Late Night Mash

There are a lot of ticked boxes but very few laughs.

I was honestly surprised that Dave entered the political arena, especially with such an unfunny and contrived manor. There is a reason the BBC is losing so many viewers, and it looks like Dave is keen to follow.

Dave scoop up the Mash Report format and leave it largely untouched - which is a double-edged sword really, although the Dave version feels a lot looser and a little bit more anarchic which is good but the transitions between bits still feel stiff, the news anchor set up never quite works and all-in-all it always feels over-rehearsed. There seems greater variety in the guests here though which is fantastic, getting in quality folk like the Turtle Canyon comedy crew, Olga Koch, a lot more Ahir Shah and the brilliantly droll Delightful Sausage. The facts only segments are weirdly great and some of their pre-recorded skits are by far and away the best stuff Mash has ever done.

It's still not essential satire though and with the loss of Nish and the gradual migration of some of the contributors into the greasy world of culture war grift comedy this mash is looking decidedly unpalatable and rudderless. A serious shame.

The Mash Report was poor, but Late Nigh Mash is worse. The latter still gives the same odd impression that the former did of watching a dress-rehearsal rather than a polished production, but it's compounded by a palpable sense of failure, as if everyone involved knows that they've been given a stay of execution rather than a reprieve and it's only a matter of time before they're again given the chop.

The satire is non existent and this is an old format done badly. An achievement in itself! I don't care about the political bias but I am very old fashioned when it comes to perceived comedy vehicles. They have to be funny. This is unfunny to the point that some viewers may become distressed. Half an hour of life you will never get back. Avoid at all costs!!