The Late Show

The late show, It gave people a reason to stay home on a Saturday night. It was a great show, but then again any show with Tommy g, jane, rob, mick, jason, santo, tony, judith and good old alf in it has to be a good show.

But the late show comedy never died even after being taken off the abc. Tommy G, rob and santo went on to create working dog productions creating movies such as the dish and the castle. Jane went on to work on frontline with the working dog boys. Micky, tony went on to the radio then films including bad eggs and crackerjack with Judith.

SO PLEASE BRING BACK THE LATE SHOW ABC

The Late Show would have to be the best Aussie sketch comedy show yet. Its cast was experienced, and each had memorable individual qualities: Tommy G was the quintessential straight man; Rob specialised in absurdly pompous characters and brilliant impersonations (the Desmond Tutu interview has to be one of the funniest things I've ever seen on TV); Mick was shouty and puerile; Judith sarcastic; Santo warm and enthusiastic; Jason said "Let's run over Todd from Neighbours!"; Jane played a wide range of characters, and, last but not least, Tony Martin showed total control of writing and performing.

The best aspects of the show were its accurate observation of Australian life - most of the show was filmed in overcast Melbourne - and the real sense that all the performers were really having a good time. It brought a party atmosphere to many people too young or geeky to go out on Saturday nights.

A review can't sum such a varied show up. Watch the videos if you haven't; if you have, watch them again. (Note that the compilation videos miss out on some cool sketches like the stalking of Ken James, and have a crappy version of the theme music.)

if you are going to watch the late show, bring a box of tissues and a new pair of underpants, because you will wet yourself laughing and cry while doing it!!! all the members of the late show are members of the d-generation

all the late show and D-generation videos are on sale at Australian ABC stores for under $30 they are a laugh a minute!!

this is a must see for any one who has every longed for the Late Show to return, they're comic timing is impecable and they can make you roll around on the floor wetting your pants, it's the best

Gosh where do I possibly start with a review of The Late Show?

This is I think without question the finest hour from any of the team of comedians who started as the original D-Generation and split and regrouped into various other shows and guises.. (including the arch rival Fast Forward combination - which does rank v.highly nonetheless)

The show is legendary because as stated here each cast member is a comedic genius in their own right. eg. Tony Martin/Mick Molloy went off and did a hysterical radio show that also strangely lasted only a couple of years. Rob Sitch - who I agree with the comment is the funniest man alive! - Tommy G, Santo & Jane did the amazing Frontline & Castle/Dish movies.. and now the Panel.

But here they were all together with contributions from other friends so how could the results not be legendary. The list of funny sketches and segments is waaaay too long to list here.

Watching tapes of the best of Saturday Night Live even those guys at their combined peaks are not as consistently funny as the Late Show was over 40 episodes.

Late-Show fans simply must go out and get the recently released 'Champagne Edition' on DVD. It has SIX HOURS !! combining the 'Best Bits of.. ' Volumes 1-3 as well as a new 'Some more bits..', it also has still photos and Easter egg extras..

AND..

Most special, it features a commentary track for the entire SIX hours with *all* of the original crew reunited in 2001!! As well as special guests like old D-Gener John Harrison and Joan Kirner reliving her infamous Joan Jett performance! It's nirvana for Late Show junkies!

The commentary track is almost as funny as watching the show itself! Listening to the guys crack up at old bits they'd forgotten, laughing at how shonky and cheap (but still hysterical to us) most of the ideas were and how bad the clothes were! And lots of witty banter particulary from Tony Martin who put together the DVD.

Even after all that - 6 hours doesnt feel like enough! When will the ABC just bite the bullet and re-release the entire 40 episodes on tape? The DVD is of course missing other classics like Bargearese, Commerical Crimestoppers, lots of general couch banter etc.. Tony Martin makes a comment that really the DVD only contains about half the actual material on the show! Shame!

Thank goodness we are still seeing regular output from the various guys - Working Dog has the Panel & their movies. Mick Molloy has got a couple of movies out - Crackerjack (which I've just reviewed and is very funny, particularly with Judith Lucy and Tony Martin appearances!) and Kath and Kim is holding up the Fast Forward side of things with 'crossovers' in the form of Glenn Robbins & Tony Martin appearances on the show..

We'll probably never see another show quite like it - but as I said at least we have the best of's and the guys are still working!