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<blockquote>"The fart-in-the-bath story was trotted out last year in an episode of Stephen Fry's otherwise admirable quiz show ''QI''. It (the story) first appeared some twenty years ago in a newspaper article, to which my father immediately wrote a rebuttal. It was obviously ferreted out by some BBC researcher if you like. It may be quite interesting, but in this case, it simply isn't true."<ref name="SDE8">{{cite episode | title = Descendants | series = QI | serieslink = List of QI episodes (D series) | airdate = 2006-11-10 | season = D | number = 8 }}</ref></blockquote>
<blockquote>"The fart-in-the-bath story was trotted out last year in an episode of Stephen Fry's otherwise admirable quiz show ''QI''. It (the story) first appeared some twenty years ago in a newspaper article, to which my father immediately wrote a rebuttal. It was obviously ferreted out by some BBC researcher if you like. It may be quite interesting, but in this case, it simply isn't true."<ref name="SDE8">{{cite episode | title = Descendants | series = QI | serieslink = List of QI episodes (D series) | airdate = 2006-11-10 | season = D | number = 8 }}</ref></blockquote>


Fry then apologised and corrected the fact, saying, "Their language is called "Oddle poddle". "Flobbadob" means "Flowerpot" in Oddle poddle. I cannot believe I just said that," at which point started laughing in disbelieve.<ref name="SDE8"/>
Fry then apologised and corrected the fact, saying, "Their language is called "Oddle poddle". "Flobbadob" means "Flowerpot" in Oddle poddle. I cannot believe I just said that," at which point started laughing in disbelief.<ref name="SDE8"/>


At the end of the third series, [[Dara Ó Briain]] was deducted points for having stated, in the series before, that the [[triple point]] of [[water]] is zero degrees [[Celsius]], an answer which earned him 2 points at the time.<ref>{{cite episode | title = Series B, Episode 7 | series = QI | serieslink = List of QI episodes (B series) | airdate = 2004-11-19 | season = B | number = 7 }}</ref> Some viewers, however, wrote in to say that the triple point of water is in fact ''0.01'' degrees, and so the 2 points awarded Dara in the previous series were revoked and he recieved a further deduction of 10 points for saying a now ''obvious answer''. Dara humorously retorted with, "How many people sat at home watching that and said, 'It's just a comedy show, but I'm not letting that [[feck]]er get away with that!?'"<ref>{{cite episode | title = Series C, Episode 12 | series = QI | serieslink = List of QI episodes (C series) | airdate = 2005-12-16 | season = C | number = 12}}</ref>
At the end of the third series, [[Dara Ó Briain]] was deducted points for having stated, in the series before, that the [[triple point]] of [[water]] is zero degrees [[Celsius]], an answer which earned him 2 points at the time.<ref>{{cite episode | title = Series B, Episode 7 | series = QI | serieslink = List of QI episodes (B series) | airdate = 2004-11-19 | season = B | number = 7 }}</ref> Some viewers, however, wrote in to say that the triple point of water is in fact ''0.01'' degrees, and so the 2 points awarded Dara in the previous series were revoked and he recieved a further deduction of 10 points for saying a now ''obvious answer''. Dara humorously retorted with, "How many people sat at home watching that and said, 'It's just a comedy show, but I'm not letting that [[feck]]er get away with that!?'"<ref>{{cite episode | title = Series C, Episode 12 | series = QI | serieslink = List of QI episodes (C series) | airdate = 2005-12-16 | season = C | number = 12}}</ref>

Revision as of 11:12, 4 August 2007

For other uses, see QI (disambiguation).
QI
File:QI title.jpg
The QI title screen.
Created byJohn Lloyd
Presented byStephen Fry
StarringAlan Davies
Guest panellists
Country of origin United Kingdom
No. of episodes49 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time29 minutes
Original release
NetworkBBC Two
BBC Four
Release11 September, 2003 –
present

QI, standing for Quite Interesting, is a comedy panel game television quiz show created and produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring regular panellist Alan Davies, who has appeared on every episode. It is broadcast on BBC Two and BBC Four, while older, syndicated episodes are shown on UKTV G2. QI is notable for having the highest viewing figures for any show on BBC Four.[1]

It is distinguished by the awarding of points not necessarily for the correct answer, but rather, for an interesting one. This is because many of the questions and answers are extremely obscure, therefore it is unlikely that the correct answer will be given. Points are also deducted from a panellist who gives an obvious but wrong (that is to say, boring or conventional) answer, typically one that is generally accepted as true but is, in fact, false. This is refered to as General Ignorance. It is therefore possible (and quite likely) that a panellist will have a negative point score at the end of the game.

