Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1988–1999) User Reviews

A comedy show you have to pay attention to

[corner-2 · 9/10 · 10 June 2006]

I once had a conversation with some people about "Whose Line Is It Anyway". One intelligent, educated young man said he didn't like to watch it because "you have to pay attention." In other words, for him (and a few tens of millions of others) television entertainment is meant only to pass the time, not to keep you interested. On the other hand, for anyone who wants to be totally glued to the set, listening carefully for every line, this is a wonderful show.

The original, British MC, Clive Anderson, is far superior to the American version's Drew Carey, who seems to kill some of the humor (or humour, if you are British). But the cast of four improv comics are astonishing, and are funny more of the time than sitcom performers working with a carefully written script.

If you want your comedy really laugh-out-loud funny rather than just amusing enough to spend a half hour with, this show is for you.

I Like The American Version A Bit Better, But This Is Still A Wonderful Show (SPOILERS)

[I_Am_The_Taylrus · 9/10 · 18 September 2007]

SPOILERS

I have managed to catch a couple episodes of the British Whose Line Is It Anyway, and I must say, it was incredibly funny. As I mentioned before, I enjoy the American version a little more, but if you watch them side-by-side, you will realize that they are both two great shows that should still be on. You will also see that a lot of the people in the American version are in the British version, and I enjoy that a lot, but I also get to see a lot of the talented and funny British comedians, too, so that is also great.

Here is the basis. It is practically the same. A group of comedians to improvisation games together. After all of the games, the host decides who the winner is. However, whoever wins still plays the last game with the other contestants.

Overall, this is a terrific and very funny show that, from the episodes I have seen, was a wonderful show right until the very end. Anyway, this, like the American version, is hilarious and you would not want to miss it.

9/10

Recommended Shows: Whose Line Is It Anyway, Thank God You're Here.

The rise of improvise...

[k_mobius1 · 9/10 · 18 June 2008]

4 comedians play various improv games for the amusement of the audience and are supposedly given points over the course of the game. The winner gets to read the credits in an unusual way.

It's only by virtue of UKTV G2 (or Dave, as it now prefers) that I'm able to watch re-runs of this. And I think it's a gem of a programme which has never failed to raise a laugh yet.

Clive Anderson, as host, remained dignified even when he was the butt of the jokes, and the improvisers themselves have unbelievably quick wits. Stiles and Mochrie were obviously the stars of the show, but others such as Greg Proops, Josie Lawrence and my personal favourite Tony Slattery all managed to put on strong performances time after time. It would be great to see this return to British shores sometime, even if only for a one-off special.

And God said let there be comedy...And he created Whose Line is it Anyway

[DontMochMe · 15 November 2000]

The god of comedy that is. I would give this show, on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best), a...10000000(etc) If you have not seen this show, a crime in some states, you absolutely MUST see it! Besides being a British comedy fan overall, the contestants are hilarious! Dare I say you've heard of the mighty Proopdog, Greg Proops, or King of Innuendo, Tony Slattery, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Josie Lawrence...Somebody stop me, I could go on forever! Why are they so great? you dare ask... Well, for starters, they make everything up on the spot aka IMPROV! Can you do that...As good as they can? Of course not! Once, I laughed so hard I began choking on the Twiglets I was eating. (To my fellow Americans: A Twiglet is a British pretzel/bisquit type thing.) With all the games they play (all improv mind you) you'll be thanking me for recommending you to this wonderful show. Oh, yes, if I haven't mentioned it before, Clive Anderson is a comical genius (he's the host). So, you know what to do! Stop reading this and go watch it! GO! Well, the channel would help...Comedy Central, (9:30 and 2:00, but that is central) Ciao!

Bring this show back, please!

[Metalfairy · 10/10 · 17 January 2008]

I do not think I have watched any comedy series without laughing 90% of every single show. The guests have always been top notch (perhaps with the exception of Ardal O Hanlon) and they never fail to make me laugh. This is what I believe to be true comedy, the art of improvisation. You get something different every time and it must require great talent to adapt to these situations so quickly! Highlights of this programme include Party Quirks and Standing, sitting, bending. Clive Anderson makes a very droll host. I believe the British version to be superior due to less whooping from the audience (although the American audiences are better participators!). Although we have our fair share of great comedians on here including Tony Slattery, Jim Sweeney and Josie Lawrence to name but a few, the Americans and Canadians bring a fair share of laughter. My particular favourite is Ryan Stiles, who in my eyes is a modern comedy genius! Closely followed by the lovely Colin Mochrie.

I thoroughly recommend this program. Comedy has never been done so good.

