Series Pass the tissues...
Because this is a show to make you laugh until you cry. Be warned that, if you're sensitive to that sort of thing, it is in no way PC. The humor often pokes fun at, well, everyone and everything, but it's not meant to cruel and at anyone's expense. What's more, it's clear the performers are having fun.
Series If it's your thing, one of the funniest shows out there. (American Version)
If you like improv, this is hilarious.
- Plot: None. It's an improvisational comedy show, meaning the performers make up everything as they go, based on suggestions.
- Content: Lots of Innuendo and stuff like that.
- The Good:
- Wayne is an amazing singer. The musicians are also incredibly talented.
- Colin and Ryan are consistently hilarious, and are very good at taking just about anything and making it entertaining. They're also very good at twisting the suggestions, and are very good with their meta-humor, as well as interacting with the audience.
- The show as a whole is good about chucking in all sorts of outtakes, many of which are great.
- A lot of the guest stars are very entertaining.
- Sometimes even the audience and camera people get involved, which is (at least in my mind) when the show is at it's best.
- The Bad:
- Occasionally the guest performer won't quite measure up to the regulars, which can slow down he games sometimes.
- If you aren't a fan of this type of comedy, you'll probably wonder what all the fuss is about.
- Depending on your point of view, Drew Carey's hosting style could be seen as a negative, although I don't really mind him.
- Overall: Whose Line is thoroughly entertaining if you enjoy improv. If not, then well...you won't find it as funny. But either way, if you have any sense of humor at all you should at least check it out. By which I mean go to the Whose Line Is It Anyway Crowning Moment Of Funny page and watch some of the videos.
- Note: I have not seen the UK version, though I plan to get around to it. I'm judging this show on it's own merits, not in comparison to its predecessor.
Series Both British and American versions
WLIIA is at its best perhaps the epitome of improv humour. Performers come up with gags on the spur of the moment that I, for one, still have rattling around my skull as Memetic Mutation years later. Not every episode will be equally funny, but the overall standard is excellent.
So let's go to the elephant in the room: the UK vs US versions. Firstly I think people ignore the fact that the UK version was very different at its beginning and end: its later series were more similar to the US version than to its own early series (which were a bit too slow-paced and highbrow). The late UK series are my personal favourite, including the one transitional series that was filmed in Hollywood but with Clive Anderson as host. Those episodes have Colin, Ryan, Greg and other great performers, but also an audience that doesn't treat anything happening to anyone as "And I Must Scream" and Clive Anderson, who is IMO a superior host. Drew Carey isn't a bad host but he can't keep up with the performers and so we just feel bad for him when they mock him, whereas Anderson could give as good as he got and thus we enjoyed it when he got taken down a peg or two.
Really, though, the show is always at the very least watchable, and often laugh-out-loud hilarious, regardless of the version.
Series A great series that is unfortunately undermined by one big problem
Whose Line Is It, Anyway? is such a clever & fun series. The comedy is (usually) on the mark, the writing and ideas are well-done and the players are really, really good at what they do. This show was actually introduced to me by my Intro-to-Theatre teacher in the 11th grade and I enjoyed watching the reruns of the British version on Comedy Central back then and was introduced to a unknown to me at the time batch of talented and charismatic international comics from the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, including Mike McShane, Josie Lawrence, Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady, Stephen Frost, Greg Proops, Colin Mochrie & Tony Slattery. The formula wasn't just good, it was amazing. You could tell that they not only worked well together (save for the usually good-natured ribbing of hosts Clive Anderson and Drew Carey), but they also got along with each other (particularly the friendships of Colin & Ryan and Mike & Tony). At the end of the day it did not matter which version you were watching, be it the gritter and more crass British version or the polished and more PG-friendly American version; you would be walking away from it laughing until it hurt and with a few Running Gags among you and your friends (I know I sure did!) Sadly, as I got older and more aware of how "the business" works, there was one thing about the show that, while thankfully not absolutely destroying my love for it or its talent, makes me look at it again with a dimmer perspective: the executive meddling.
Oh, God, the executive meddling.
As fun as both versions remain, the actions behind the scenes cannot go unmentioned. It's the reason why the show became much more lighthearted, which isn't a bad of a thing itself, but the ripple effect did some damage to others' careers. It's why Colin, Ryan & Wayne became permanent fixtures on the show; they're great comics, but some variety is also nice. It's why "Pulling a Colin" was gone in the US version. It's why the UK series' composer, the charming but often silent Richard Vranch was never allowed to participate in the panel itself; he was really good at improv, but the producers never gave the guy a chance to shine. It's why Mike and Tony were removed from the show; in trying to become more "marketable" to Us audiences where the show eventually went to, they fired the risque latter and the "unattractive" former in spite of their talent and popularity with fans. It's also why the last appearance of Mike had him in a suit and cut hair instead of his signature wilder style (what?) It's also why there may likely be a burnt bridges between some performers: aside from this nearly indirectly killing poor Tony, execs wanted to can Colin only for Ryan to speak up on his behalf, and only his (and man, was I disappointed when I learned of that!)
I still love the show, no matter what flavor I'm given, but it's still bittersweet and tainted for me.