What structure there is to Q.I. proves simply to be a platform for questions about obscure topics, and the equally obscure, and quite interesting, answers that follow. It’s a simple idea, majestically realised. With panelists who are genuinely funny and interesting--series regular Alan Davies is joined by the likes of Dara O’Briain, Sean Lock, Rich Hall and the late Linda Smith--each episode is a glorious slice of comedy that you could never accuse of dumbing down.
The theme for this series of Q.I., as you probably guessed from the DVD title, is the letter B, and that’s the glue that holds all the answers together. Yet guiding the show is the quite brilliant Stephen Fry, in a show he was simply made to host. Very funny, quick and--yes!--quite interesting too, he’s simply superb here.
A terrific antidote to the lazy panel show that too often infests our screens, Q.I. is priceless television, and this B series is simply not to be missed. --Jon Foster
