Wernham Hogg Forum

RChappo · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:45 am Post subject:

So what "well know comedians" have they wheeled out for the english version?
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Daniel · Sexmonster Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 88

seriously

the thing about improv is that the audience are always one step ahead of what's actually happening, there's always pressure to provide a funny line because the setup can be traced a mile off.

that, plus the fact that i just don't think improv works in these short, glossy bursts of sketch comedy; it's impressive when they get it really right, but 99% of it is safe jokes that get more of a laugh than they should just because the audience know that it wasn't scripted

but i'm not seriously defending them, because this was beyond just a basic inability to semi-professionally improv, they displayed levels of witless inanity i didn't think possible.

it's worth watching just for the experience, but i guarantee you'll be squinting for the entire show

RChappo · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:34 am Post subject:

Sounds very much like the American version then.

Somehow the mere fact that something is touted as an "Improv show" defeats the purpose of it really....especially when they set up the situations for the sketches etc. The best improv would surely be when those doing it actually come up with their own situations and sketches from scratch. That's why something like "Who's Line.." worked because they were only given the bare bones to work with and it was more open to interpretation.

That and the fact that the people involved these days just aren't as talented....

PS - I've just recently discovered the joys of QI and Mock the Week, both far and away better than anything you'd see on telly over here. I've got a lot of catching up to do.
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nospam · Sexmonster Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 674

Mock the Week is terrible.
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BILLY V2.0 · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject:

mock the week is brilliant!
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nospam · Sexmonster Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 674

but it's just so un natural. so scripted?
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BILLY V2.0 · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:17 pm Post subject:

well they get the 'script' in advance and write stuff around it i suppose just like hignfy and buzzcocks. alot of it is stuff from their standups. more or less everything russell howard says is lifted straight from his own routine. frankie boyle is just the best.
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RChappo · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:06 pm Post subject:

Yep. I've noticed that too. When Mark Watson is on most of the stuff he says is taken from his stand up routine.

Still like it though....and there are moments of genuine "improv" on it too.

Frankie Boyle is funny as fuck.

I can't wait until we come back to the UK to visit this year, I'm planning to drown myself (not literally) in stand up comedy gigs.
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Delphi

This got canceled no? THANK YE GODS!!! It was beyond horrible...no one on there could do improv, minus the blonde lady that's in all those Christopher Guest films...she was semi-funny on this...the rest sucked.

nospam · Sexmonster Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 674

HIGNFY supposedly isn't "scripted" according to Adam Buxton,
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