Format and Conception

The QI Logo.

The panel consists of four panellists: three rotating and one regular, Alan Davies, who has the seat to Stephen Fry's right. Despite the fact that Davies has appeared in every episode, he has only won three times: since he generally offers up most of the "obvious but wrong" answers, he frequently finishes in last place. Most of the show's other panellists come from a stand-up comedy background, although there have also been entertainment personalities from many fields, including Richard E. Grant, Jeremy Clarkson, and Gyles Brandreth.

Questions are sometimes misleading or fiendishly difficult. Providing an "obvious but wrong" answer results in a sequence of klaxons. In the first and second series, Fry produced the answer on a card to show the panellists, while it also flashed on the large screens behind them (excepting the very first episode, when only the cards were used).[2] In the third series and onward, Fry's answer cards were dispensed with altogether, leaving only the screens as proof that the answers given had been predicted.

Because of the show's expectation that hardly anyone would be able to give a correct answer without significant prompting, it instead encourages sheer interestingness, which is how points are mainly scored.[3] As such, tangential discussions and even complete non sequiturs abound on the show, for panellists are apt to branch off into frivolous conversations, give voice to train of thought, and share humorous anecdotes from their own lives.[3] The number of points given and taken away are normally decided by Fry, though some answers are allocated penalties before hand, especially if the points given or taken are very large. For example, one episode asked, "What is the main ingredient of air?" If someone answered, "Carbon dioxide" then, 3,000 points would have been deducted, but luckily no-one gave this answer. However, Davies was deducted 10 points for saying, "Oxygen".[4] Fry once said:

"Now, the rules are simple. Points are given and points are taken away. They are taken away for answers which are both obvious and wrong, and are they're given not so much for being correct as for being interesting. Their level of interestingness is impartially determined by a demographically selected customer-service focus consultany, broken down by age and sex - i.e. me. Because there is no-one more broken down by age and sex than me."[5]

John Lloyd, QI's creator has admited that not even he has any idea on how the scoring system works, but there is someone who is paid to check on the scores. Guests are allowed the right of appeal if they believe their score is wrong, but no-one has done this so far.[3]

Buzzers

Each of the panel has a buzzer, the sound of which is often based along some sort of theme. The sounds are demonstrated at the beginning of the programme, but are sometimes changed in some way the very next time they are used. Davies's buzzer usually contradicts the others' in some amusing way. Davies's buzzer has been the last to be demonstrated in every episode except for the unbroadcast pilot, in which he went first and Eddie Izzard, with a sillier buzzer, went last.[6]

General Ignorance

See also: The Book of General Ignorance
File:QIfront.JPG
Stephen Fry presenting an episode of QI.

In a parody of ubiquitous general knowledge quizzes, the final round is off-topic and called "General Ignorance", focusing upon seemingly easy questions which have obvious but wrong answers. Whereas in the main rounds of the show, the panellists' use of buzzers is not usually enforced, the "General Ignorance" questions are introduced by Fry's reminder to keep "fingers on buzzers."

Due to the large number of "obvious but wrong" answers, panellists usually incur the greatest point losses in this round. In the second series' Christmas episode, Davies stated his refusal to participate in General Ignorance, saying that he "will not be humiliated at Christmas". In response, Fry offered to switch places with him, to the delight of the audience. Despite the seeming spontaneity of the swap, it was undoubtedly pre-planned (at least on the part of Davies and the producers), as evidenced by the fact that Davies, in turn, produced his own set of questions on loose-leaf paper, most of which he directed at Fry. At the end of the show, Fry announced that the game's loser was, in fact, he himself, as a result of his falling into many of Davies's traps.[7]

Extra Tasks

In some episodes, panellists are given an extra task to complete during the course of the game. Those who do the best are often awarded extra points. Sometimes the task is as simple as competing in a drawing contest;[8] other times, the panel are told to look for a specific hidden thing over the course of the show, such as a squirrel[9] or a cuttlefish.[10]

Production

File:QI Davies.jpg
Alan Davies on QI.

