The first episode has already aired, but I always wait for the XL versions.
Also, for those who didn’t realize, they just aired the final episode of the “J” series, which aired way after the rest of the series for some reason.
Anyway, just a friendly heads up. 
There was something about this first episode that didn’t quite feel right, but maybe my expectations were too high. I have no idea who Sara Pascoe is but she was surprisingly well-informed with obscure trivia.
I haven’t seen it, but I believe they are told the topics in advance and told they can prepare if they like. Most regulars don’t prepare as they have been on, but a lot of new folks do seem prepared. David Radcliffe knew quite a bit about magic history when he appeared and I don’t blame him for being nervous and reading up before his appearance. Perhaps this new lady did the same.
The QI elves did an AMA on Reddit yesterday, and they said it was quite common for new guests to get a preview of the topics , basically because it can be quite intimidating for a first timer otherwise.
And how do we see it in the States? I loves me some QI, I do!
The Media Hint extension for Firefox or Chrome may be able to help. And then you want to have a look at the BBC iPlayer.
The short version is also up on YouTube at the moment.
Saw the XL version. Yeah, the girl prepared for sure, but good for her.
Loved the episode. Love any with David Mitchell and I really like Jack Whitehall.
She’s rather toothsome, which is much of what matters, and funny, which is the rest. And she might be straight, which is one up on my unattainable Sue Perkins. And she was in The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, which was pretty good.
We really, REALLY need something like this over here. There must be some young comedians who are well-read and quick on their feet who would like some exposure for scale.
Chris Hardwick is putting together something that might be along those lines, influenced in part by UK panel shows.
As long as there are no civilians and the points don’t matter.
I can’t believe you don’t have any panel shows in the US. There are so many on UK TV, and they are great. All you need is a bunch of funny people and a studio, so its nice and cheap to make.
Points mean prizes :mad:
I put it down to the difference between the standard everyman US comedian vs the seemingly intellectual UK ones - I mean, even the crude UK ones (Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle come to mind) just seem more intellectual. Never mind Fry or Mitchell. But my experience of US comedians is limited to some standups, SNL and Who’s Line, I suppose.
That explains Samantha’s interest in points.
There must be some pretty smart ones too. The Daily Show seems full of intelligent comedians (admittedly, one is a Brit).
Also, its probably worth mentioning that we have some not-so-clever panel shows too. They probably don’t make it across the Atlantic.
I used to think that before moving to the US. It’s not true.
It’s much more that British comedians are marginally employed and are available to appear on panel shows in return for a free lunch and case of beer.
Even if you get a part in a sitcom, it probably only lasts for six episodes. If you’re Ryan Stiles, however, you get a role on 2.99 Men, where a single season takes at least six months to shoot. You won’t be free to pop over to New York for half a day to make a guest appearance QIUS.
It’s too intellectual, even given the parts of the sewer the show regularly visits. It would be up against ‘World’s Shiniest Objects’ and ‘Who Wants to be a Dumbass’, and that crap is going to win over people being smart and witty every time.
We do have “Wait, wait, don’t tell me”, which is a panel show of sorts.
Basically, it just isn’t a big thing here and I don’t know why.