Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 2.17

Duet, one of the better games.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 2.17
ABC
December 16, 1999
Improv Game Show
VHS
C

Too many "The points don't matter" lines, too much cross-promotion of The Drew Carey Show, and too many jokes about prison rape.  And so end the 1990s in my television collection.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 1.14

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 1.14
ABC
February 3, 1999
Improv Game Show
VHS
C+

Ian Gomez joins the regulars for, among other things, Weird Newscasters, where he plays Ricky Ricardo.  The highlight of the episode is probably Brad doing the B-52s.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: US Episode 1.12

Poor Brad!

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: US Episode 1.12
ABC
January 20, 1999
Improv Game Show
VHS
B-

This episode, thanks especially to Wayne Brady, is actually pretty good.  The energy level and creativity are higher than they'd been on the British version in the post-Paul-Merton mid '90s.  And I was pleasantly surprised that Drew didn't get on my nerves.  Yet.  Also, it was cool to see Brad again.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Series 4 New York Compilation

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Series 4 New York Compilation
Channel Four
17 April 1992
Improv Game Show
VHS
C+

There's some good stuff here, from the very slashy Superheroes (Greg as Proctologist Man makes Ryan Touchy-Feely Man) to Ryan & Greg's Expert about the Afterlife to some memorable exchanges among Greg, Clive, and the studio audiences.  Furthermore, Ryan has perhaps the single funniest moment anyone ever has in Props, "And there's your baby," with Brad of course giving able support.  And then there are three games from the Sam & Jane episode, including him singing about bed-wetting, weary sigh.  Note that there's no sign of Meskimen or Smith.

The 1992 series ranges from D+ to B, averaging out to exactly a C+, which isn't bad, especially considering the ill-advised return to New York.  This was gradually becoming The Ryan Stiles Show, before then turning into The Ryan & Colin Show, but Greg is still a strong presence in London and New York, and of course the British half of the fourth series is still very British.  The '93 series would shake things up again, yet still be recognizable to early viewers of the show.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 4.12

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 4.12
Channel Four
10 April 1992
Improv Game Show
VHS
C+

Despite the presence of Ron West, this comes close to being the best episode of the semi-series.  (The Compilation has a good Ryan & Greg game.)  Brad, who's a more regular presence in later incarnations of the show, has an amiable, cooperative quality about him, more interested in supporting than grandstanding, and his teamwork with Ryan, especially in the games Whose Line and Props, is solid.  (Ryan deservedly gets the big laughs in Props though.)  Greg isn't at the top of his form here, but I'm always so glad to see him after sitting through the two previous episodes, I don't really mind.  (Plus, Paul Merton could tell you how hard it is to be funny when you're teamed with Ron West.)

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 4.7 [fragment]

"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 4.7 [fragment]
Channel Four
7 March 1992
Improv Game Show
VHS
C+

We're back in New York and Brad Sherwood makes his satisfactory debut, although one of the two best games here is one without him, the Helping Hands of Ryan-Colin getting ready for a date with the help of his housemate Greg.*  The other standout game is the first Superheroes, this time with the problem of "English television," which delights Greg of course.  Still, even with the weaker stuff left out, nothing quite raises this to a B-.  (And I'm omitting Richard V because there are no musical games on this version of the episode.)

*I don't know if I'd never heard the term "housemate" at 24 (remember, I'd grown up with the term "roommate," even on Three's Company, where Jack didn't share a room), or if it was Clive's pronunciation, but I remember thinking he said "housemaid," which really baffled me.  And then Ryan calls Greg "Francois," so Greg puts on a pretty good French accent, even though Ryan switches over to calling him Greg.  But you're mostly going to care about Colin brushing Ryan's teeth and then not getting to share the handtowel even after Ryan spits paste into Colin's hands.