Cast: Wayne Brady, Chip Esten, Colin Mochrie, Ryan Stiles, and Drew Carey

Just wanted to start off by saying that I really liked Drew's loser joke this time. I don't why. But the idea of calculating how deep the ocean would without the sponges to soak up the extra water struck me as bizarrely funny. Sounds like an extra credit question on some weird biology test.

Hollywood Director: Colin = director; Chip = government scientist building a Robocop; Ryan = Robocop; Wayne = high tech thief trying to steal Robocop [styles: clueless teenage girls; 70s disco dancers; lustfully]
I haven't seen the UK version of Director yet. So I can't comment how whether this new game is a straight import or not. I do know that the UK version was usually played with three persons rather than all four. But I think it's good to have another game for all four players since the US version doesn't play as many games per episode. Even though he was on stage the least, it's Colin who comes to my mind when I think of this game. From his opening lines, "I've seen better film on my grandmother's eye" (Chip nearly lost it there) to his last line "Filled with lust. You, fake it." (said to Ryan) were all standouts. The others were good, but Colin owned this game. Question: any idea what Chip meant during the clueless teenage girls segment when he said "We need more batteries?" It was the only time he said it, and I can't figure out what he meant.

Duet: Wayne and Chip sing to Maria the hula instructor in the style of Van Halen
I admit that I couldn't recognize a Van Halen song if my life depended on it. So I have absolutely no idea how well Wayne and Chip did with this style. I spent most of my time watching Ryan in the background. He seemed enormously interested in something off to his far left at the beginning and end of the song. I narrowed the "something" down to either the players' monitor, which they use to watch the action on stage or Linda Taylor's guitar playing. I'm voting for Linda Taylor. Ryan's interest seemed to coincide with when she started her guitar intro. At one point, Ryan looked over at Colin to check if he was watching too, but Colin wasn't. At the end of the song when Linda started riffing a conclusion, Ryan started watching again, this time directing Colin to watch too. They both seemed very appreciative of Linda's playing. I think that's why you see Ryan playing air guitar during Drew's speech after the song.

Narrate: Ryan and Colin in the Oval Office
I'll give some points to the audience member for coming up with an original setting suggestion for this game. Unfortunately, for him, I'm going to take away those points for the original suggestion being the Oval Office because I'm tired of the Clinton jokes. (Ryan once said you could never tell too many Clinton jokes. Sorry, Ryan. You're wrong.) For once, I don't think Colin intentionally stole Ryan's joke about the stain based on Colin's expression when Ryan stopped mid-step and looked back. It was funny to watch. Perhaps even funnier than any joke Ryan was going to use. And further proof that those two think a lot alike. A question not specifically related to the game. Afterwards, as Drew is making his "don't go away" comments, did you notice the audience member who was practically dancing in his seat as he was clapping? What do you think he was on?

Themed Restaurant: Chip and Wayne having a high power business luncheon served by waiters Ryan and Colin at an Olympic themed restaurant
A much, much better game than the one played last season (WWII war zone with Kathy Greenwood). I don't know if it was the players, the theme, or what, but the whole game worked for me. It wasn't a laugh out loud type of game. I doubt it will ever be. More of a smiler of a game. I especially liked the synchronized swimming bit (brought back some early UK episode memories) and the hurdles. I was a bit surprised about the hurdles. It seemed slightly preplanned on Wayne's part to put his chair out like that. I don't think the "customers" should have been controlling the action of the "waiters" because it broke the restaurant illusion, but that's what happened. One possibility is Ryan or Colin instructed Wayne to put out his chair.

Greatest Hits: Songs of the firefighter; Ryan and Colin sell; Wayne and Chip sing
Did you notice that when Drew is taking suggestions from the audience, he's asking a specific section of the audience for suggestions? I think that's a much better way to handle suggestions than to have an entire room of 300 people shouting at him. And did you notice that Chip didn't seem thrilled by the firefighter suggestion? He sort of grimaced there after Drew picked it. Ryan was having a little trouble with his English during this game. Stumbled over his words a couple of times. But what I found most amusing was when he said that they had composed 40 songs on the compilation. Um, Ryan? You do realize that means that you actually WROTE 40 songs, don't you???? I didn't realize Ryan was that prolific a songwriter. The Beach Boys number was quite good. And then we go to the Queen number which Colin dubs "We Will Hose You". Now, I may not recognize Van Halen, but I do know Queen's most famous numbers. And whatever Chip and Wayne sang and whatever the ladies played, it wasn't We Will Rock You. The closest Queen song that I can relate to the music played is Bohemian Rhapsody, which has got to be an almost impossible song to try to duplicate with a piano, a guitar, and two voices. I liked what they did; don't get me wrong. I just spent most of the time trying to figure out what they were trying to do. And I absolutely loved one of the best double puns I've heard Ryan do with his "Mercury's rising" joke. The final Latin song was okay. Notable for Chip's Squad 51 reference. (Did everyone catch it? And are you old enough to understand it?)

Three-Headed Broadway Star: Wayne, Drew, and Ryan sing "Whenever I See Your Teeth" to Meiko
Again, a new way to take suggestions for this game. They dropped the name of a fake Broadway musical part, which is good, because that was a waste of time. And now Drew simply asks for the song title straight off. He's also gone to a fill in the blank format. I think both are improvements. Unfortunately, the eye candy is still there. And I still hold that having a girl sit in front is too distracting for a game that requires a surprising amount of concentration. I have to admit, I thought that Drew would be the person most distracted by the person in front. This time it seemed to be Wayne who had trouble concentrating. He stepped on the others' words and used "abyss" repetitively. Drew and Ryan got their signals crossed too. Ryan thought Drew was going for the two-syllable word "inside" while Drew was going for the three-syllable word "incisor" so Ryan ended up stepping on his word. The whole game was sloppy, and I attribute it to the distraction. Finally, I haven't done it. But if anyone ever sits down and writes the lyrics generated by this game, I'll bet they'll be the most bizarre lyrics this game has ever created. They were just plain weird!

Credits: All four = taking hula lessons from Maria
So-so. I liked how Ryan turned it into a hula-hoop lesson. And I liked whatever it was that Chip was doing at the end. But that's about it.

Best Game:
Hmmm. This is hard because nothing stood out as particularly special. All the games (except Three-Headed Broadway) were good. I'll go for Hollywood Director simply because it has that new toy shine to it. But you could easily talk me into Narrate or Greatest Hits, too.

Overall Comments:
I enjoyed this episode. I don't think it'll ever become a classic. The laugh tears weren't streaming down my face. But I laughed often. And I smiled the whole time. I enjoyed this half-hour. And really, when it comes down to it, isn't that what matters?

© LKK 10/22/00