Mock the Week

Rarely do you find a topical series in the united kingdom that is this funny. initially there was "have i got news for you", a series with similar ideas yet less improvisation and with fewer "laugh out loud" gags.

This series is not a afraid to push the boundaries and explore taboos that might perhaps be overlooked in other programs - Rory Bremner's impersonations are outstanding and stand out above the rest, and the special guests add an extra ingredient that make this satirical series utterly compelling, i look forward to the next instalment even as the credits roll.

Recommended for those who are and are not interested in politics

Personally, I find Mock the Week to be a very funny, clever show. Some of the comedians are funny all of the time, all of them are funny some of the time. Russel Howard and Frankie Boyle in particular are consistently brilliant. I live in the US and so don't get every one of the cultural references, but I still love the show. They're so talented that I don't even have to be familiar with the politician being lampooned to have a good laugh. The jokes range from insightful wit to sexual pun, but they always keep me laughing.

Be sure to look for the scenes which were not included during the regular season, they often consist of some of the best material of all.

This is one of the funniest programmes on TV. It doesn't matter that some parts are scripted, the delivery of the lines is timed perfectly and anyone with a sense of humour will be laughing out loud. The guests have a brilliant banter going on, and the stand-up challenges are hilarious.

The guests aren't the same every week, adding variety and all the panelists have a different type of humour to offer the audience. Dara O'Brain is brilliant, he seems to fit the part of a host excellently, and the panelists who are there every week (Hugh Dennis, Frankie Boyle and Andy Parsons) are amazingly funny, with humour that should cater for everyone's tastes.

Panel shows have been a been a stable for British television, mainly because they are cheap to run, popular and can be very funny if the right people are involved. Have I Got News For You has been the gold standard in the UK because it is extremely funny with great captains, and often excellent guests who are sharp about the current events of the day. Many shows have tried and failed to copy their successful formula.

Mock the Week on BBC 2 is the closest show to rival HIGNFY. It has a similar focus to HIGNFY, the news of all things, politics, economics, popular culture, etc... But unlike HIGNFY which is a straight panel show, Mock the Week has elements of Who's Line is it, with comedians testing their stand up skills, very successfully. There are also other fun moments when Hugh Dennis has to play what there are really saying. What also makes Mock the Week work is the fact that it is more willing to make darker, more outrageous jokes compared to HIGNFY. If done right it's a masterclass of comedy, especially from Frankie Boyle.

When Mock the Week started it was weak. Most the comedians didn't have their confidences. Changes were needed, and they were done quickly. Frankie Boyle and Hugh Dennis found their feet, Frankie Boyle was allowed to do what he does best, Dara O'Briain, and Frank Parson (excellent comedian) and Russell Howard were brought in. There are many good guests, the best are the ones who have appeared on HIGNFY, e.g. David Mitchell, Lucy Porter, Ed Byrne.

Mock the Week is not as good as HIGNFY but it is the closest you are going to get to that show. It's worthy entertainment.

I usually like Mock the Week, and think the regular panellists are superbly witty and entertaining. However, I was appalled at how often Shappi Khorsandi was spoken over and ignored as she tried to say something on the show which aired 25 January in the UK. It could have just been the editing, I suppose, but it looked extremely discourteous.

I thought she only really came across properly during the rounds where she was able to take the mic unimpeded by the male panellists. This is a shame as female comedians are a rare breed and those there are should be given the opportunity to do their thing.

NP