QI - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Discuss QI Here!

[SnideAsides]

At first I was sad when I heard Stephen was quitting at the end of this season, but... Sandi is possibly the one person who could fill his shoes.

[Kromm]

I can't pretend to understand why anyone would want to watch this show unless Fry is presenting it.

 

That said, if they must, she's an interesting choice that won't be nearly as bad as many of the alternatives.  But again... isn't it Fry's personality that makes this QI? It will kind of just be like any other quiz show without that.

[coppersin]

Aw man, I was so excited to see that we finally had a QI forum, and the first thing I read is that Stephen Fry is leaving! I know we've already had him for over a decade but this seems so much like "his" show that it's hard to imagine it without him. Top Gear, Daily Show, and now QI - sort of "legacy" shows moving ahead without their most famous faces - what a busy year! I would imagine there will be a little less pressure for Sandi than the new presenters on Top Gear and Daily Show, since viewers seem to love this show but aren't fanatical about it, but it must feel like quite a challenge to her to keep the same feel of the show while still making her own impression. I've always enjoyed her appearances on the show; she's quippy and well-spoken, and seems to interact well with other guests. I guess I've never noticed how she is with Alan Davies, but so long as they're both having fun with their roles, I think it'll be fine.

 

I can't pretend to understand why anyone would want to watch this show unless Fry is presenting it.

 

That said, if they must, she's an interesting choice that won't be nearly as bad as many of the alternatives.  But again... isn't it Fry's personality that makes this QI? It will kind of just be like any other quiz show without that.

I agree that Stephen is a hallmark of the show, and it won't really be the same show without him. But we still have Alan, an excellent array of guests (MMV on individuals, of course) and the writers and researchers behind the scenes that make all of this possible. There will be some adjustments, but I'm confident that the show will still be playful and occasionally absurd, and that's all I really need from it.

 

Cheers to BBC for selecting an older female presenter. Even if quiz shows were more of a thing in America, I doubt we'd get someone like Sandi.

Edited October 18, 2015 by coppersin

[joelene]

WHAT?! Well this is dissappointing. About Fry, I mean. I like Toksvig a lot, but I'm having difficulties imagining the show without him.

[Kromm]

I liked the recent episode about the military. We had to put up with Jeremy Clarkson blathering on, but it was otherwise quite good. I also liked that Stephen ended quoting Jack Handy ("I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world because they'd never expect it").

[clack]

Sandi : not as funny as Fry, not as erudite as Fry, not as skilled a host as Fry. Plus, she does shtick -- I don't get a sense of a genuine personality, as I do with Stephen. What I do get is "funny" voices.

 

David Mitchell would have been a better choice.

[SVNBob]

In order for David to be host, he'd probably have to give up hosting his own successful panel show, Would I Lie to You?  And I don't think he'd do that, even for QI.

 

Besides, with David as host, we'd lose his "angry logic" rants.

 

While I hope this isn't the case, the cynic in me thinks that hiring Sandi to host is a way of fulfilling the QI pledge of having a female presence on every episode without having to get a female guest for every episode. 

 

 Sandi is possibly the one person who could fill [stephen's] shoes.

You know they'll be making jokes along those lines throughout Series N.

[clack]

David Mitchell is a team captain on Would I Lie To You. Rob Brydon is host. And even while being a regular on WILTY, he has been the host of other panel shows -- one of which, the Bubble, was also on the BBC.

[SVNBob]

You're right.  I was thinking of Was It Something I Said?, which research shows to be defunct.

[Kromm]

This is a good place to discuss the entire genre of show... QI and ALL of the other competing programmes. But a few suggested things to discuss....

 

Compare/Contrast QI vs. The Rest of Them

Why Are Panel Shows So Popular In The UK....but not popular elsewhere (particularly in the USA)?

Favourite Panel Shows Besides QI

Roaming Panel Guests (between shows)

Etc.

