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We’re living in the golden age of streaming, which is excellent but also slightly exhausting. With so many choices, it’s hard to decide what to give your time and attention to. This is especially true when looking for the Goldilocks zone on the streaming scale between thick plots and mindless reality shows.
If you’re stuck in that rut, the BBC has you covered. While the panel show has dwindled from American televisions, they are at the core of Britain’s comedy stream, often providing a jump-start for many of the UK’s up-and-comers. Although British humor is usually defined by its dry wit, panel shows tend to slide into the absurd providing a charming escape for one glorious hour.
The Nature Of Panel Shows
With the absence of daily late-night talk shows to entertain and discuss current events, Britain has turned its satire towards panel shows. The list of themes is large and diverse; Some shows like Mock of the Week, Big Fat Quiz, and 8 Out of 10 Cats cover more practical subjects like history, current events, and statistics. Others, such as Taskmaster and Would I Lie To You, comedically evaluate psychology. It’s like being in a college lecture, but more enticing.
Much like vintage American game shows, panel shows often consist of a group of comedians (around 4-6), usually in pairs behind podiums answering questions or completing a task in a series of rounds. Mock of the Week often has its guests creating improv routines in response to current news stories, either in images provided or prompts given. Picture Whose Line Is It Anyway mixed with The Daily Show. Similarly, 8 out of 10 Cats tackles polls and surveys and has a team captain, adding in a Family Feud flavor.
Low COMMITMENT
The most prominent characteristic of a British panel show is its meandering. Although given a general premise, it’s often treated more as an invitation to the viewer, since it’s quickly tossed aside for anecdotes, discussions, and antics.
Despite having scores and occasional prizes, there’s never distinct competitiveness in the contestants, which adds to the genre’s relaxing tone. Viewers can pop in and out of an episode without feeling lost (but perhaps missing a good bit).
They Feel More Personal
Viewers are used to seeing vulnerability within peers on reality and game shows, but panel shows allow us to see a more personal side of celebrities. They embarrass themselves, poke fun at each other, and talk about their lives in a way that is rare in celebrity culture. Would I Lie To You is notably unique in this aspect; where else are you going to hear about actors pretending to be their own agents or getting drunk that one time and puking on someone’s floor before sneaking out (and that someone being another contestant on that episode who’s learning about this for the first time)?
It creates a sort of bond between audiences and contestants that carries between shows since the genre’s shooting schedules allow celebrities to participate in multiple series. The charisma of series regulars has boosted the careers of comedians such as Jack Whitehall while also making names like David Mitchell and Jimmy Carr household staples.
Shows To Start With:
Once initiated, the rabbit trail of panel shows is a winding one. However, there are three common “must watch” threads among fans. If you’re ready to dip your toes, here are some great starting points.
1. QI
Considered the gateway show by many fans of the genre, QI (short for Quite Interesting) is a quiz about uncommon knowledge. Each episode follows an encyclopedic fashion by asking questions pertaining to a particular letter of the alphabet. The show was initially hosted by Stephen Fry and now by Sandi Toksvig, two people who flaunt intelligence while also knowing how to be a bit cheeky.
What makes QI unique from shows like Jeopardy, though, is that it doesn’t expect its participants to know the answers. While it’s exciting when a contestant does indeed have the answer, the more interesting part is the tangents that emerge from each topic. There’s an entertaining, academic nature to QI that keeps viewers hooked while giving them a handful of fun facts to display at parties later. Who could ask for more?
2. Taskmaster
Taskmaster, a more recent addition to the panel show catalog, takes on the more philosophical questions. Hosted by The Taskmaster, Greg Davies, and his assistant Alex Horne, five celebrities are presented a list of bizarre tasks ranging from “eat the most watermelon” to “create an interpretive dance to a ringtone.” There are no right ways to accomplish a task, and as long as they don’t cheat, they’re rewarded. Again, the show is less about the tasks themselves and more about human nature, while laughing along and witnessing some intriguing thought processes.
3. Big Fat Quiz
Perhaps one of the most beloved panel shows, Big Fat Quiz is an annual show recapping the year (although there are more frequent episodes under the name The Big Fat Quiz of Everything). Contestants are asked to answer questions regarding pop culture and current events. It seems simple, but BFQ is by far the most chaotic in nature. There have been food fights, tantrums, and the occasional live animal antic, but the most significant distraction remains the contestants’ desire to get the biggest laugh through lack of legitimate answers.
Where To Find Them
Interested but don’t want to pay for yet another streaming service or more downloadable content? Then rejoice! Most episodes, if not all of certain shows, can be found on Youtube! Enjoy!