The Winner and New

Under the lights of the Capitol Coliseum, quiz master Bob May welcomes a vast television audience to a contest of specialist knowledge. Charles Monroe, undefeated for forty-nine weeks, faces challenger James Burton, who chooses the planet Mars as his subject. Monroe's expertise lies in postage stamps. A computer supplies the questions, while force fields isolate the contestants from outside help.

Ib Melchior builds this science fiction short story around the familiar rhythms of a broadcast: excited introductions, escalating questions and repeated commercials. As the competition continues, the contestants' composure gives way to visible strain, while the host keeps the spectacle moving. Imagined Martian discoveries sit beside details of stamp collecting, giving the exchanges their peculiar mixture of the fantastic and the everyday. Readers interested in television culture can find a sharp treatment of advertising, public excitement and the pressure to keep winning.