Not Quite so Interesting?

Totoro · 504760. Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:21 pm

It's probably just me (again) but is anyone else finding that the interesting facts are now largely playing second fiddle to the comedy aspects of QI ?

Now I love QI for the fact that it gives me many a hearty laugh and many chuckles, but what I also used to love was the interesting facts.

These are still present, but the show now seems more geared to making people laugh - for example (in series F) when a contestant gives an answer Stephen starts to expand on the facts, but these are now cut short to make way for yet more laughs.

Earlier series appeared to get the balance exactly right, with the laughs playing second fiddle to the facts. I used to find it both fascinating AND funny, but now it's mostly simply funny.

I should say that I exclusively watch the 45-minute version and love the longer cut with more time given to the contestants telling their assorted stories, but the fact quotient appears to have dropped.

djgordy · 504791. Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:52 pm

Absolutely. The trend was commented on during the previous series.

Totoro · 504797. Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:56 pm

Oh good, at least it's not just me then. :)

Perhaps they outght to rename the series to Quite Funny.

Posital · 504846. Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:30 pm

No - not just you - it's also playing second fiddle to Mr Fry's burgeoning sexuality. Although it's not always his fault.

PS: Anyone know what burgeoning means - must look it up, but it sounded so right.

bobwilson · 504906. Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:01 pm

Posital · 505001. Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:25 am

eeek - I was a little close to the mark then.

bobwilson · 505003. Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:28 am

I think you're thinking of his cock there Posital?

Posital · 505008. Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:34 am

Ahhh - that subliminal brainwashing. There's no escaping it. The whole of Britain is at Mr Fry's pendulous mercy.

DJ One Record · 505041. Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:32 am

I still maintain that it's because Fry has more or less stopped giving guests points for interesting answers. Now the guests only seem to get points if their answers are right...which, if you go back and watch the introductions for Series A, was never the original point of the show.

Clive Anderson's about the only remaining guest on the show who still plays the game, although the return of John Sessions this series looks promising. Every other guest just seems content to sit back and make knob gags.

bobwilson · 505043. Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:35 am

I'm not sure that Fry gives out the points - that seems to be done by some wonk in the background.

djgordy · 505217. Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:36 pm

Let's hope that the wonk in question doesn't frequent these boards.
_________________
So much clogging!!

DJ One Record · 505220. Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:39 pm

Totoro · 505272. Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:18 pm

You're right there, he did (or at least appeared to).

Regarding the issue of comedy apparently being given priority over interesting facts, did the producers of the series ever respond to the issue as raised in the previous thread (which I can't find)?

djgordy · 505447. Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:32 pm

I'm not sure that it was a particular thread, just general comments spotted here and there. It's up to the producers to decide on the balance. I would imagine that the change has brought about a move to BBC1 and, one might suspect, more money for doing the show. It would be a shame though if, in a year or two, it became indistinguishable from something like "Never Mind the Buzzcocks" which has f*** all to do with its supposed subject matter.

Gluben · 505496. Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:03 pm

I don't think there's really been a huge change from series to series. Interestingness and comedy has always been about a 50/50 balance, as far as I can tell.