Writer and former BBC producer John Lloyd devised the format of the show, and it is produced by Quite Interesting Ltd., an organisation set up by Lloyd. QI was originally seen as being an "Annotated Encyclopædia Britannica… the world's first non-boring encyclopedia."[3] As a panel game, it was conceived as a radio show, with Lloyd as chairman. When it was decided that the show would air on television, Michael Palin was offered the job of chairman with Fry and Davies as captains of "clever" and "stupid" teams, respectively.[11]

The research for the show is mostly carried out by the QI Elves. The elves also devise the questions, and are sometimes even contact the show part way through to provide and even correct information given by the contestants.[12] Other people involved in researching questions are John Mitchinson and Piers Fletcher, known as the Question Wranglers.[12]

The theme tune was composed by Howard Goodall, who has twice appeared as a panellist on the show. The theme music was originally going to be the song Wonderful World, sung by Herman's Hermits, which was used in the unbroadcast pilot. However, they were forbidden the use of the song, and the DVD recording of the pilot now uses the theme music composed by Goodall.[3]

The makers of the show insist that the questions are not given to the panellists beforehand so that they can rehearse them.[13] The panel are given a list of questions set to be asked just about an hour before the show, and before recording starts, they run through a series of "warm up" questions; this is the only assistance the panellists receive. They are forbidden to ask for preparatory materials or other help.[3] It is known that Davies never does any preparation at all.[3] The show also uses a warm-up comedian before recording begins. In the forthcoming series, Stephen Grant[14] provided the warm-up for 10 of the 12 episodes, and Gordon Southern did so for the other two.

Episodes

See also: List of QI episodes

In QI, every series is themed around a different letter of the alphabet, starting with the letter "A". Series are therefore referred to by letter rather than number. The first series started on 11 September, 2003, and consisted of topics beginning with A, including a round on people called "Alan". This might have been a factor in Davies winning this particular episode.[5] The second series consisted of topics beginning with "B", except in two episodes, one about "Music"[15] and one about "Colour".[16] Series D differed from the previous three as all episodes focused upon a single "D" topic (with subsidiary lines of inquiry), examples of which included "Danger"[17] and a special Halloween episode themed on "Death", which is notable for being the only episode of QI so far which was won by the audience.[18]

Corrections and mistakes

Although most of the facts presented on the show are correct, there has been the occasional slip-up. Several facts given are often updated and corrected in later series. For example, in Series A, the show claimed that the longest animal in the world was the lion's mane jellyfish,[19] but this was later corrected in Series C, saying that the longest animal on the world is the bootlace worm.[20]

Often members of the public and members of the QI website contact the show to correct information. In one case, a letter was read out when one episode in Series B claimed that language spoken by children's TV characters Bill and Ben was called, "Flobbadob" and was named after the sound made by creator Hilda Brabban's younger brothers farting in the bath.[21] However, in Series D, Fry read out a letter written Silas Hawkins, son of Peter Hawkins, who provided the original voices of the characters. The letter read:

"The fart-in-the-bath story was trotted out last year in an episode of Stephen Fry's otherwise admirable quiz show QI. It (the story) first appeared some twenty years ago in a newspaper article, to which my father immediately wrote a rebuttal. It was obviously ferreted out by some BBC researcher if you like. It may be quite interesting, but in this case, it simply isn't true."[22]

Fry then apologised and corrected the fact, saying, "Their language is called "Oddle poddle". "Flobbadob" means "Flowerpot" in Oddle poddle. I cannot believe I just said that," at which point started laughing in disbelief.[22]

At the end of the third series, Dara Ó Briain was deducted points for having stated, in the series before, that the triple point of water is zero degrees Celsius, an answer which earned him 2 points at the time.[23] Some viewers, however, wrote in to say that the triple point of water is in fact 0.01 degrees, and so the 2 points awarded Dara in the previous series were revoked and he recieved a further deduction of 10 points for saying a now obvious answer. Dara humorously retorted with, "How many people sat at home watching that and said, 'It's just a comedy show, but I'm not letting that fecker get away with that!?'"[24]

Culture

Main article: Cultural impact of QI

There have been several QI DVDs and books, most notably The Book of General Ignorance. QI also has a building in Oxford, a large website, and a column in The Daily Telegraph. QI has its own philosophy. It states that everything in the world, even what appear to be the most boring things, is quite interesting, if looked at in the right way. The website states that:

"We live, they say, in The Information Age, yet almost none of the information we think we possess is true. Eskimos do not rub noses. The rickshaw was invented by an American. Joan of Arc was not French. Lenin was not Russian. The world is not solid, it is made of empty space and energy, and neither haggis, whisky, porridge, clan tartans nor kilts are Scottish. So we stand, silent, on a peak in Darien: a vast, rolling, teeming, untrodden territory before us. QI country. Whatever is interesting we are interested in. Whatever is not interesting, we are even more interested in. Everything is interesting if looked at in the right way. At one extreme, QI is serious, intensely scientific, deeply mystical; at the other it is hilarious, silly and frothy enough to please the most indolent couch-potato."[25]

