Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 2.6

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 2.6
Channel Four
22 December 1989
Improv Game Show
DVD
C-

I can't think of any reason to recommend this episode to anyone but a masochistic Ron West "fan" who is amused by how unfunny he can get.  His sparkling wit is captured best in the following exchange.
PAUL: (after being called an idiot) Why am I idiot?
RON: Well, you work in a sewer for one.

And Jimmy Mulville doesn't help matters either.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Pilot

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Pilot
Channel 4
16 December 1988
Improv Game Show
DVD
C+

Clive introduces this episode, as he did the ones for the compilations, although here he claims his twin brother is hosting and looking very uncomfortable.  Clive was never a very smooth host (which is part of his charm), but he is noticeably more awkward here.  Other than the historical interest, including a completely different set, there's not any strong reason to watch this, but there are some nice moments, like when one-timer Jon Glover makes his "June the 25th, Christmas Day" joke in Authors.  And his Film Dub with Jimmy over Phantom Empire might make you chuckle.

Whose Line Is It Anyway? in its first series ranges from C- to B, averaging out to right on the C+/B- border.  The show hasn't jelled yet but there are some promising performers and interesting teams already.  The second series (which wouldn't start for another eleven months) would carry over some of the performers while adding in new ones.  The format would be mostly the same though, and, for instance, 1.10 resembles 2.1 more than it does this Pilot.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 1.2

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 1.2
Channel 4
30 September 1988
Improv Game Show
DVD
C-

Not particularly funny, with racial and ethnic stereotypes, and (mostly on the part of Bremner) references to British celebrities who are not funny merely being name-checked*, the only thing to recommend this episode to anyone but the completist is John's Griff Rhys Jones impression, and that's more fun to see when you get Griff's onscreen reaction in a later episode.  Note that Richard Vranch appears briefly onscreen and is in the credits, but he doesn't perform in the episode as aired, so I won't be tagging him.  Also, Jimmy did Dylan Thomas for Authors on the radio programme and made the same "die the bread" joke there.


*Tony Slattery would find a way to make such jokes accessible even to an American who had never and in many cases still hasn't heard of these people.