The original UK version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? that also aired on Comedy Central way back in the day is coming to DVD, and Adam couldn't be happier. This version was much smarter and funnier than the bastardized American version with Drew Carey because it never undermined the intelligence of its audience: the performers would throw out historical references and lines from Shakespeare without so much as batting an eye, while the ABC version stayed within a mainstream template by basing games on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and other references of mass appeal.
That's not to say the US version was never funny, and it was helped tremendously by the fact that much of its main cast also appeared in the UK version (Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Greg Proops, etc). If I had to choose just one version to watch for the rest of my life, though, it would be this one.
A box set including seasons one and two will hit stores on February 27.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-28-2006 @ 2:57PM
Raychel said...
As good as this news is (and it's TREMENDOUS news) the fact that you used a photo of Tony Slattery makes it all the more better. *swoon!*
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12-28-2006 @ 4:37PM
Martha Fischer said...
What Raychel said.
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12-28-2006 @ 6:25PM
Rick said...
Personally I swoon for Josie Lawrence. The fact that Stephen Fry appears twice in season 1 is bonus.
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12-28-2006 @ 7:11PM
RAB said...
Josie Lawrence! Like a goddess of British humor and brilliantly improvised songs.
Oh, yeah, and a chance to see the likes of Mike McShane, Tony Slattery, Paul Merton (who came up with the single funniest line ever spoken on any incarnation of the show), and Sandi Toksvig. Of the less-frequent celebrity guests the big surprise was Jonathan Pryce, who turned out to be especially funny despite having little comedy background.
Ah, but Josie...sigh!
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12-28-2006 @ 10:20PM
Ryan said...
RAB: What was the line?
Does it beat Brad Sherwood's "There's nothing better than a 200 pound ..." ?
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12-28-2006 @ 10:56PM
RAB said...
Ryan:
Describing it won't give the impact of his delivery, so it may not come across as funny as it did on screen...but the challenge was "worst person to perform Shakespeare" and Merton stepped forward, smirked wickedly, and said "So...Juliet is only sixteen, eh?"
Like I said, that description doesn't do it justice. The studio audience nearly filled their boots, as the Brits say.
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12-29-2006 @ 1:35AM
GhaleonQ said...
While I generally agree with the comment on the intelligence of the show's references, "John Wayne" springs to mind as a refutation.
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12-29-2006 @ 2:52PM
Deej said...
It's about bloody time. I can get my Tony fix when it comes out anytime I want AND I can fast forward through the John Sessions bits.
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12-29-2006 @ 9:19PM
InnerLogic said...
I love both versions of Whose Line is It Anyway, however for some reason I can't help but watch the US ones more, but both of them are great. The more DVD's, the better!
Now if we could only get a DVD set of QI.... that would make me "/\_/\".
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