Put together six stand up comedians. Hold them all together by a relatively competent host who also is a pretty accomplished comedian. Get them to discuss the current affairs of the week, and you’ve got yourself Mock The Week.
Shown on BBC Two, and religiously on Dave (would you expect anything else?!), it’s hosted by Dara Ó Briain – an irish comedian who has done several appearances on several other comedy panel shows such as Have I Got News For You and Never Mind The Buzzcocks. Regular panelists include Hugh Dennis, Andy Parsons, Russell Howard and Frankie Boyle…or that was until last week when Boyle declared he wished to leave the show to ‘persue’ other ideas. Dare I suggest his own comedy programme? I think so.
They sieve through various topics of the week in a variety of ways – one round is “If this is the answer, what is the questions” – which is exactly what it says on the tin. They’ll have numerous attempts to give an answer which results in insulting someone – usually of a political nature! Who says public figures aren’t fair game for satire?!
Others in what is the headline, where the panel will be given the initials of a particular headline and then have to try and fill in the gaps, with the help of a picture about what the subject is on. These again will relate to a current affairs story from that week, so I’ve noticed from watching it at times on Dave that the jokes are dated and may not make much sense…oh what a short memory we all have.
A personal favourite round is the stand-up section, also known as “Missing Lines”, which will require all the comedians to go to the ‘performance’ area and be given a topic…such as “lines you wouldn’t expect to hear a newsreader say”…think of it as a variety on Whose Line Is It Anyway, but for the 21st century if you’ve never seen Mock The Week. Of course, if you’ve not seen Whose Line Is It Anyway then, well, watch more Dave! Oh, and in my ‘research’ (and it is research…) Mock The Week was created by the people who came up with Whose Line Is It Anyway…
Various other panelists have appeared on the show included Ed Byrne, David Mitchell, Gina Yashere, Jo Brand, John Oliver and Michael McIntyre, but the staple of Dennis, Parsons, Howard and Boyle were permanent during the last couple of series…until Boyle announced his departure last week. Will it be the same?? It’s hard to imagine it will be, but all Mock The Week fans are wishing it will…
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I agree with brereton66 - a lot of it seems very laboured.
Amazingwoo 20.10.2009 14:24
Really like this programme - shame Frankie has left as his humour was very close to the knuckle (his Queen being haunted joke has only just been cleared by a complaints commission). A total nightmare to get tickets for though!
Advantages: humour for everyone; has me in stitches; great end to the week; fab rounds Disadvantages: some humour unappropriate for younger viewers or may offend
LaceyR26 29.08.2009 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Mock the Week
Advantages: humour for everyone; has me in stitches; great end to the week; fab rounds Disadvantages: some humour unappropriate for younger viewers or may offend
LaceyR26 29.08.2009 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Mock the Week
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