The first episode hasn't aired yet here on the West Coast, but I'm not surprised to hear that. The main difference between Whose Line Is It Anyway and this show seems to be that the former featured actors/comedians that are used to improv, while the latter doesn't. Sure, I could watch the premiere online right now, but I'll wait for it on TV instead. -G
While there will be many comparisons to WLiiA, they're completely different shows. I watched both episodes tonight, and I got some pretty damned good laughs out of them. Dave Foley needs to think of something more interesting to say as the judge... if he's even necessary. Perhaps some things he's looking for.... like a rubric or something. David's banter was pretty lame... and that soft voice he gets when he's sending someone through the door... grates on me. What was with his hair color changing from one show to the next when both are airing the same night? First episode had the following: Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle's dad) Wayne Knight (Newman) Joel McHale (didn't know who he was) Jennifer Coolidge (Stiffler's mom) Joel McHale wasn't all that funny... but the scene wasn't either... Wayne Knight was pretty creative. Bryan Cranston totally got into his character immediately and had a lot of fun with it. Jennifer Coolidge wasn't very quick, but she got some good laughs. Episode 2: Richard Kind (lots of shows... character actor) Edie McClurg (nobody under the age of 30 probably knows who she is) Mo'Nique (from The Parkers) Kevin Nealon (SNL) The one thing that bothered me about this episode is that they kept asking Mo'Nique questions about various things in her scene... and she'd answer, but they wouldn't let her run with it. They'd just tell her she was wrong. I wish they'd let her be a bit more creative. Richard Kind looked confused, but he cracked me up a few times. Kevin Nealon... he was ok. Edie McClurg surprised me. They listed her bio, and the latest movie they listed was probably from 1989. She ended up seeming very natural though. Anyway, I enjoyed it. I like improv... and it seemed to me that it was what they advertised. The celebs were really just thrown into a scene and had to think fast. BTW... I was pretty impressed with the resident cast. They were quick too... they were scripted, but they remembered people's made up names and situations, etc. The thing that bugged me about later versions of Whose Line... the same cast got old... It was far too often the same four people... They needed to change them up a bit more.
Absolutely love the Australian version. It is as funny as anything else out there. Here's hoping that the U.S. version enjoys the same level of success, both ratings-wise and critical acclaim, that we're seeing here in Australia with the show.
Being improv it can be a bit hit-and-miss, but there's been some brilliant bits from the Australian version. One of my favourites... [youtube]F8XE7jdvFQs[/youtube]
I have both episodes recorded but have yet to see them both. I hope to remedy that today. I thought I read somewhere that the show is moving to Wednesdays, but it seems that the next new episode is on Monday. So set the timers on your VCR's and/or DVR's accordingly. -G
I watched the second one, I just wasn't that impressed. I like improv, but I just didn't find this funny at all.
the first episode had me in stitches, particularly Brian Cranston's segment and teh final with all four actors. second episode wasnt half or even a fourth as funny. This show will entirely depend on the guest cast.
Network thanks God for good ratings -- The Age (Melbourne paper) Seeing that "Thank God You're Here" is an Australian phenomenon, that's a disclosure worth noting. Not to mention that Tom Gleisner -- the Melbourne-based comedian whose credited with coming up with the concept over here for Network Ten -- is quite pleased with NBC's ratings for the show in its opening week.
Absolutely. But it could be amazing... If the ratings are high, and they get big sponsors, etc... they'll be able to afford bigger names. Imagine Chris Rock and Jim Carrey on the show. I mean... some of the first episode was just hilarious. I just cracked myself up thinking about Wayne Knight's wardrobe malfunction... "I CAN'T SEE!" It's like Saturday Night Live, really. Some of the hosts are just awful. Matthew Fox (from Lost) proved himself to be the least funny man in the universe. He wasn't horrible... but he's just not a funny person. I hope they don't get him for the show. Eep.
Joel McHale is the host of The Soup on E, and I think he's hilarious. He should take over Conan's job when Conan goes to the Tonight Show.
Jennifer Coolidge SHOULD be great because she's in all those semi-improvised faux documentaries that Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer do...Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, Mighty Like the Wind.
They should get Neil Flynn to do this show. He's the actor that plays the Janitor on Scrubs but he's also an improv actor. He doesn't really use a script on the show.
The Tuesday episode was really great. Harland Williams figured out the way to create true humor - dominate the sketch and don't just sit and answer prompts. The others were funny too. The only disappointment was Jason Alexander, who I know is a big Star Trek fan and should have done more with his chance. He was just too nervous.
Harland Williams was very, very good. Jason Alexander was pretty funny in the final sketch as the Yiddish pirate. Tonight, the first Wednesday, has George Takei. I can't even imagine that that's gonna be like. I'll be disappointed if they give him a Star Trek sketch... I have it recorded.
Tonights was pretty good, but Shannon Elizabeth was way out of her league. Chelsey Handler was fantastic, but if you've seen her do anything before you'd expect that. Tom Green was ok, but seemed to resort to physical comedy more than anything. Takaei was funny in spurts, especially when he kissed the guy.
Harland Williams was great, probably the funniest so far! He seems like the kind of guy that cracks up comedians.
For fans of NBC's The Office: Angela Kinsey (who plays Angela) will be one of the guests on the Wednesday, May 2nd episode. -G
And she was very unAngela-like. She was actually the funniest of this week's four guests, even though Tom Arnold eventually won the episode's coveted prize. This show is pretty funny overall, but speedcake is right about how each episode lives and dies with how each week's guests perform. -G