 

 

 

 

[joelene]

I loved Never Mind The Buzzcocks when Simon Amstell was hosting. Couldn't continue much when he quit, and I'd never heard of it before him. I saw some with Mark Lamar, but perhaps it's like Ringu and its remake: you prefer the version you watched first.

The only other I've watched and really enjoyed is Would I Lie To You? It's usually hilarious, although I tire of Rob Brydon quite easily (which is a shame because he seems like a nice person).

Edited November 4, 2015 by joelene

[morgankobi]

There's a podcast called No Such Thing As A Fish by some of the QI writers. Has anyone checked it out?

[Kromm]

There's a podcast called No Such Thing As A Fish by some of the QI writers. Has anyone checked it out?

It's an interesting listen. It does get kind of samey-samey over time though.

[rereader2]

There's a podcast called No Such Thing As A Fish by some of the QI writers. Has anyone checked it out?

 

I listen to it! At least one of the facts generally leads to some funny weirdness. (The weirdness is a given.)

[Latverian Diplomat]

One thing that I think QI did right at the very beginning, which it perhaps uniquely needed to do, was have a designated goat in the form of Alan Davies.

 

Especially in the early seasons, he would virtually always get the lowest score, and went out of his way to trigger the predicted responses. 

 

It helped establish a comfortable environment where guests didn't have to worry about being the most foolish one. I have the sense that as the aesthetic of the show has been established (you are not going to be right, just try to be witty and have fun) this has become less crucial, so Alan has been free to dial it back a bit and returning guests often get the "honor" of coming in last.

[Latverian Diplomat]

I like David so much as a QI panelist, I'm not sure I'd be willing to give that up to see him as host. 

 

I don't know Sandi except from her QI appearances, so I don't have a strong opinion on that. It will take any new host a little time to settle into the role and figure out what works and what doesn't, and I do hope the audience sticks around and gives her a chance. 

 

What are the odds we see Stephen as a panelist at some point? That might be fun.

[SVNBob]

Johnny Vegas has gone on record as saying he's actively trying to "out-dumb" Alan.  I think he does it because it feeds into the character of Johnny Vegas.

 

Most, in fact I think all other, panel shows have a team format with regulars as the team captains and then the rotating guests filling out the teams.  And that is in fact how QI was originally conceived.  The two captains would have been Alan and Stephen (so a smart team and a...not so smart team), and they wanted to get Michael Palin to be the host.  But he was unavailable, so they moved Stephen to the host chair and dropped the team format altogether.

 

The facts on No Such Thing as a Fish are starting to get onto the show now.  I knew the answer to the question in M-Places about the fictional Mountains of Kong because that was in a very early episode of the podcast.

[bybrandy]

I like QI but the last few seasons to me haven't felt as fresh as the first several seasons.   Also love would I lie to you but that is very different.   

 

As for radio panel shows I loved the Unbelievable Truth at first but OMG, talk about facts getting repetitive.   If you on't have new facts about a subject, stop assigning that subject!

 

It doesn't surprise me that Johnny Vegas actively tries/tried to out Alan Alan.  I just don't find him funny in any case.  Alan on the other hand?  I find him funny when he's playing the fool and more so when he's letting his true self shine.    I liked Jo Brand fine at first but now I pretty much cringe when she's on.   Same joke.  Different day.  I did like last series when she started getting klaxoned for same joke different day.  

 

Sandi is my favorite female panelist and I'm willing to give her a go as host but Stephen will be sorely missed.   

[Kromm]

Okay, not about any SPECIFIC episode, but I have to ask what the deal is with the theme music.  Really it's like a weakly Anglicized version of Reggae music (like someone took a Reggae song and played it tinkly piano style).  So what's the deal with that?

[SVNBob]

For Series P, there's an obvious topic; something that tends to be discussed in every single episode.  Y'all know what I mean. 

 

I'd love to see that subject covered as the first episode, and then have Sandi declare a moratorium on it for the remainder of the series.

