The episode to select is the Christmas QI episode on YouTube. (open link here)
YEAR 10 CLASSWORK AND PREP
We will be asked to analyse the audience pleasures of one text or to compare the audience pleasures of two texts.
If we are asked about only one text, it is wiser to pick the sitcom Miranda than the quiz / panel show.
If we have to compare texts, then we compare Miranda with QI.
This year, Stephen Fry stepped down as host of QI and Sandi Toksvig replaced him.
Read the BBC report and pick out what is said about her. An updated analysis (below) will follow.
STUDYING
QI
QI’ offers a range of audience pleasures including familiarity, intertextuality, and the quiz show format.
Intertextuality – ‘QI’ refers to old films such as ‘The Italian Job’, and Hammer horror films which would help it appeal to its target audience of older males who enjoy the recognition of the reference and find the impressions of characters from the films funny as a result.
Familiarity – ‘QI’ offers the audience pleasure of familiarity as it follows the same format every episode, e.g. introducing the panellists with different buzzers to generate humour. Audiences would enjoy the programmes as it fulfils their expectations.
Superiority – ‘QI’ offers the audience pleasure of superiority as it generates humour as Alan Davies regularly gives the most obvious, and wrong answer. This also offers the audience pleasure of repetition/a running joke which the audience would recognise from episode to episode.
Comparison – if the question asks you to discuss two comedy programmes you should include some comparison of the audience pleasures they offer.
Give examples of each of the following:
Intertextuality – ‘QI’ refers to old films such as ‘The Italian Job’, and Hammer horror films which would help it appeal to its target audience of older males who enjoy the recognition of the reference and find the impressions of characters from the films funny as a result.
Familiarity – ‘QI’ offers the audience pleasure of familiarity as it follows the same format every episode, e.g. introducing the panellists with different buzzers to generate humour. Audiences would enjoy the programmes as it fulfils their expectations.
Superiority – ‘QI’ offers the audience pleasure of superiority as it generates humour as Alan Davies regularly gives the most obvious, and wrong answer. This also offers the audience pleasure of repetition/a running joke which the audience would recognise from episode to episode.
Comparison – if the question asks you to discuss two comedy programmes you should include some comparison of the audience pleasures they offer.
Give examples of each of the following:
Verbal
humour is important: ‘quite interesting’ facts are more important in order to entertain than
getting the right answer, QI has stated it follows its own philosophy,
which is that everything in the world, even that which appears to be the most
boring, is "quite interesting" if looked at in the right way; 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.
Verbal
humour important: ‘quite interesting’ facts more important to entertain than to
get the right answer, QI has stated it follows its own philosophy, which is that everything in the world, even that
which appears to be the most boring, is "quite interesting" if looked
at in the right way; 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.
Answers
designed to expose myths: things you always thought were true; laugh
yourself clever.
Mainstream
audience pleasures: family audience.
Regular
panelists: Stephen Fry QI Master, ‘magic’; very clever chairman.
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 fulfills the role of ‘the bloke next door’, the common man, the Everyman, who "rushes headlong like a puppy
into the wall of ignorance."
Variety of
panelists The show's other panelists mainly come from a stand-up
comedy background.
Banter
between panelists. Panelists are apt to branch off into frivolous
conversations, give voice to train of thought, and share humorous anecdotes
from their own lives
Funny
buzzers: Davies's buzzer is usually more humorous than the others.
In some
episodes, the panelists are given an extra task to complete during the course
of the game. Those who do the best are often awarded extra points.
PREP Select an
episode of QI to watch. Make notes on your blog under the title QI on
the following:
- for the episode you watched, state the series (this will be a letter), channel, day and time of broadcast
- state the genre of the programme
- state the names of the host and pannelists
- as the host, how does Sandi Toksvig relate to the other panelists? Consider if the term 'genial' applies.
- what is 'quite interesting' about the extract that you watched?
- what makes you laugh in the episode?
- how is Sandi Toksvig's erudition (the extent of her knowledge) shown?
- are the audience passive consumers or active participants?
- what is the role of Alan Davies and how does he contribute to audience pleasures?
- how far does the programme fulfill its Public Service Broadcasting remit to inform, to educate and to entertain?
- how is the audience positioned: as omniscient or powerless?
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