Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping

Still waiting for the punch line. It's just not funny. Previous work either by or featuring Mitchell and Webb has been excellent, this is the opposite. I don't really understand what it's attempting to do, taken individual stand up comedians, funny in their own right but then put them into not very well conceived "sketches".

That ratio speaks for itself. This is a very poorly written comedy sketch show. Each episode has 5 or 6 skippable sketches and one or two that raised a small smile, or at least feel neatly observed. Too many sketches are paper thin premises which then outstay their welcome by three or four minutes.

When they have half decent material (the airport bit, the therapist), Mitchell & Webb's chemistry works well. But too often I was so bored. It's like watching a poorly written student show.

Mitchell & Webb have been my favourite comedy duo ever since their BBC Radio programme, That Mitchell & Webb Sound. I can happily listen to old episodes of that, even knowing them all practically off by heart now. Some of the best gags ever! (e.g. Free the Mad Bears; Snooker Commentators; Touching Cloth)

That Mitchell & Webb Look, which followed, was very clearly a TV version of the radio show, with a few extras thrown in for good measure - but it kept the razor sharp script, almost word for word, so it was destined for greatness.

This series isn't an offshoot from a carefully written radio programme and it really shows. Much as I love them both, this just isn't very funny. The odd good idea, but mostly too silly, over-long and relying on swearing - someone must have told them it's all of a sudden a brilliant comedy trope.

Not their best.

I think there's a couple of awkward bits that don't land, I didn't really get the Aussie thing and that ran way too long but overall I enjoyed it and want them to keep doing more and get better as the alternative is there won't be anymore and limited chances in the future, I'm loathed to mark things at 1s and 2s especially when undeserved as you run the risk of shows getting cancelled before having a real chance to succeed, this wasn't bad, it isn't as good as the old sketch one they did but unfortunately they've been used for some box ticking.

An American, a black guy, a girl with hearing disability were 3/4 extras and I actually am a fan of Kiell, Lara and especially Stevie, I thought Krystal added the least and couldn't understand her casting. They shouldn't have been portrayed as equals, they should've been in a few scenes as extras, I'll never understand how forcing people into things was the solution for equality but the lack of sketches with just M&W really hurts the show. They all had the odd moment but let's be honest I'd guess 95% just wanted more Mitchell and Webb skits, even if they'd made it a new series of the old sketch show.

Also the name! I don't get it? It is awkward, the mai. Titles aren't engaging and the writers room stuff is embarrassing. There is bad parts and funny parts, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and hope series 2 irons out these problems and focuses on the people the audience actually want to see!

Sketch shows seem to have gone out of fashion, especially those where the sketches are based on a premise rather than familiar characters with peculiar quirks who the audience comes to know and love.

Just from the first episode, it looks like Big Talk Studios have taken a risk by reintroducing the premise-based genre with potential to grow the character-based aspect and with the added twist of the writers' room analysis which was often as funny as the sketches themselves.

The luggage and therapy sketches were amongst my faves in the first episode but there weren't any complete duds.

Some of David and Robert's historic sketches will undoubtedly live on for decades to come and while I'm not sure many from e1 will have such an enduring connection it was refreshing to see some really novel ideas and twists that genuinely raised a laugh - something little of modern scripted TV manages to achieve for me.

Sketch is back baby - for now at least - and I'm here for it.