Straight Dope Message Board

[Cardigan]

The object of the game is to pick a person/place/thing that represents what they think is the most quintessential or most representative of the category chosen by the previous poster. It is not necessarily the best example of whatever genre is chosen, simply the most representative (although the best and most quintessential may happen to be conveniently synonymous)
A player responds by naming their quintessential pick and supplies two or three reasons supporting their choice, then names a category of their choosing for the next poster to respond to.

Example:
Player A:
Category: Rock Supergroups?
Player B: The Travelling Wilburys
- Every member of the group was a household name individually famous as a musician in their own right
- One of the members (George Harrison) was a Beatle. Can’t really claim higher profile than that
- All of their albums achieved either gold or platinum sales
Next: Gameshows on US television?
Player C: Let’s Make A Deal
- The show features phony over the top enthusiasm among both the contestants and the studio audience
- The show does not require contestants to possess any particular talent or skill
- The show was both produced and hosted by prolific game show giant Monty Hall
Next: Items found in women’s purses?
[and so on....]

The first category is…
WWII infantry weapon?

[bump]

M1 Garand.

• One of a few iconic weapons used in WWII for the first time.
• Proved that self-loading weapons were practical infantry weapons.
• Armed the US infantryman throughout the war.
• Not a holdover from WWI like the Lee-Enfield, Mauser or Mosin-Nagant.

(honorable mention to the PPSH-41 submachine gun)

New category:

Cop TV Show

[Prof. Pepperwinkle]

Dragnet

- The original police procedural drama
- Started in Old Time Radio, aired on TV from 1951-1959, 1967-1970
- Theme song hit the Top 40
- Aimed at realism and unpretentious acting


New category:

Volcanic eruption?

[Knowed Out]

Gah! I was typing up a big essay about WWII weapons and got multi-ninjaed!

I'll go with Mt. Krakatoa, because
- the plumes and ash lasted 6 months
- it completely destroyed the island
- it caused average global temperature to drop by 1.2 Celsius
- death toll anywhere from 30-120K
- human skeletons floating on ash rafts washed up in West Africa

Next category: Quintessential sports announcer

[Dead Cat]

That one is rather country-specific, I think. I don't believe there are any announcers who achieve(d) much, if any recognition outside the country they broadcast to. Having said that, Richie Benaud is a legend in both England and Australia (for cricket).

I'll go with John Madden for the USA:

- long-time announcer for the biggest of the big 4 American sports
- former coach
- divided opinion on his effectiveness
- famous for various on-air gaffes and catchphrases
- managed to get a video game franchise named after him.

And David Coleman in the UK:

- a well-known and much-loved commentator on multiple sports
- so prolific that the genre of sports announcing gaffes was actually named after him ("Colemanballs")
- hosted a national sports quiz show for many years (A Question of Sport)

With honourable mentions for Murray Walker, Brian Johnston, and Barry Davies.

Next category: retail stores.

[AHunter3]

I'll go with Sears for the retail store, current situation notwithstanding. They've been "it" or at least "one of them" for a damn long time.

Next category: external computer storage devices

[kenobi 65]

The floppy disk.

- It was the primary external storage used for personal computers when they first became ubiquitous in the 1980s and 1990s.
- By 1996, it was estimated that there were five billion floppy disks in use, worldwide.
- An icon resembling a 3.5" floppy disk is still the default icon for the "save" command in computer programs, decades after the disks themselves fell into disuse.

Next category: snack food.

[Cardigan]

The plain old potato chip
- not only is it one of the earliest examples of snack foods it's also one of the most ubiquitous.
- an average 1 oz. serving contains at least 10 grams of fat
- no one ever consumes the serving sizes indicated on the nutritional information (betcha can't eat just one...serving size)

next category:

silent film stars

[Prof. Pepperwinkle]

Rudolph Valentino

- huge sex symbol
- early death which left the nation in morning
- the term "Latin Lover" created for him
- one of the few silent movie stars to be featured on a U.S. postage stamp


next category:

Reality TV Show

[Beckdawrek]

Survivor
Been on air forever.
Everyone likes to think they could survive better.
Many copycats.

Next famous Dogs.

[Knowed Out]

Lassie
- dogs are awesome
- "Bark bark bark = Timmy fell down in a well" became a meme before there were memes
- really a boy dog, so early example of transgender TV roles

Quintessential board game

[Prof. Pepperwinkle]

Chess

- ancient history
- thousands of books on how to play
- world masters
- innumerable variants

Next: Christmas song

[Covfefe]

Joy To The World
- Has exposure in most hymnals and the secular world
- One of the top caroling choices

Next category: semi-affordable luxury car make & model from the late '90s

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by Covfefe

Next category: semi-affordable luxury car make & model from the late '90s

Chevy Impala

*Definitely drives like a Cadillac
*Definitely in the affordable range
*You still see them everywhere(thought many are early 2000's at this point)
*Recent models are different, but still use the style in a lot of ways

Next up: Childhood experience

[RickJay]

Visiting Disney World / Disneyland.

