:-(
A former member
This must prove its not:
IS
I think that and Just a Minute are the two exceptions.
As for Whose Line, I don't think they were prepped. Most of them, especially the original British cast were, and many still are, experienced improvisers used to doing it as part of the Comedy Store Players which is all audience suggestions. They always say that the best material comes spontaneously so wouldn't want to know or be able to plan.
Though people will always have jokes or lines in their head they can use. If you've ever heard Gyles Brandreth on Just a Minute a few times you'll know that the same things come up again after a while
If it transpires that Would I Lie To You is scripted, I'm selling my television.
I think that and Just a Minute are the two exceptions.
As for Whose Line, I don't think they were prepped. Most of them, especially the original British cast were, and many still are, experienced improvisers used to doing it as part of the Comedy Store Players which is all audience suggestions. They always say that the best material comes spontaneously so wouldn't want to know or be able to plan.
Though people will always have jokes or lines in their head they can use. If you've ever heard Gyles Brandreth on Just a Minute a few times you'll know that the same things come up again after a while
LL
There were, of course, many games on Whose Line that were driven by audience suggestions. So unless they were planted and Clive and/or Drew would only listen out for a particular suggestion, surely we can rule that out a little bit.
AN
I would guess for shows like Mock The Week, they'll at least have some idea what to expect (i.e. which scenes we'd like to see) and so have the opportunity to prepare - I don't think the entire show is scripted out though. If it was, they'd surely have made Gina Yashere funny.
IS
Well, indeed, and as long as it's funny it doesn't matter how they're doing it.
Yes and the aim is to make the best show possible. It shows on something like I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue where they quite obviously get given the rounds to work on and then meet up beforehand (I assume in a local bar) and divvy up the jokes to make sure everyone's got the same amount
Though if you've seen something like HIGNFY be recorded it is tightened up in the edit, a lot of that is removing thinking time.
Well, indeed, and as long as it's funny it doesn't matter how they're doing it.
Yes and the aim is to make the best show possible. It shows on something like I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue where they quite obviously get given the rounds to work on and then meet up beforehand (I assume in a local bar) and divvy up the jokes to make sure everyone's got the same amount
Quote:
Rather people doing properly thought out material they know works than spending ages trying to think of something.
Though if you've seen something like HIGNFY be recorded it is tightened up in the edit, a lot of that is removing thinking time.
AA
I listen to a lot of comedy podcasts and the subjects of panel shows, how to write for them and get on them comes up quite a lot – particularly on The Comedian’s Comedian and Richard Herring’s podcasts.
Mock The Week is probably the most “scripted” panel show, in that the panellists do know the specific sort of thing they are making jokes about is and the Scenes We’d Like To See etc. I think that panellists can then choose a team of writers who will do gags for them based on these subjects, and the performer themselves will often work through these with the writers. Although I don’t think you are obliged to do this but a lot of panellists do.
Paul Merton I know has said a number of times that Have I Got News For You involves very little preparation outside the role of host often saying that it’s a show about the news, reading the paper is the only prep needed! The only thing he says is shown to the panel prior to filming are the pictures for the caption competition and I’ve heard that from a few fellow panellists as well.
Mock The Week is probably the most “scripted” panel show, in that the panellists do know the specific sort of thing they are making jokes about is and the Scenes We’d Like To See etc. I think that panellists can then choose a team of writers who will do gags for them based on these subjects, and the performer themselves will often work through these with the writers. Although I don’t think you are obliged to do this but a lot of panellists do.
Paul Merton I know has said a number of times that Have I Got News For You involves very little preparation outside the role of host often saying that it’s a show about the news, reading the paper is the only prep needed! The only thing he says is shown to the panel prior to filming are the pictures for the caption competition and I’ve heard that from a few fellow panellists as well.
BC
Blake Connolly
Founding member
The most obviously non-improvised part of Mock the Week is the 'Wheel of News' round, where the subject matter is
always
related to parts of the guests' existing stand-up routines. (Incidentally, for a genuinely improvised "do a bit of stand-up based on a subject you'd never seen before" game, see Set List).
I don't think a huge amount of effort is made to hide how much preparation there is with Mock the Week, really. I remember being at a comedy club where at the end of his spot one comic ran through 5 minutes of one-liners based on the rounds that were coming up on his appearance on it later in the week to see what'd work.
