I have always loved comedy, particularly that of the spontaneous, subtle-ish kind. Nothing makes me laugh harder than a quick, slightly odd glance at the audience or a tiny voice inflection – maybe saying one syllable of a word half a step higher than normal – stuff no one else would ever notice, but yet it just MAKES the line for anyone who cares (read: “me”). Sounds like improv would be right up my alley, correct? Definitely. While I suck at it myself (actually, I just don’t have enough guts to try anything, therefore I suck), I am greatly entertained by a good improv show.
Whose Line?, which began in England in 1988 and was hosted by Clive Anderson, introduced many incredibly talented actors to the prime-time television watching world. Among these are Steve Frost, Josie Lawrence, Wayne Brady, Brad Sherwood, Greg Proops, and the ineffable Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles (also notable is Caroline Quentin, who managed to make a name for herself and then appear on Whose Line). In 1998, the show migrated across the pond to the States, where Drew Carey took over as host and the show was gaudified for its new audience. Ryan assured himself a lifetime position on the show by becoming an executive producer. Colin and Wayne, too, are set for the length of the show, it seems. The fourth cast member is rotated in from a cache of several equally (well...almost equally) talented people with less competent agents. Among them are Karen Maruyama, Denny Siegel, Kathryn Greenwood, Brad Sherwood, Chip Esten, and Greg Proops. While I do love all of the regulars (I’ve loved Ryan since I first saw him on The Drew Carey Show [I mean, of course, Carey’s sitcom. Both may as well be called The Drew Carey Show]), I would love to see Greg and Brad on the same show, merely because it never happens.
This is probably the only show that I watch religiously that I don’t have a favourite on. Oh, sure, there are some that I prefer over others, but I just can’t choose a favourite. Ryan is the most humorous, if not only because his reactions outside of the actual games are so bloody funny, but Colin is just cute. He’s the Michael Palin of the group. Brad’s expressions are priceless, as are Greg’s (I love over-active eyebrows), and both are just goofy (I am particularly fond of one episode in which, over the duration of the show, Greg tries to pick a fight with Clive Anderson. And Brad reminds me a lot of a guy that I go to school with). Wayne, the master musician, is nothing short of amazing, and Chip, while looking eerily like the spawn of Satan himself, has so much energy combined with a good helping of pure wit that I can easily overlook that little misfortune. I've been very impressed by what little I've seen of Josie Lawrence, Jeff Davis, the multiple Steves and Stephens, Denny Seigel, and others. And of course, both of the hosts are great. Something in me is telling me that I have to have a favourite – it’s not right to not have a favourite. But I don’t see it making any suggestions.
The games – the actual content of the show – are great fun, though they often pale in comparison to simply watching the actors when they are not performing. Mission: Improbable, Scenes from a Hat, Greatest Hits, and Party Quirks usually induce the most giggling fits on the part of yours truly.
Whose Line is it Anyway? is a Hat Trick production. Reruns of the Drew Carey version airs weekdays at 9:30 PM on ABC, then from 10:00 to 11:00 PM EST on ABC Family (how convenient!). The Bri’ish Whose Line? airs most weekdays on Comedy Central at 5:30 PM EST.
Thanks to IdiotSite.com and ABC.com for the pictures.
I wish I could end every page I didn’t like with a link.
Er... That didn’t work quite as well as the original quote, did it?
Created 2/15/02
