell question at some point, and were surprised that so many chose "Accio" -- which of these couches was the actual one used for the Granger house set, really?  😄

Edited December 24, 2021 by tkc

[Spartan Girl]

I watched it and I was amazed that I guessed the right answers in the book excerpt questions (i.e. when the celebrity reads a passage of the book and leaves the last word for the contestants to guess). I haven't even read some of those books in a while, but I still remembered them!

[Browncoat]

I watched it, and I thought some of the questions were ridiculously easy, with only a handful actually challenging (the couch?  the oven mitts?).  I mean, I guess the teams wanted to make absolutely certain of their answers, but for superfans, they seemed to spend an awful lot of time trying to figure certain questions out.  I don't remember which ones now (and I've erased the show from my DVR), but I definitely answered quite a few before Dame Helen finished reading the question.

I think I wanted it to be more competitive, with buzzing in and all, instead of taking turns with multiple choice answers.

That said, it mildly amused me that Gryffindor flamed out.  As a Ravenclaw, I was a little sad they didn't advance to the finals, but I am glad that Hufflepuff took the cup in the end.

(I only just found this thread through a link from the Harry Potter movies thread.  I never would have looked for it under competitive reality!  I kept looking for it under TV specials and one-offs!)

[tv echo]

I didn't see a forum for the new baking competition, Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, so I hope it's okay that I'm posting here.

I watched the premiere episode last night and enjoyed it. But those judges were tough. I felt bad for the bakers who didn't earn a ticket on the Hogwarts Express.

[JudgeyMcJudgyPants]

I watched it while texting with my sister who is a huge Harry Potter fan.  I actually appreciated that the judges were tough.  In my opinion, the two teams that were eliminated were not on the same level as most of the teams that were chosen.  That being said, I was not impressed with the Slytherin team.  I thought the snake scales looked like bird feathers and it looked like they just poured green food coloring into a chocolate fountain.  Plus, I found the guy who didn’t turn on the oven (hahahaha) to be very annoying.  

[JudgeyMcJudgyPants]

What the fuck!  The way wrong team got eliminated!!!  The mine ride piece was sloppy AF and their magical element didn’t even work.  While the team that was eliminated piece was amazing.  

And the one guy on the Slytherin team (cake dropper) continues to be annoying.  And an electronic train is not magical.

[Grizzly]

I think they are basing their decisions on taste. They really didn't like that lady's cake. Last week I thought the mother and son mirror display was awesome but those guys were sent home because of their tasting elements. 

[JudgeyMcJudgyPants]

Grizzly,

Normally I would agree that taste should hold more weight than presentation.  If we were talking about Holiday Baking Championships for example.  I just feel like for this specific competition, presentation should be more important.  Unless the eliminated team’s tasting elements tasted like smelly feet cooked inside a pigs anus (or the team that wasn’t eliminated elements was manna from heaven), they should have stayed.

It’s all good if you disagree, we can still be internet friends!

[tv echo]

I think they're trying to find the best combination of presentation and taste. Honestly, I would have a difficult time deciding who to keep and who to eliminate. They're all so good (imo).

For purposes of the television competition, presentation is key. However, one of the prizes is being featured in a new Harry Potter cookbook, so taste is also key in terms of deciding the winner.

[tv echo]

‘Harry Potter’ Twins James and Oliver Phelps on ‘Wizards of Baking,’ New HBO Series: ‘People Will Always See Us as Fred and George’
By K.J. Yossman   Nov 14, 2024
https://variety.com/2024/tv/global/harry-potter-twins-james-oliver-phelps-wizards-baking-hbo-series-1236206348/ 

Quote

What made you say “yes” to hosting “Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking”?
Oliver: We’re massive fans of the whole baking TV [genre]. It’s one of the only programs that my daughter, who is 7, was like, “Oh my God, what are you doing? You’re doing this!” So that was great. And also being able to work back in this world — we know it quite well, but not in this form — so it so great to be part of that.
James: It’s something which I’ve always wanted to do and I think Oliver as well. My wife and I love baking shows, it’s always our holiday thing. And being so close to watch the world’s best do what they do is amazing.
*  *  *
Have you managed to have a taste of some of the creations?
James: Oh yeah!
Oliver: When the camera’s not rolling.
James: When we shot Episode 1, we were told we could go home before they did the reveal. But we wanted to stay — not just so we could taste some of the cakes but also because we were genuinely invested in these people. Some of the people here, if not all of them, are really inspirational. A lot of them started up from no prior experience before they got into baking. Some, it’s their life dream to get to do something like this. Even if they don’t necessarily win the competition, they’re getting the national if not international recognition for their skills.
*  *  *
With the new HBO adaptation of “Harry Potter” on the horizon, how do you feel about new actors stepping into the role of the Weasley Twins?
Oliver: I think we will always be associated with those characters. Whatever happens in the TV series — which we know as much as anyone else does to be honest with you — I think people will always see us as Fred and George to a point. Obviously, the guys who will go on and take our characters in that adaptation of it, they’ll do their thing and we wish them nothing but the best. Just don’t be as good as us!

[tv echo]

There is now a forum for Harry Potter - Wizards of Baking...