Cast: Brad Sherwood, Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, Ryan Stiles, and Drew Carey

Film and Theater Styles: Ryan and Wayne = lumberjacks clearing a forest; Colin = protestor [styles: high school play, Xena, Aftershool special, and performance art]
Another three person Film and Theater Styles game. Oh, well. There weren't too many styles in this playing, which allowed for a little more interaction among the performers. But I still hold that the three person Film and Theater Styles games simply do not allow enough time in any one style to get a decent scene going. Did you notice Ryan's expression after the Afterschool Special style was yelled out? He looked impressed. I guess that was a style they don't get very often. My favorite style in the game was Xena. Wayne did a great imitation of the flying Warrior Princess. And Colin being very out-of-period by pulling out his gun and shooting Wayne. (I tell you, Colin has got a murderous streak in him a mile wide. It's always the quiet ones, you know.) And then Ryan with his bouncing breasts. Too funny. Final comments. Ryan is a very TALL man to go crawling through Wayne's legs. I wasn't sure he'd fit. (I sure hope you saw the episode otherwise that sentence is gonna put some ideas in your head!) Colin must have this awesome superpower. He manages to walk right through the saw that Ryan and Wayne are holding after Drew calls the high school play style. Imagine not having to ever worry about having your arms full with groceries and getting through the door ever again. Cool!

Film Dub: Ryan, Colin, and Brad = WWII soldiers in the trenches waiting for the call to action
This is probably the first Film Dub that I've ever really liked. (Film Dub is pretty low on my list of games.) I think I liked it because Colin started feeding Brad's legs to everyone. Like Drew said afterwards: "Nothing brings a smile to America's face like cannibalism." LOL (Hmm, what does it say about me, that I find cannibalism funny? I don't think I want to know.)

Quick Change: Wayne = calls change; Brad = army general; Ryan = President; Colin = First Lady
Do you remember the Whose Line game with Ryan as Quasimodo and Colin as Esmeralda? Remember Drew's comment that Colin was always the girl when they didn't have a girl on? I hope so because this is from the same taping which explains the little pre-game interplay among Drew, Ryan, and Colin. I had to watch this a couple of times before I realized exactly who said what. Drew announces "And Colin is the President's....." Colin comes in with "Girlfriend?" But it's Ryan and not Drew as I originally thought who immediately follows up with "Wife." Perfectly timed. You couldn't have rehearsed a better by-play. Poor Colin got slammed as the girl twice that night. The game itself was neat too. I liked how everyone's change got weirder and weirder as Wayne kept making them come up with something knew. I could always tell from Colin's voice though when he had had enough. There was always a slight "Don't make me do this again" tone to his voice. Very scolding father like. I wonder if his son hears that tone a lot???? He'd also come up with something completely different when he didn't want to have to change any more. Good thing that Wayne was very good at picking up on Colin's hints. I don't think I want to see a scolding Colin. He'd probably have shot Wayne again.

I found myself wondering what prompted Wayne to call Change when he did. I think in some cases, it was simply that the original line made him laugh. I noticed that when Ryan first announced that the army was attacking Hawaii, Wayne was laughing when he called Change throughout that whole section. I mentioned above that Colin's voice changed every time he was tired of coming up with things. I also noticed that there were times when he subtly took control of the game from Wayne. When Wayne was making Ryan quick change the horse / door explanation, Colin didn't wait for Wayne to call a third Change but jumped in before Ryan could barely finish the line. Did Colin think Ryan was running out of ideas? Or did he feel that things had gone on long enough? And it was a good thing that Colin ended his last change section when he did ("Hey, I'm staying out of this") because Brad and Ryan were beginning to have a hard time keeping a straight face. Especially after the popular cola and a sharp stick comment.

