Did we like it?
In the past, this comedy sketch show has occasionally managed to score more hits than misses – but flops swamped winners in this edition.
What was good about it?
• Da Rolf Harris Code starring Tom Hanks as “the same character he plays in every film” and Sir Ian McKellen as “the token British expert”, examining the Opus G’Day cult headed by three Jake the Pegs.
• The mutation of the Arctic Monkeys into George Formby
• Hazel Irvine presenting an impoverished, doomed Grandstand (after putting 5p in the meter) and interviewing Sven. “Steve McClaren has proven he’s a worthy successor to me with his clandestine affair with his secretary.”
• The quality of the impressions of John Simm as Sam Tyler, that horrible witch from 10 Years Younger, Charles Clarke, Ozzy Osbourne, Noel Edmonds and Patricia Prescott
• The continuity announcement: “On EastEnders tonight, Sonia and Martin fight for sole custody of the scowl.”
• Shane Richie in Hollywood trying to impress a camp, grinning agent with his plans for Daz Doorstep Challenge: The Movie – “this time it’s biological”
• Cherie Blair’s everything-must-go sale before she leaves Downing Street
What was bad about it?
• With the Labour government in disarray, the time was ripe for scathing topical humour, yet the Tony Blair sketches were forgettable, Charles Clarke as a Jamaican crimelord failed to work, Gordon Brown hiding in the cupboard was a neat idea but could have been funnier, and there were only lame jokes at the expense of John Prescott, a sex god in a dressing gown
• The rubbish impersonations of Steve McClaren and Adrian Chiles
• Failed parodies of Dragon’s Den, The Apprentice and Deal Or No Deal
• None of the pretend news items raised a smile
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