I don't think a huge amount of effort is made to hide how much preparation there is with Mock the Week, really. I remember being at a comedy club where at the end of his spot one comic ran through 5 minutes of one-liners based on the rounds that were coming up on his appearance on it later in the week to see what'd work.
HC
Those rounds (also see the unscripted song round which the subject of was also selected by audience shout out suggestions) could not have been pre-scripted.
Some of the 'film and theatre' styles, like my particular favourite groan from the improv panel 'World War 2 Newsreel presenter' and '18th century Spanish gothic horror' were so random and obscure, they couldn't have been planted or pre-arranged.
There were, of course, many games on Whose Line that were driven by audience suggestions. So unless they were planted and Clive and/or Drew would only listen out for a particular suggestion, surely we can rule that out a little bit.
Those rounds (also see the unscripted song round which the subject of was also selected by audience shout out suggestions) could not have been pre-scripted.
Some of the 'film and theatre' styles, like my particular favourite groan from the improv panel 'World War 2 Newsreel presenter' and '18th century Spanish gothic horror' were so random and obscure, they couldn't have been planted or pre-arranged.
CW
Those rounds (also see the unscripted song round which the subject of was also selected by audience shout out suggestions) could not have been pre-scripted.
Some of the 'film and theatre' styles, like my particular favourite groan from the improv panel 'World War 2 Newsreel presenter' and '18th century Spanish gothic horror' were so random and obscure, they couldn't have been planted or pre-arranged.
The early series featured many of Comedy Store Players, many of whom still regularly perform with the players. (Going slightly off-topic this Sunday's show is listed as featuring Paul Merton, Neil Mullarkey, Andy Smart, Richard Vranch, Stephen Frost and Josie Lawrence.) Having seen one of their shows last year along with several amateur improv shows I'm fairly certain a lot of the show was unscripted. Years of experience allows them to have an idea of what is likely to work.
Charlie Wells
Moderator
There were, of course, many games on Whose Line that were driven by audience suggestions. So unless they were planted and Clive and/or Drew would only listen out for a particular suggestion, surely we can rule that out a little bit.
Those rounds (also see the unscripted song round which the subject of was also selected by audience shout out suggestions) could not have been pre-scripted.
Some of the 'film and theatre' styles, like my particular favourite groan from the improv panel 'World War 2 Newsreel presenter' and '18th century Spanish gothic horror' were so random and obscure, they couldn't have been planted or pre-arranged.
The early series featured many of Comedy Store Players, many of whom still regularly perform with the players. (Going slightly off-topic this Sunday's show is listed as featuring Paul Merton, Neil Mullarkey, Andy Smart, Richard Vranch, Stephen Frost and Josie Lawrence.) Having seen one of their shows last year along with several amateur improv shows I'm fairly certain a lot of the show was unscripted. Years of experience allows them to have an idea of what is likely to work.
IS
Yes they always say that you can't write or plan it because it's not as good as just making it up.
Also the big advantage of improvising is that there's no writing needed, for those in something like the Comedy Store Players they can just turn up on a Sunday evening and perform with their friends without the hassle of having to prepare.
(in fact that's how I'm Sorry I Haven't Clue came into being, they'd had enough of writing scripts for I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again so came up with a format that didn't need them)
Also the big advantage of improvising is that there's no writing needed, for those in something like the Comedy Store Players they can just turn up on a Sunday evening and perform with their friends without the hassle of having to prepare.
(in fact that's how I'm Sorry I Haven't Clue came into being, they'd had enough of writing scripts for I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again so came up with a format that didn't need them)
SP
Equally instances of Whose Line clips and outtakes, especially with the hoedown game, with two players coming up with essentially the same rhyme gag and the second (often Drew Carey) having to quickly come up with something different.
IS
Though there was a time at the end of the original UK version when it was the same few American performers doing essentially the same games every week. Helping Hands was one of the repetitive rounds, it turned into an excuse just to get Ryan Stiles just to eat horrible stuff
Equally instances of Whose Line clips and outtakes, especially with the hoedown game, with two players coming up with essentially the same rhyme gag and the second (often Drew Carey) having to quickly come up with something different.
Though there was a time at the end of the original UK version when it was the same few American performers doing essentially the same games every week. Helping Hands was one of the repetitive rounds, it turned into an excuse just to get Ryan Stiles just to eat horrible stuff