This edition was given a positive review by journalist James Green in The Stage (27th April 1989).
Among James's comments were: "GOD FORGIVE me, I like the guy and found him the liveliest natural new personality to turn up on TV for ages. You could pick holes in what he does and how he does it, but the man himself has a surfeit of punch and charisma.
Balding, bearded, ear-ringed, and kipper-tied James "Mighty Mouth" Whale has taken a critical hammering for his late night show or "happening" since it gained promotion to a slot across most of the ITV network.
Neither he nor his producers hedge. They refer to him as Mr Controversial but since his, or the show's, blunt excesses are on screen long after any normal family has turned off and turned in, there is no point protesting about crudities, ruderies, or the occasional swear words.
[...] This kind of inquiry is what the Whale does best and his approach is halfway between chat show and alternative comedy.
He doesn't need the over the top rubbish such as offering a packet of condoms for a prize and if he could be more disciplined, without destroying his outgoing identity, he would be welcome in a more prominent part of the schedules."
