QI

QI is one of the panel shows that are so everlastingly popular in Great Britain, which such fabled programs as Have I Got News For You, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Never Mind the Buzzcocks previously gaining fame in the UK.

QI - short for Quite Interesting - is hosted by the all-around intelligent Stephen Fry, who asks questions that are 'impossible to get right' to a panel of four, most of them comedians. One of his panelists, Alan Davies appears on every episode, while others rotate. Many, such as Bill Bailey, Rich Hall, Sean Lock, Phill Jupitus or Jo Brand make regular appearances, but none are ever-present as Davies is.

The goal of the quiz is to answer Fry's questions, but there's a catch. The answer needn't be correct, all it asks is that one is interesting along the way. Points are given for interesting answers, and points are taking away (usually to Alan) for answers that are both obvious and wrong. Such answers are accompanied by a klaxon and the wrong answer flashing on a screen behind the contestants.

Example - Fry: How many sheep were there on Noah's ark? - Most people would think the answer is two, but, as proved when Alan answers this and is klaxoned, the Bible states that in the case of clean animals, Noah would take them in sevens.

The questions aren't necessarily the main part of the quiz, however, as, more often than not, the panelists will go off on wild ramblings that have little to do with the original subject, often scoring them points for being interesting.

At the end of each episode is a quick-fire round called 'General Ignorance', where they ask questions that they know will provoke an obvious answer - once again, usually from Alan Davies.

The show has a truly intelligent feel to it, and, although the panelists aren't necessarily intelligent (Jo Brand) or interesting (Gyles Brandreth), they panel's banter and humorous routines are a great way to spend half an hour. My favourite by far is Rich Hall, and I hope you will enjoy him in the next season of QI, which starts next Friday on the BBC.

If you're a fan of useless facts, you'll love this show, and if you're a fan of panel shows, you'll adore it too.

What word could sum up this programme? Wonderful? Fascinating? Hilarious? All of the above.

As the QI Master, Stephen Fry is as brilliant as ever, and his banter with regular panelist Alan Davies is fabulous - their contrasts just work so well. The things that they talk about are genuinely interesting, and all of our family love it. It appeals to all tastes and senses of humour, as the variety of guests makes the dynamics of the show slightly different each week - and it never falters.

I hope that they make 26 series of this - we've just seen series 'C' and I hope they see it all the way through to 'Z'. Marvellous!

With lots of references to British culture, lifestyle and history, it is a difficult-to-translate show. But if you watch it in English and with a British mindset, there is nothing like it: smart, interesting, truly funny (and not prudish at all).

Davies and Fry are a lovely couple of hosts to watch, and the panelists are also quite funny (I like Hall and Jupitus very much).

It is a very entertaining show, with lots of interesting pieces of information which are simply funny (though probably extracted from a questionable use of sources and statistics, but it really doesn't matter because the whole show is hilarious).

I happened to watch it at a friends' and I didn't expect it to make me «laugh», just to entertain me with interesting stuff. However, to my surprise, it was funnier and wittier than many comedy shows. I laughed my heart out! Warning: It is not a «family show» unless you openly talk to your children about adult matters. References to sexuality, gay life and double entendres abound, but always in a subtle, witty way which does not strike as vulgar in general.

Kudos to Q.I.! Do not miss this program if you can!

Stephen Fry, as per usual, is involved in one of the funniest and most entertaining shows on British Television. After Blackadder and the like what can one expect from him? This programme is not just funny it is indeed, Quite Interesting(sorry for the pathetic pun). If anybody has ever wondered what noises frogs make, how many wives Henry VIII had, or the why Plato was called Plato, you must see this programme!

My friends and the whole of my college, after me watching it, know what snippits of information have been on the programme because i make sure that they are told the best bits. I advise any power-crazed factophile to watch this at the earliest opportunity (Thurs BBC2 10:00, BBC4 10:30)!

Have you ever been watching a game show and thought, "what would it be like if the host just lost control and the celebrity panel took over?" Of course you have... we all have. Well, QI takes that premise and lets the humor fly.

There are right answers which get a couple points, glaringly obvious and often actually wrong answers that get points ripped away, and the main point of the show: Quite Interesting tidbits that get lots of points.

Stephen Fry stumbles through the questions, obviously reading them off of a prompter that is too far away, and completely knows when to just sit back and when to drop his own QI bits in.

Unfortunately not available in the US, this British show is refreshing, wonderfully staged, and a delight to watch.

It is obvious that like another British 'game show,' "Have I Got News For You" this program is shot over a period of many hours and edited down to the best parts. But who cares!?!? The point is not who wins or loses (generally the ongoing panelist, Alan Davies) but how many laughs we get per half hour and how many things you can learn by watching.

Pray for DVDs full of this or at least having BBC America pick it up.