- Hugely anticipated and memorable event for a child
- One of the few such things that lives up to the hype
- Common cultural touchstones to almost everyone

Next: Arcade (not home system) video game

[kenobi 65]

Pac-Man

- It's credited for creating an entirely new genre in video games
- It and its sequels have been continuously published for 38 years
- It spawned two TV series, a breakfast cereal, and a song that became a top-10 hit in the U.S.
- The character is recognized by 94% of Americans
- It's still culturally relevant, and is still referred to (and even appears in) TV shows and movies

Next: breakfast cereal

[The Other Waldo Pepper]

Honey Nut Cheerios.

* It straddles the breakfast-cereal line: I’m speaking from experience when I say that sugar-craving kids who’d reject Corn Flakes and Shredded Wheat are cool with it, and that parents who’d rule out Count Chocula or Lucky Charms will okay it;

* Are you a writer who suddenly needs to come up with a breakfast cereal that’s about to get mentioned in your sitcom or whatever? If you’re creative, you’ll invent a cartoon mascot; if you’re lazy, you’ll call it Something-Os.

Next up: magic trick.

[Knowed Out]

Sawing a lady in half

- dashing magician and beautiful assistant is a stereotype
- numerous variations, including comical and grisly outcomes
- danger element adds more to stage effects than just sleight of hand
- inspiration for more elaborate magic tricks

Quintessential sculpture

[Prof. Pepperwinkle]

Rodin's The Thinker (Le Penseur)

- best known sculpture from his "Gates of Hell" masterwork
- referenced in dozens of cartoons, commercials, memes, etc.
- versions of it can be found in many of the major world museums
- a sensation when created, and has never lost its audience


Quintessential English monarch

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by Prof. Pepperwinkle

Quintessential English monarch

Tough, but I'd' say:

Queen Victoria

- reigned for a long time
- an entire era of English history is named after her
- we still imitate her and her (assumed) mannerisms 100+ years after her death

Next:

Symphonic Metal Band

[Cardigan]

I gather not many are familiar enough with symphonic metal to discern what is quintessential about one band versus another (I know I'm not). So rather than let the thread die I'll throw out an alternate:

US automobiles of the 1950's

[Knowed Out]

Chevy Bel Air

- considered an iconic design
- popular in drag racing
- premium level of trim
- large conspicuous gas guzzler

Quintessential man symbol

[Oly]

Quintessential man symbol: The phallus.

Need more be said? Nevertheless

-Ancient
-Universial
-Instantly recognizable (even when it wasn't intended to be there)
-Based in reality but highly exaggerated in portrayal.
-Infinitely adaptable so as to be slipped into just about any design, especially big things like architecture.

Next: Quintessential question a kid might ask a parent for which the parent feels they should have a really good answer, but don't.

[Dead Cat]

It's got to be "Where do babies come from?" (or perhaps the classic follow-up to the answer "Mummy's tummy": "How do they get in there?").

Granted, it's a question most parents can and do prepare for, but even then the timing will usually throw things off (e.g. the supermarket checkout, at a wedding, in the presence of other younger/older children).

A big field, this: quintessential classic rock song?

[Cardigan]

I gotta go with "Purple Haze"
why?
- it was released not simply in the 1960's, but more particularly in 1967 where the song helped form the background to the Summer of Love
- The song was written and performed by Jimi Hendrix and in no way can legitimately be considered derivative
- the song's subject matter had to do with drugs
- the song can be heard playing on classic rock radio stations only on days of the week that end with 'y'

Next: quintessential Presidential (or other head of state) scandal?

[RickJay]

Watergate

- Brought down a President
- Changed the language; now most scandals are terms something-Gate
- Huge, huge huge in popular culture

Next:

Quintessential spelling error

[Alpha Twit]

nm

[Oly]

Alot.

-See it a lot
-It doesn't involve some weird rule or exception thereof, so it's just a spelling fail
-It's even wrong at being wrng, as the right wrong way to misspell it would be "allot".

Quintessential sandwich.

[Cardigan]

Ham on rye
- while pbj's might be more common, a sandwich consisting of meat, cheese and bread would be more recognizable to the Earl of Sandwich (were he still around)
- there aren't many delis that don't serve them
- there are many variants on this sandwich, but the basic ingredients are quite simple...like a sandwich should be

Next: quintessential daytime tv show

[Oly]

Let's Make A Deal

-Long-running
-Mindless but engaging (ie. Works as either background noise or the sole focus)
-Wholly forgettable one show to the next

Quintessential Western (movie).

[Knowed Out]

Shane

- classic good vs evil story
- defined a "real man" as a knight who protects the weak
- Joey fills role as audience participation
- "Come back Shane!"

Quintessential dairy product

[Oly]

Can't see how it couldn't be just plain old milk.

-The dairy product from whence all others flow
-The initial dairy product to which one is exposed
-Milk mustaches
-Cookies

Quintessential cocktail.

[Prof. Pepperwinkle]

nm

[Annie-Xmas]

Martini.

