Comedy panel shows in 2009

I’m a fan of a comedy panel show or two, as the list of those I’ve watched this year illustrates. I love to laugh, and due to the dearth of really good (new) sitcoms on TV the best place to find something to tickle my funny bone is usually to be found in the format of a panel show, whether dedicated to current events, music, polls, TV, or trivia. All of the shows below share the ability to have me laughing out loud, and there can be no greater joy than that I reckon. I can’t review everything about these series, as the joy of them is often transient due to the topical nature of the panel show, but here’s what I like about each:

Have I Got [A Bit More] News For You (Series 37 & 38)

I always try to watch the extended edition – I like the fluffed lines and the extra material, it all adds to the experience, although sometimes a tighter show can be an improvement it’s not often the case. It’s amazing how long the show has been running, and it has the occasional dip in quality, but these last two series have been great. Paul Merton and Ian Hislop complement each other nicely – Paul with his out-there observations and Ian with his rants about politicians or obliviousness to popular culture have me in stitches. The guest presenters format works well too, for the most part, although there hasn’t been a Bruce Forsyth or a Boris Johnson this time to really shake things up and provide something extra special. I enjoy the topical aspect of HIGNFY, and I learn a lot from it, but I think they get most of their stories right out of The Week magazine, which I read!

Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Series 23)

Another panel show oldie, unlike HIGNFY, Buzzcocks is rather patchy, particularly in this recent series now that Simon Amstell has left presenting duties to a random selection of guest presenters. The first show started the series on a poor note with James Cordern in the host’s chair. Now I like Gavin & Stacey, but Cordern on his own is just not funny. Thankfully the series improved with Claudia Winkleman and Frankie Boyle presenting, yet I don’t think it’s as good as it once was. Phill Jupitus is always reliable, however too much time each show is devoted to Noel Fielding and his bizarre sense of humour. And by bizarre I mean, hit and miss. Come back, Bill Bailey! The Doctor Who special is freshest in my mind – what was Catherine Tate on?? She was hilarious though. Buzzcocks needs better musical guests too, and more emphasis on the quiz, less on the crappy guests. Or perhaps it needs to end before it all goes to crap the way They Think It’s All Over did.

8 Out of 10 Cats (Series 8)

This is one of the few non-BBC panel shows I bother with, and it’s only really good when it’s not on at the same time as HIGNFY or Mock the Week as they tend to cover the same stories! Sean Locke is the best thing about Cats, and he always has been, although I’ve grown to like Jimmy Carr a lot more over the series. Jason Mansford I can take or leave. Cats is one of the few shows where I don’t mind if I miss the odd one or two, perhaps I wouldn’t like it as much if Sean Locke was somewhere else on TV, like doing another series of 15 Storeys High.

Mock the Week (Series 7)

The focus of Mock the Week is heavily on comedy, and it’s really just an excuse to let some of the best, and newest, stand ups to do their thing. The quiz show element takes a back seat as Dara O’Briain awards points for the funniest performers rather than right answers. Dara himself is fantastic, Hugh Dennis has the occasional sparkle, and Andy Parsons cracks me (and seemingly the studio audience) up with his manner before he even opens his mouth. I’m less keen on Russell Howard who I think of as the class clown who’s always trying to get attention with his funny voices and quirky/irritating comedy stylings. My favourite is usually the miserabilist that is Frankie Boyle, although lately he’s been a bit over exposed, what with his appearances on Buzzcocks, Would I Lie To You and You Have Been Watching, to name just those I can remember. Next series there will be no Frankie though – hopefully they won’t get smug-faced Michael MacIntyre to fill his place. Frankie’s very-very-very close to the bone observations have me cringing or in open-mouthed awe at what he gets away with, before eliciting laughs. I do believe there’s no subject that should be off limits to comedy, and Frankie tests those limits almost to breaking point! I think they should cut the panel down to 2 on each team next series and rotate Russell Howard out, and then the weekly guests get more of a chance to get a word in. There have been many great guests on Mock the Week, but I can never remember their names.

QI (Series F & G) 
I can’t believe QI is already up to G, and that there are still 19 series left to go! At this rate I’ll be in my mid-40’s when they get to Z, and I don’t like to think how old Stephen Fry and Alan Davies will be! QI is one of the few shows (and HIGNFY is another) that informs as much as it entertains, it doesn’t dumb down and revels in its intelligence. It also manages to get some fantastic guests and shows a different side to them, allowing them to show off their knowledge. Some of my favourites are Sean Locke, Bill Bailey, Jo Brand, Rob Brydon, Sandi Toksvig, Ben Miller and the late, great Linda Smith. I’m always astounded at the knowledge that Stephen Fry can retain, and I’m never sure if he’s reading his answers from the cue cards or whether he’s drawing on his own vast stores of information.

Would I Lie To You? (Series 3)

Now that Rob Brydon is presenting Would I Lie To You it has swiftly become one of my favourite comedy shows on TV. It’s basically Call My Bluff, but the lies are more far ranging than definitions of words. David Mitchell makes this show unmissable with his curmudgeonly manner and tendency to get rather excited about certain issues. Lee Mack’s great too, I especially like it when he’s given preposterous lies to run with. They’ve had some random but good guests, such as Ken Livingston, Reginald D. Hunter, and the panel-show stalwart, Jamelia, who I adore on these series.

You Have Been Watching (Series 1)

I’m not sure if this is a panel show really, but Charlie Brooker’s sort-of-quiz on some of the weirdest TV on the box has most of the ingredients, including a trio of celebrity guests. I’m a big fan of Charlie Brooker and he’s been on a few of the above shows lately too. My first encounter with his masterful wit was his Screenburn column in The Guardian. Unfortunately I’ve not seen many of his BBC4 Screenwipe series, what I have seen has been just fantastic. He deservedly won a best newcomer award at the Comedy Awards this year and I can’t wait for the next series – first there’s a Screenwipe special to catch on iPlayer.