After overwhelming critical success, the second instalment of the nation’s newest authority on general knowledge, obscure facts and wholly useless information, QI, is released on DVD.

Whilst the format of DVD is not best suited to panel shows, the timeless nature of this series gives the potential for the comical gems stowed within to be enjoyed time and time again.

With topics ranging from the arctic to the lack of a word for the colour blue in Ancient Greek, the intellectual discussions, answers and mis-understandings within the box set often prove to be hilarious, strangely educational and wholly stimulating. And then there’s Alan Davies.

When watching the series it’s difficult not to feel a sense of pride in the content. This surely is British comedy at its peak; thought provoking, intelligent, irreverent and at times simply bizarre; here lies the proof that we still have the upper hand on our cultural counterparts across the pond when it comes to comedy that goes beyond twenty-somethings in a New York condo.

Leading the banter is the impressive as always Stephen Fry, displaying the quintessential gentleman’s wit with which viewers have grown accustomed to. The targets for informative humiliation this time round include luminaries such as Bill Bailey, Clive Anderson, and Sean Lock. Oh, and of course, Alan Davies, who, in the words of Mr Fry, “rushes headlong like a puppy into a wall of ignorance.”

The thirteen episodes, including a particularly amusing Christmas special in which the roles of Fry and Davies are reversed, are backed up by an entertaining enough selection of ‘bloopers and banter’ tucked away in the extras. Whilst these by no means dominate the basic series, they’re entertaining enough to prolong the enjoyment of the package.

As funny as Have I Got News For You, without the need to remain contemporaneous; more useful in the pub then Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and without such total digression; QI does exactly what it says on the tin- ensuring that any evening spent at home with Fry and Co will be nothing short of Quite Interesting.

Extras

Highlight is undoubtedly the Bloopers. Where else can Stephen Fry be seen looking (almost) a little silly?