-Classic drink
-Hundred of variations
-James Bond meme

Quintessential Holiday song?

[Prof. Pepperwinkle]

White Christmas

- Spotify has nearly 1,000,000 songs in its streaming catalogue. These are not all unique songs, because they stream albums. Far and away, Bing Crosby's version(s) of White Christmas leads the pack, appearing on some 44,000 albums. Nothing comes close.
- They show Holiday Inn and White Christmas on TV every year, and the song appears in both.

Quintessential ballet?

[Cardigan]

Giselle

- It was written and performed over 150 years ago
- the story has a romantic theme and most importantly features a peasant girl
- regular people may be familiar with the name of the show, but there's little chance they've seen it

Quintessential method of execution?

[kenobi 65]

(Wow, morbid topic)

Hanging

- One of the most ancient methods, having been documented for nearly 3000 years (it was mentioned in Homer's Odyssey, which dates to the 8th Century BC), and possibly employed for even longer
- Still in use in several countries which have yet to abolish capital punishment (and is still an approved, if alternate, method in New Hampshire)
- The term "hanging judge" is used to describe a judge who has become known to hand down particularly harsh sentences

Quintessential painting?

[Knowed Out]

Mona Lisa

- the face is iconic and recognizable everywhere
- subject of a song
- has been the subject of centuries of analysis

Quintessential space craft

[Intergalactic Gladiator]

Space Shuttle

- Iconic look (was even copied by the Russians)
- 35 year history
- First orbiter named Enterprise
- It's in movies, TV, pinball, and toys


Quintessential fictional space craft

[Oly]

Starship Enterprise.

-Known the world over, by SF geeks and normal people aike
-Original design with numerous copies
-Beam me up Scotty.

Quintessential item on a key ring other than keys.

[Knowed Out]

Bottle opener

- became a necessary tool in college when you could legally drink
- comes in many varieties, from church key to gargoyle mouth
- hangable

Quintessential bar food

[ekedolphin]

Quintessential bar food:

Loaded fries

Very bad for you
Served on a large plate
Just about every bar will have it.


Quintessential video-game series

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by ekedolphin

Quintessential video-game series

Super-Mario games

- Helped sell the NES, which helped end the video game crash
- Wildly popular the last 30+ years
- still releases sequels in its main series
- features iconic characters that are as recognizable as any cartoon/mascot

Next:

Quintessential 2010-Present TV show

[Intergalactic Gladiator]

Game of Thrones

- Epic Story
- Intriguing characters
- Room for action, humor, horror, and personal moments
- "Water cooler" show where viewers want to talk about it the next day



Quintessential super hero

[kenobi 65]

Superman

- One of the first successful comic-book superheroes
- Has a wide range of powers (strength, flight, x-ray vision, etc.)
- Has a number of iconic characters in his supporting cast (Lois Lane, Ma and Pa Kent, Jimmy Olson)
- Has sold more comic books than any other comic character
- Has been more-or-less continuously published since his inception in 1938
- A single copy of the first comic book in which he appeared (Action Comics #1) sold in 2014 for over $3 million dollars (the highest price ever for a single copy of a comic)
- Has been the subject of numerous TV shows, cartoons, radio shows, and films
- Instantly recognizable by most Americans, and many people around the world

Next topic: pizza topping

[EscAlaMike]

Pepperoni
- Most popular pizza topping in North America
- 'Italianesque' style of meat that melds well with tomato-based sauce and crusty bread
- Has a neutral, inoffensive flavor that appeals to a wide range of palates


Quintessential food item of Southeastern U.S.

[Annie-Xmas]

Fried Chicken

-A definitive Southern USA food
-Can be served anywhere
-Has fast food chains named after it
-Even served in fast food hamburger places
-It's good!

Quintessential James Bond film

[Intergalactic Gladiator]

Goldfinger

- Third movie into franchise begins to define Bond film tropes (gadgets, seducing the girl, tough guy henchmen, etc.)
- Critical and box office success
- Great opening theme by John Barry sung by Shirley Bassey
- Iconic gold painted girl


Quintessential young adult fiction franchise

[Annie-Xmas]

Is there any question it's Harry Potter?

-Unbelievably successful, both in popularity and financials
-Aimed at young adults, but read by all ages
-Has gotten children into reading long paged books and franchises
-Led to a series of movies and even stage shows
-Everybody knows Harry Potter, even if they have never read and/or seen something based on it

Quintessential newspaper comic strip?

[Oly]

I suppose the obvious answer would be Peanuts, but I've never like Peanuts, so I'm going with Calvin and Hobbes.

-Classic kid and real vs imaginary world setting
-Had everything: Humor, cuteness, sweetness, edgy here and there, philosophy, social commentary without a heavy hand, clever as hell, well drawn, engaging as single pannel and long strips, a lot more could be said.
-Avoided over commercialization ( a la Peanuts)
-Gone before its time, deliberately.
-I really miss it!

Quintessential bitter sweet tear jerker movie (I'm in that mood now