QI (2003-present)

I don't want anyone to think I'm some kind of British TV supremacist. I watch a lot of American shows, too! I'm actually watching Mad Men right now.

Hello, Don Draper.

However, I think American TV is missing something: Panel shows. Panel shows are a type of game show that rounds up celebrities (mostly comedians) and quizzes them on different topics. Some shows revolve around a certain theme, like pop music (Never Mind the Buzzcocks), statistics (8 Out of 10 Cats), or current events (Have I Got News for You and Mock the Week).

Then there's QI.

QI, which stands for Quite Interesting, is all about obscure knowledge. The only theme is that every season revolves around a different letter of the alphabet. The first season was "A," the second season was "B," and so on. The questions seem designed specifically so the panelists can't answer them. That might sound like a terrible premise for a game show, but consider this: Panelists get points not only for (rare) correct answers but also interesting ones. There is also plenty of room for silly tangents. Here's what happens after host Stephen Fry brings up liquid nitrogen/dry ice:

Here's what happened to Daniel "Harry Potter" Radcliffe when he was a guest on the Christmas episode during the "G" season:

Stephen Fry, who you might recognize as Booth's first psychologist Dr. "Gordon Gordon" Wyatt on Bones, is considered a natural treasure in England. He's the perfect person to host a show like this because he comes off as being made of tweed. Here's a picture of him with his BFF Hugh Laurie (there I go again with that initialism):

Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie

QI is available on DVD.