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Whose Pie is it Anyway?, is a blog series consisting of short reviews for each episode of the hit improv comedy show, Whose Line is it Anyway?. We will be working our way through every episode of both the original US series and the new US series (not the UK version) and for each episode I will share some clips and tell you who I think the standout performers were.
For those of you who don't know the show, Whose Line? is an improvisational comedy show that masquerades as a game show. The four performers take part in various games and scenes based on suggestions from the audience, instructions from the host, audience interaction and combinations thereof. At the end of each game the host awards points arbitrarily, these points do not matter in the slightest as a "winner" is also arbitrarily chosen at the end. On with the entry!
Performers
The man who puts the wood in Sherwood - Brad Sherwood
The illegitimate son of Mike and Carol - Wayne Brady
Say it loud, he's bald and Proud - Colin Mochrie
The cute Beatle - Ryan Stiles
Sorry about this guys, it was extremely hard to find videos for this episode. Hopefully episode three will have more, otherwise I might need to resort to creating clips myself.
The second episode is certainly much stronger than the first, beginning with the common first game Let's Make a Date (the still is from this game), in which the performers spoof dating shows by having one performer guess who each of the three "bachelors" is portraying. The show started of hilarious with all three comedians hitting their mark and did not lose pace at all. I found the recurring theme of ridiculing or undermining Brad Sherwood throughout the episode particularly amusing. The best part though, is that the later seasons still get even funnier.
Best Performer
Colin Mochrie - The man in my signature was definitely the best performer of the second episode. He embodied each of his characters perfectly, was quick witted and fast-thinking and was a laugh-a-minute in every game he participated in. My personal favourite bit of his was his portrayal of a bachelor who was utterly repulsed by the contestant in a dating game show.
Best Moment
Ryan cheats at Fly Fishing - Whilst Colin Mochrie was the overall best performer, I feel the best moment of the show actually came fairly early on in the show from Ryan Stiles. It might be easy to overlook, but it was an example of clever, quick thinking that I really enjoyed. In the game Film, TV and Theatre style, Ryan and Colin are given the scene of two men competing at fly fishing, when Colin begins to suspect Ryan of cheating. Right of the bat, without a seconds thought, Ryan proceeded to start shooting the imaginary fish as Colin waits for a bite on his line.
Rating
8.5/10 - This episode more than makes up for the average performance of the first. Each game is just as funny as the last and all four performers give one hell of a show. The repeated shots at Brad, sarcastic remarks (including towards audience "volunteers" ) and excellent portrayal of their roles really set the tone for the rest of the season. I only wish that the first episode had gone as well as this one.
Those are my thoughts anyway, have a watch of the clips (well clip this time...) - or better yet the episode - and feel free to share some of your own. Bonus points to anyone who gets the reference in Wayne's beginning of the show description (found towards the top of this entry).
-Gimmepie
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Season One, Episode Two
Whose Pie is it Anyway?, is a blog series consisting of short reviews for each episode of the hit improv comedy show, Whose Line is it Anyway?. We will be working our way through every episode of both the original US series and the new US series (not the UK version) and for each episode I will share some clips and tell you who I think the standout performers were.
For those of you who don't know the show, Whose Line? is an improvisational comedy show that masquerades as a game show. The four performers take part in various games and scenes based on suggestions from the audience, instructions from the host, audience interaction and combinations thereof. At the end of each game the host awards points arbitrarily, these points do not matter in the slightest as a "winner" is also arbitrarily chosen at the end. On with the entry!
Performers
The man who puts the wood in Sherwood - Brad Sherwood
The illegitimate son of Mike and Carol - Wayne Brady
Say it loud, he's bald and Proud - Colin Mochrie
The cute Beatle - Ryan Stiles
The second episode is certainly much stronger than the first, beginning with the common first game Let's Make a Date (the still is from this game), in which the performers spoof dating shows by having one performer guess who each of the three "bachelors" is portraying. The show started of hilarious with all three comedians hitting their mark and did not lose pace at all. I found the recurring theme of ridiculing or undermining Brad Sherwood throughout the episode particularly amusing. The best part though, is that the later seasons still get even funnier.
Best Performer
Colin Mochrie - The man in my signature was definitely the best performer of the second episode. He embodied each of his characters perfectly, was quick witted and fast-thinking and was a laugh-a-minute in every game he participated in. My personal favourite bit of his was his portrayal of a bachelor who was utterly repulsed by the contestant in a dating game show.
Best Moment
Ryan cheats at Fly Fishing - Whilst Colin Mochrie was the overall best performer, I feel the best moment of the show actually came fairly early on in the show from Ryan Stiles. It might be easy to overlook, but it was an example of clever, quick thinking that I really enjoyed. In the game Film, TV and Theatre style, Ryan and Colin are given the scene of two men competing at fly fishing, when Colin begins to suspect Ryan of cheating. Right of the bat, without a seconds thought, Ryan proceeded to start shooting the imaginary fish as Colin waits for a bite on his line.
Rating
8.5/10 - This episode more than makes up for the average performance of the first. Each game is just as funny as the last and all four performers give one hell of a show. The repeated shots at Brad, sarcastic remarks (including towards audience "volunteers" ) and excellent portrayal of their roles really set the tone for the rest of the season. I only wish that the first episode had gone as well as this one.
Those are my thoughts anyway, have a watch of the clips (well clip this time...) - or better yet the episode - and feel free to share some of your own. Bonus points to anyone who gets the reference in Wayne's beginning of the show description (found towards the top of this entry).
-Gimmepie
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