 

Either that, or it'll be the Joker for the entire series, like the lavatory questions for Series L, or the Elephants for Series E.

[atomationage]

On 11/5/2015 at 9:18 PM, Kromm said:

No Such Thing As A Fish

9 episodes of No Such Thing As A Fish are up on YT.  I've been watching No Such Thing As The News on Youtube.  There are five episodes so far, and it's filmed with an audience like a TV panel show, and they discuss current news stories.

Edited June 19, 2016 by atomationage

[halopub]

What I remember is that the producers didn't get the song they originally wanted and instead had a composer create an original theme with a message hidden in morse code. The plunky melody spells out a URL.

It's comforting to have the show back for the N season. Sandi was a solid host and great at interacting with the panel. I was a bit thrown off by the glasses, though. 

I was amused by how the 'B' in CBT is 'biscuit' across the pond.

[Kromm]

Just saw over the net the first Sandy Tostig hosted episode.

I'm sorry. I know she probably deserves longer to make an evaluation, but so far I didn't really like her approach.

I'll try again though.

[halopub]

I do hope you will. I like the different dynamic between Sandi and Alan.

So far Sandi lets the comedians' tangents go on a little too long but does know how to rein in the crazy without making it about her superior knowledge. Plus she'll casually ad-lib sly callbacks to previous comments. Alan is still doing those unnecessarily manic impressions but has also been ditching the  extreme part of his dunce act and seems to offer more intelligent musings without needling Sandi.

North Norse

• It may be all the rage in Europe right now, but I enjoyed hearing about hygge for the first time.
• Without knowing Hull or her standup work, it’s hard to know where Lucy Beaumont’s daffy character ends and she begins.
• Was Rhod purposely messing with Sandi to keep repeating the winter hours assertion?
• Heh:
  • “Generic Danish interlocking children’s building set.”
  • Fartplan.

Nosey Noisey

• It was entertaining to see what a blast Slipknot’s lead singer had on the show. I wonder how the giddy superfan first came across the show – does Corey Taylor binge on British shows like I do?
• Best Sandi quip: “You have the look of a woman trying to unwrap a toffee with her bottom.”

[Cherpumple]

I like Sandi, but think it will take a while to get the right chemistry. She has a less expressive face and more deadpan delivery than Stephen and I think Alan is compensating by acting more animated than usual.

20 hours ago, halopub said:

So far Sandi lets the comedians' tangents go on a little too long but does know how to rein in the crazy without making it about her superior knowledge.

I actually feel like her contributions so far seem a bit too long and too much like a lecture, although without the pedantic air that Stephen has. But I've only been watching the XL episodes, so they might trim these parts down for the regular version.

Why did her jumper say "YARD" in the North Norse episode?

[halopub]

I haven't caught the Nosey XL episode yet, but Sandi's contributions do seem much shorter in the regular episodes. There was that detailed segment on the aurora borealis, for example, that was excluded from North Norse.

I was wondering about the sweater as well. The colors, at least, are appropriate for all the Danish questions.

[SVNBob]

I recently saw the first 3 XL N-series episodes myself.  (I try to only watch the XLs ever since QI started making them.  More fun and more facts.  The only exception is the VG clip shows, since there's no XL VGs.)  There's definitely a new vibe on the set.  I think it feels more like an older relative stating the facts with Sandy, rather than a (cool) teacher with Stephen.  But it also feels like Sandy's still trying to find her way.  I'm reserving final judgement until the end of the series, but so far I don't have any real issues with Sandy as host.

Alan's so far dropped the dumb act, winning all 3 episodes.  But then he did that in series G (I think.  One of the middle of the "Fry years"), so it's technically not new.  But there was the nice touch in the first episode with Phill using his "Stephen impression" to try to shock Alan back into losing.

On 11/5/2016 at 8:08 PM, halopub said:

It was entertaining to see what a blast Slipknot’s lead singer had on the show.

