30 Rock: The Source Awards

30 Rock: The Source Awards
NBC
March 1, 2007
Sitcom
DVD
C

This episode, written by Robert Carlock and a writer who didn't do any other of my shows, is the least funny so far, despite the presence of Wayne Brady as Steven Black, a man who refuses to believe that it's incompatibility rather than race that makes Liz not like him.  A lot of the jokes just don't land for me, although Jack's winery being bad had potential.

Elijah Isaiah Cook is Young Tracy for the first of two times that year.  French Dude Guy Bayo would later be Guy (or perhaps a Guy).  Ghostface Killah again appears as himself.  A member of the onscreen Production Staff is of course played by Frank Anello.  We get a quick glimpse of Floyd, whom Liz still refers to as "Flower Guy."  Pete and most of the writers are absent.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 2.23

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 2.23
ABC
February 10, 2000
Improv Game Show
VHS
B-

Drew calls Africa a country rather than a continent and it turns into a splendid running joke as the contestants razz him in almost every following game.  (Nonetheless, it looks like African Chant would be a game used three times more.)

And thus ends 2000, and the Bill Clinton era, in my television collection.  (Note that it's also sort of the 100th time I've reviewed WLIIA, in the sense that I reviewed the Paul Merton biography that featured a clip from his first episode.)

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 2.19

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 2.19
ABC
January 13, 2000
Improv Game Show
VHS
B-

Kicking off Y2K in my TV collection, this is pretty funny, especially Questionable Impressions, where Wayne's Jar Jar renders Greg's Yoda speechless.  (You get to see Ryan as Katharine Hepburn, too.)  Ryan and Colin are also amusing trying to be Scottish in Whose Line.  Note that the hat in Scenes from a Hat is an Uncle Sam hat, like back in the New York episodes of '91 and '92.

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 2.13

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 2.13
ABC
November 18, 1999
Improv Game Show
VHS
C+

Josie makes her second of two appearances on the American version of the television show that she helped launch eleven years before and ends up getting censored for something about "dead cats" (edited out) and "eating pussy" (definitely edited out).  She does a nice job dueting with Wayne, although it's not as magical as some of her duets with Mike McShane.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 2.4

Linda and Laura

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 2.4
ABC
October 7, 1999
Improv Game Show
VHS
C+

This episode has a lot of three-person games, including Three-Headed Broadway Star (omitting Greg), but my favorite is the four-person Let's Make a Date, where the three potential dates for Wayne fit a little too well, as casting and as a team: Wayne must choose between Bachelor #1, Greg as an Exorcist; Bachelor #2, Colin as a Rabid Canadian Hockey Player; and Bachelor #3, Ryan as a Strip Club Bouncer (which I believe he was in real life when he was about twenty).  Drew's tendency to elaborate on the already annoying "The points don't matter" with "...just like..." is already going here in the second season of what I was calling by then Drew's Line.  And guitarist Linda Taylor joins keyboardist Laura Hall for the music, including funk and other styles for Wayne in Greatest Hits.

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?: U.S. Episode 1.11

Different episode

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 1.11
ABC
January 13, 1999
Improv Game Show
VHS
C+

Greg plays President Clinton in Let's Make a Date, and Wayne later is Tina Turner in Greatest Hits.  This episode is one where I notice Greg and Wayne interacting more, as if the constant pairing of Ryan & Colin has made them into the "other guys" (along with Brad) and they've bonded over that.  Plus they tend to sit next to each other.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 1.10

Scene to Rap

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: U.S. Episode 1.10
ABC
January 6, 1999
Improv Game Show
VHS
C+

So Whose Line moved to America while the British version was wrapping up.  It got a new host, Drew Carey, and new musician, Laura Hall.  I missed Clive and Richard V. but I was glad to see some familiar faces and to get new episodes.  Of those faces, Denny Siegel isn't bad, but it's Wayne Brady (who'd started a few months before on the British version) who most shines here, with his musical and other talents.  Ryan and Colin were already fixtures on the British version by then of course.  The best game here is probably Questions Only.