In my opinion, and no one has to take this seriously, Sean Lock is the funniest comedian in Britainland Today. He's just too fucking funny, and on panel shows he kills.

The panel shows just feel very long in the tooth to me. Merlin and Sherlock are bloody awful in my opinion, the kind of ultra-safe shows that are getting commissioned.
Probably doesn't help that my writer friend who's written stuff many times better failed to get a show onto Channel 4. He's bitter about it and so am i on his behalf!

Honestly the top-rated show on Xmas here was that dross Miranda. Check out the clips, it's worse than dog mess.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

I know - it's so fantastic. I don't think I've ever laughed more out loud at any show. I'm sad that this is supposed to be their last season.

My only other recommendations with these guys is: "That Mitchell and Webb Look" - which is both of them but in a skit format. Lots of clips on VideoSift.

And "Would I lie to You" - which is a panel show, but is still laugh out loud hilarious and has David Mitchell on it.

Lee Mack is as fast witted as they come, probably the fastest wit i've seen. On panel shows, talk shows, etc. he is guaranteed hilarity. I'm not surprised Cleese liked him, he's gifted.

Grey area. Let's not.
>> ^alien_concept:

>> ^ant:
talks

Really, we're adding panel shows to talks now? What do you think @gwiz665?

>> ^ant:

talks


Really, we're adding panel shows to talks now? What do you think @gwiz665?

There was a web-series of Have I Got News For You with no studio audience. In one episode they used a laugh track and in another they didn't. I wanted to like the no-laugh one more, but it felt wrong. However, the with-laugh one sounded forced. This shows the problem, fake laugh tracks sound out of place, no laughing sounds sounds awkward. Real studio audiences like British panel shows have (unless they're tricking me!) are the best, when suitable. For this reason, my preference is:

1) Proper studio audience.
2) No laugh track.
3) Laugh track.

I can understand why producers use it. Laughing is very much a group thing and laughter is somewhat infectious - it's not about telling you when it laugh, but subconsciously making watching a TV program more of a social thing even to people watching on their own.

I *love* reginald d hunter. On panel shows and stuff, he's pretty much my favourite. Even the best panel show comedians love him. Check out mitchell and lee mack when they have him on would i lie to you. They laugh their heads off at him.

>> ^mentality:

It seems like there's only a dozen celebrities in Britain and they each take turns appearing on EVERY show.


It's just that we have soooooo many panel shows

I hate that the English have many panel shows with clever, funny comics commenting on world and local affairs.

...and we have reality TV.

You're right he's bloody awful. Jupitus is a smart, quick-witted guy but he just isn't very funny. He was on Radio 4's The News Quiz (he's a regular on all the BBC panel shows) and even with a script there's nothing there. I cringe whenever he's on. Without a BBC contract I have no idea who would hire him.

>> ^yellowc:

Is it just me or is the fat guy painfully unfunny? Every time his in a clip, my enjoyment reduces.

>> ^srd:

>> ^lavoll:
why are they totally ignoring the woman?

If you go watch the entire episode on youtube, you'll see that she's obnoxious, terribly unfunny (see "meat pie on a needle" in this segment, one of her better jokes).
Also, according to some youtube commenter, she succumbed to cancer shortly after the filming of that episode. Since I'm not british I can't confirm or deny.


Linda Smith

Yeah, she had ovarian cancer and died in 2006. She wasn't bad (if I recall correctly) in 'Have I Got News For You' another British panel show. She could be very witty at times, I'll have to see if I can dig out a clip at some point.

I'd love to know more about that rob brydon bit - you never get to see ricky with the panel show comedians much, rob's a legend.

>> ^oohlalasassoon:

>> ^Yogi:
>> ^oohlalasassoon:
David Mitchell is so much better in character, though he's pretty good as himself too.

I don't think he likes himself all that much though.

Hard to say, but his out-of-character (if you can call it that) schtick seems to essentially boil down to him bitching about something. It's funny sometimes but if I were him and I was concerned about my legacy I'd do more well-written sketches like this and less soapbox stuff.


I think the guy can do it all. The soapbox thing is just a small part of who he is and what he does. Essentially yes, he is leans towards the ranty style comedian, but when you see him on panel shows and how he interacts with other people, he's certainly not always the miserable bastard he shows on the soapbox clips. The same when he's presenting, or being interviewed on his own.

As well as co-writing some absolutely amazing pieces of comedy, I don't think many of us would deny here. And then acting in them, in a pretty diverse set of roles. Plus Peep Show is one of the best things ever made

This is kinda funny in it's own right, but it's only really good for the shock value. Over the years on British TV Jimmy has been moving away from this style of humor on things like panel shows - less of the cock jokes and more of the genuinely clever witticisms.

As a comedian he's maturing well, but I guess it's still quite easy to do material like this. Sure, I laughed, but I was still a little disappointed.