Agreed.  Loved that he apparently let everyone (or at least Alan) know he wanted to get the klaxon at least once, and Alan fed him an answer that did just that.  Plus he got the lowest score in the episode, and that's definitely rock 'n roll.

[jbrecken]

Is there a way for someone in the US to legally watch the new series on the net?

[bybrandy]

I was pretty skeptical about this show post Stephen but Sandi is probably at the top of my list of who I would have picked.  And it really worked for me.  She's still finding her groove a little but I was totally in for every XL episode this series and look forward to M!

[rereader2]

11 hours ago, bybrandy said:

I was pretty skeptical about this show post Stephen but Sandi is probably at the top of my list of who I would have picked.  And it really worked for me.  She's still finding her groove a little but I was totally in for every XL episode this series and look forward to M!

(O. :) )

[halopub]

Season O began yesterday. Official preview of the Ologies episode.

 

I think that escapologist was on Penn & Teller: Fool Us.

[tessaray]

I watched this for the first time on Britbox this afternoon.  It looked like everyone was having a great time.  I may need to go back and watch the N series when I get time. 

[Goldmoon]

I watched A-G, I, J, and K on Acorn and Hulu from the USA.  Just last year.  I loved Stephen's QI.  Even a bad episode was good.  Last night I watched a Sandy ep for the first time on You Tube, Occult, because Noel Fielding and Russell Brand are two of my favorite comedians.  I was very disappointed.  The boys looked bored to death and Sandi seemed determined to spit out as much "knowledge" as she could as fast as she could because she had learned it and didn't want her efforts to go to waste.  Stephen took it as slowly as he needed to, leaving room for the guests to make contributions and as stuck up as he could sometimes appear, I never got the impression that he really looked down on his guests.  He made it seem like great fun to explore trivia with his panel.  I am not sure what Sandi was trying to convey other than she was smarter than everyone else in the room.

[Charlesman]

On 2/18/2018 at 8:15 PM, Goldmoon said:

I watched A-G, I, J, and K on Acorn and Hulu from the USA.  Just last year.  I loved Stephen's QI.  Even a bad episode was good.  Last night I watched a Sandy ep for the first time on You Tube, Occult, because Noel Fielding and Russell Brand are two of my favorite comedians.  I was very disappointed.  The boys looked bored to death and Sandi seemed determined to spit out as much "knowledge" as she could as fast as she could because she had learned it and didn't want her efforts to go to waste.  Stephen took it as slowly as he needed to, leaving room for the guests to make contributions and as stuck up as he could sometimes appear, I never got the impression that he really looked down on his guests.  He made it seem like great fun to explore trivia with his panel.  I am not sure what Sandi was trying to convey other than she was smarter than everyone else in the room.

 

Occult was not a good episode, for sure. My least favorite of the recents. Sadly, though I enjoy Noel and Russell, I put some of it on them for that one. Not all, for sure, but they share in making it a weaker installment.

[halopub]

The P series starts today. An official clip from the first episode:

 

I've missed Phill.

[SVNBob]

Series R started airing the XL versions recently, after airing all the shot shorter versions earlier in the year.  If you haven't seen it yet, do look for the first episode, "Rude", with John Barrowman on the panel.  He and Aisling Bea make for a very entertaining comedy duo, to the point that some people want to see them star in a sitcom together.

The R series is notable for 2 more reasons...well, one big reason with 2 unusual effects.  The recording sessions for the series were affected by the UK Lockdown.  Two episodes were shot without a studio audience entirely, which seems odd at first, but QI is the rare panel show that seems to work without an audience.  The panelists get to banter more and not have to rely on jokey quips.  But there's still a lot of humor.  It does help that David Mitchell is a panelist on one of those episodes.

Additionally, a number of episode recordings,  I think four, were postponed until last month.  So the R series isn't quite over with yet.