Reception

QI has been generally supported by nearly all critics. One of the main reasons for this is that unlike many television shows, many critics believe that QI shows that not all television is, "Dumbing down". Peter Chapman said, "When the schedules seem so dumbed-down, it's a delight to encounter the brainy and articulate Stephen Fry. He excels in this format, being both scathing and generous."[26]

Another critic, Laura Barton said, "QI and its canny coupling of Stephen Fry and Alan Davies, which manages to condense tweedy goodness, cockney charm, pub trivia and class war into one half-hour."[27]

Some critics have questioned the way the show is edited. One critic said, "At one point in tonight's show, Fry (normally urbanity itself) yells an obscenity at Rich Hall, the result of, I guess, a long interchange between the two but, as most of it appears to have been cut out, the outburst comes out of the blue, making Fry look as if he's flipped his lid."[28]

Awards

In 2006, Fry won the Rose d'Or for "Best Game Show Host".[29] The British Sitcom Guide gave QI the Best Comedy Quiz Show of 2006.[30] QI has been nominated for four BAFTAs. Fry has been nominated for "Best Entertainment Performance" three times, in 2004, 2005[31] and 2007.[32] John Lloyd and QI's director Ian Lorimer were nominated for the Lew Grade Award in 2005.[31] In 2007 The Book of General Ignorance was nominated by the British Book Awards in the TV and Film Book of the Year Category.[33] The only other award given to QI has been a dishonour. Davies was given the Comedy Tumbleweed Award for "Most Useless Talk/Panel Show Guest" in 2006.[34]

References

  1. ^ QI.com Audience figures. Accessed 21 June, 2007.
  2. ^ "Series A, Episode 1". QI. Season A. Episode 1. 2003-09-11. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g QI Series 1 DVD Factoids
  4. ^ "Series A, Episode 4". QI. Season A. Episode 4. 2003-10-02. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b "Series A, Episode 10". QI. Season A. Episode 10. 2003-11-13. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Pilot". QI. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Christmas Special". QI. Season B. Episode 12. 2004-12-26. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Series B, Episode 10". QI. Season B. Episode 10. 2004-12-10. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Series C, Episode 11". QI. Season C. Episode 11. 2005-12-09. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ "Series C, Episode 9". QI. Season C. Episode 9. 2005-11-25. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Chortle.co.uk "Last among eQIals" Written 21 December, 2006. Accessed 21 June, 2007.
  12. ^ a b www.qi.com The QI Elves, accessed 17 January 2007
  13. ^ www.qi.com QI: The BBC Television Series. Accessed 27 July, 2007.
  14. ^ Stephen Grant.com, Warm Up Accessed 23 June, 2007.
  15. ^ "Music". QI. Season B. Episode 11. 2004-12-17. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Colour". QI. Season B. Episode 1. 2004-10-08. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Danger". QI. Season D. Episode 1. 2006-09-29. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "Death". QI. Season D. Episode 5. 2006-10-27. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ "Series A, Episode 3". QI. Season A. Episode 3. 2003-09-25. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "Series C, Episode 10". QI. Season C. Episode 10. 2005-12-02. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "Series B, Episode 10". QI. Season B. Episode 10. 2004-12-10. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ a b "Descendants". QI. Season D. Episode 8. 2006-11-10. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ "Series B, Episode 7". QI. Season B. Episode 7. 2004-11-19. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ "Series C, Episode 12". QI. Season C. Episode 12. 2005-12-16. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ QI.com, Philosophy. Accessed 15 June 2007.
  26. ^ Chapman, Peter (2005-11-18). "QI: Quite Interesting". QI News, orignally The Independent. Retrieved 2007-08-03. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  27. ^ Barton, Laura (2006-04-26). "QI: The last bastion of good television". QI News, orignally The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-08-03. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  28. ^ "QI in full swing". QI News, orignally The Hull Daily Mail. 2003-12-30. Retrieved 2007-08-03. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  29. ^ talkbackThames, "Three Rose D'or wins for talkbackThames Written 1 May, 2006. Accessed 25 July, 2007.
  30. ^ British Sictom Guide Awards 2006. Accessed 5 July, 2007.
  31. ^ a b "BAFTA Winners and Nominations List 2000-2005" (PDF). BAFTA. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
  32. ^ List of 2007 BAFTA Winners and Nominess Written 21 May, 2007. Accessed 25 July, 2007.
  33. ^ Channel 4 - The 2007 Winners. Accessed 5 July, 2007.
  34. ^ Comedy Tumbleweed Awards, 2006. Accessed 9 July, 2007.
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