Motown Group: Wayne, Brad, and Ryan sing "Do the Lumberjack"
What was with the tree games during this taping??? Maybe after Film and Theater Styles, the audience was primed to be foresty. I dunno. I liked the song especially Ryan's verse. As you probably know by now, I usually don't rewatch song styles or duet or whatever they're calling it for that episode. But I'll rewatch Motown Group. Especially this one. Watching Ryan go timber — did you notice that he tried to do the tree bit once and Wayne didn't catch on? So Ryan had to tell Wayne what to do for the second try? (And take a peek at Colin at the beginning of the game. He seems evilly delighted to not be playing this game. Shame on him.)

One additional didya notice here. Brad was genuinely surprised that Ryan took the second verse. I wonder if they had played the game in the order Wayne, Brad, and Ryan during the practice games. That's the only explanation I can think of as to why Brad was surprised unless he truly forgot. But since WLiiA usually places the weakest singer in the middle, I don't know why Brad would have expected to be second.

If You Know What I Mean: Ryan, Colin, and Brad on the first day of school
If I never see another session of this game, it will be too soon for me. This game gets my vote for the worst game in the WLiiA game canon. Most of the time, the guys didn't even know what they meant. Check out Colin's face most of the time. He looks like he's in pain. At least Ryan came out and admitted that he didn't get what Brad meant. I have to admit; I found Ryan's euphemisms the easiest to understand. Then Colin's; then Brad's. But I laughed at Ryan's expression after Colin's final euphemism. "Hey, let's not make a Fox special." Ryan didn't seem to get that one. While that was one of the few that **I** actually got! I think Drew had the best one of all, though. "I got your points right here; if you know what I'm saying."

Greatest Hits: Songs of the Wrestler; Ryan and Colin sell; Brad and Wayne sing
Okay, question time: Drew asked for suggestions for a profession where you have to wear a uniform. How DID the audience come up with wrestler for that suggestion????? A costume, maybe. But a uniform??? This was a very good game of Greatest Hits for both Ryan and Colin and Wayne and Brad. I loved how Colin started imitating Ryan after the Canada crack. ("And when I say the United States; I'm counting Canada." — Better not let your parents or wife hear that, Ryan!) And then when Ryan caught him, Colin was simply the picture of total innocence. With those cute dimples. The songs were top notch, too. I loved Wayne's steel drum imitation during the reggae number. And the Italian ballad duet between Brad and Wayne! Wow! I sang in my college chorus. So I know how difficult counterpoint singing can be on the first try. Simply impressive.

This game has one of the WLiiA lines that has become part of my regular vocabulary phrases. It's not a standout line, but for some reason. "VERY, very hush hush" has stayed in my head ever since I first heard it. Maybe it's the way Colin says it. But it hit me about as hard as it hit Drew, and it has stayed with me ever since. Did you happen to notice Wayne's banjo playing during the last song? In addition to creating a melody, harmony, and lyrics, he was also making a real effort to look like he was picking the banjo. If the tempo changed, within one bar of the change, so did the speed of his picking. That blew me away. It's not as if he didn't have anything else to do!

Props: Brad and Colin = a box with legs sticking out the end; Ryan and Drew = 2 things that looked like peace symbols minus the oval ring
Normally, I don't remember the props game. But Ryan and Drew's I remember. (Actually, I should say Ryan because Drew's one contribution was just okay.) This is probably my favorite game of props I've seen. Starting with the "Wicked Chicken of the East is Dead!" Through the dour farmer and his wife. (What a sight gag!) Then the Olympic torch. Ending with the best. "This is a chicken leg. This is a chicken leg on drugs." Ryan was really inventive this time.

Credits: Ryan and Colin as cops on megaphones trying to contain a crowd
Pretty standard fare. I liked how Wayne went and dragged Drew across the screen. I don't know why Wayne did that. But I liked it.

Best Game:
Greatest Hits — the by-play between Ryan and Colin was good, and the songs were fantastic.

Overall Comments:
The show as a whole was uneven. It had some very high moments like Greatest Hits. And some really low ones. Like the game that shall remain nameless. I'll rewatch this again. But I'll make sure to have my finger near the fast forward button.

© LKK 11/12/00