Analysis of the audience pleasures of The Quiz show 'QI'

·         state the genre of the programme

 A quiz/panel show.

·         state the names of the host and panellists

Chairman: Sandi Toksvig. Panelists: Alan Davies, Susan Calman, Josh Widdicomb and Matt Lucas.

·         As the host, how does Sandi Toksvig relate to the other panellists? Consider if the term 'genial' applies.

I believe Toksvig fills the role of ‘Host’ exceedingly well due to a number of factors, but mostly the playful relationship she has with the other panellists. She will involve and play along with the jokes thrown into the conversation but will also guide it back if the main topic is lost. She often views herself as an equal to the other panellist for example when she agreed with Alan on the struggles of untangling Christmas lights but at the same time she holds a higher level of knowledge, sometimes blowing them away with her extensive information on subjects like Nordic Christmas traditions.

·         What is 'quite interesting' about the extract that you watched?

Verbal humour is important: ‘quite interesting’ facts are more important in order to entertain than getting the right answer. For example when talking about the thirteen Santas in Iceland One of the Santas was called ‘window peeper’ and a joke was made: ‘I would be worried about the window peeper I think it would be more of a gift for him’.

In addition, the quiz show is unique as it follows its own philosophy. Every day, boring things such as ‘the word people in the Philippines use for guava’ are turned into ‘quite interesting’ topic when looked at in a different way. Panellists win points for thinking outside the box and contributing or offering interesting input.

·         What makes you laugh in the episode?

Firstly, all panellists on the show come from a comedian background, this allows conversation on the show to be full of banter and quick witted, with the aid of a live audience which reacts positively to such humour. Many of the topics brought up in the quiz branch off into playful conversation for example when a picture of Christmas lights was shown, while talking about them blocking Wi-Fi signal, the female comedian goes off talking about her neighbour changing her channel on her tv.

Another factor is the simple element of slapstick comedy which, due to the programme being of mainstream family viewing, can be funny for everyone. A good example of this is when all the comedians play a game of ‘Moriarty’ where they essentially hit each other on the head with a rolled up newspaper (with the help of Alan’s hopelessly obvious cheating).

·         How is Sandi Toksvig erudition (the extent of his knowledge) shown?

Answers are designed to expose myths therefore using humour, one can laugh themselves clever. Sandi Toksvig aids this by using her own knowledge to justify an odd answers about a nun. ‘A nun makes solemn vows and a sister makes simplistic vows so they reserve the right to reclaim their property’.

·         Are the audience passive consumers or active participants?

There are essentially two audiences for the programme: the studio audience and the television audience. Both of which are active participants to an extent because the television audience feel as though they can answer the questions too.

·         What is the role of Alan Davies and how does he contribute to audience pleasures?

Alan Davies is a comedian, film actor and TV actor, therefore a familiar face even for teenage audiences (Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging, Jonathan Creek). He fulfils the role of ‘the bloke next door’, the common man, the Everyman, who "rushes headlong like a puppy into the wall of ignorance." Therefore, to an extent, his stereotypical caricature may help audiences to relate or share the values that a certain target audience may have.

Alan adds to audience pleasures due factors like a running gag that he always loses. For example a question may be asked a question (in which he confidently answers) only to get it wrong. It is also this sense of confidence in himself that the audience also may relate as he often answers with the most obvious answer- one many may have thought to be correct. This helps audiences develop a relationship with Alan as the show goes on. Despite this common theme of Alan loosing he wins the quiz because ‘It’s Christmas’.

·         How far does the programme fulfill its Public Service Broadcasting remit to inform, to educate and to entertain?

This show, due to its high comedic input is extremely entertaining for mainstream family viewers as it contains many parts of humour both witty and simple slapstick. This is all cleverly tied in with an element of ‘did you know?’ when interesting topics are brought up (which viewers may believe they knew a lot about) and elaborated on in the form of highly knowledgeable, humorous discussion. It informs audiences on topics they knew about; It educates them on new and exciting elements of sciences, history and culture; and it entertains due to panellists all being comedians, resulting in many jokes being made!

·         How is the audience positioned: as omniscient or powerless?

Overall, Alan Davies manages to make mistakes on the audience’s behalf, answering with the same thing as we would have done or simply answering wrong. However, compared to the host, Sandi Toksvig, we are powerless compared to her high educated input.