"This courtroom is a mochrie!"

[kclambeth · 10/10 · 8 February 2008]

I am so glad DAVE started playing these as i had only seen the US version and clips on youtube until then.

It is one of the most hilarious shows on TV and far superior to the US version; don't get me wrong, i do like the American one but got bored of the same performers each time, it became real repetitive. The skill of the improvisation is amazing in the British version especially in the dreaded hoe-down.

What i like most about this version is the versatility of the performers, you had Brits, Americans, Canadians, Australians and maybe more that i can't even think of. Each of the performers had their own individual talents; Josie Lawrence and Mike McShane naturals at 'song styles' whilst Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie worked great together in 'scene to music' or 'sound effects'.

My favourtite player is Tony Slattery as he always has me in stitches but everyone is brilliant including Josie, Mike, Ryan, Colin, Steve Frost, Paul Merton, Jim Sweeney, Niall Ashdown and many more.

My other favourite player is Greg Proops, he has such wit and the banter between him and Clive Anderson is very funny. I love Clive as the host, he his so sharp witted (unlike Drew Carey who makes me want to switch off the TV every time he speaks) There is a huge selection of games too,some of my favourites being 'film and theatre styles', 'Party quirks', 'bartender' and 'superhereos'. There are some dodgy ones though (i'm not keen on 'moving people' or 'helping hands' much) but the games and players are always different so you never get bored.

I hope it keeps playing on the DAVE channel so others who missed it first time round can see it now.

Best improvised comedy show ever

[maria-von-trapp · 10/10 · 5 February 2008]

I hadn't seen this show until it was repeated on Dave. I became aware of it after seeing The Comedy Store Players, a group of comedians which includes Josie Lawrence.

I enjoy the unpredictability of Whose Line is it Anyway and the diversity of the performers. The fact that the show had both English and American comedians made it better.

The best performance ever had to be when Josie Lawrence and Caroline Quentin sung a duet about a beached whale. Admitedly that description may not sound funny, but if you've seen it you'll know how good it was.

Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles were a great double act. They were particularly good at the round where they were given two completely random lines to incorporate into a sketch.

Other improv shows such as Mock The Week are good, but Whose Line is it Anyway will always be the king of Improvised Comedy shows

Fresh and entertaining improv.

[CrassActionHero · 10/10 · 15 July 2006]

I discovered this show years ago and wow is this funny! Unlike the American version, this show had no restrictions and anything goes with the improvisers. Also unlike the lame version of todays "Whose Line", the games at times where played by other improvisers that made things fresh. Song styles before becoming about the same thing every time by Wayne Brady, were actually funny and were about different things. I remember when Mike McShane and Josie Lawrence did a song styles and the song was about kitty litter. Greg Proops did news flash once in a while instead of Colin all the time, and I loved the game Helping Hands. My personal favorite improvisers are: Paul Mertin, Tony Slattery, and Greg Proops. The ongoing war between Greg Proops and Clive Anderson was always funny, how the improvisers will say that Clive has no neck, and Clive Anderson is a MUCH better host than O SO BORING Drew Carey.

The Last Word: The British Version Ruled. Want decent improv without the restrictions and with humor? Tune in, It rules.

Best Comdey Show In The World!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[xbadwolfx · 10/10 · 4 December 2007]

Well what can i say it's the best comedy show i have ever seen in my life. I was too young to remember the original series some of the early ones i was not even born to see but thanks to one UK TV channel bring it back i am now hooked. I never miss an ep (thank you digibox that records). I have never seen anything so funny. The guests they have are simple amazing. Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie are the best comic's i've seen in years and i think they make the show.

I have started watching the US version but it's not as good because somethings i don't understand what they are talking about because some words are different in the US.

I think this show should be brougth back and make new eps here in the UK as it will bring a new audience of people who missed it the first time.

If you have not seen it you should go and watch!!!!!!!

True comedy

[jimnamman · 10/10 · 16 December 2018]

This is true comedy just awesome Laughter tears streaming every episode

Decent comedy that aged well

[interestingstuff · 7/10 · 18 August 2022]

This is a decent comedy that aged well and many of the jokes are still funny and relevant today. The only issue I have is that it gets repetitive after a while so if you try to binge watch this, you might get bored after 20-30 episodes so don't binge watch it. You should probably space out episodes while watching this on any platform.

Warped, witty, and diverse.

[nonficshaun · 10/10 · 12 August 2019]

The UK version was the best, although some early episodes could result in too many blanks from performers as they got off topic and played on a performer's idea instead of Clive's guidance. The mix of comedians was always welcome, but by the time it went to the US it seemed too reliant upon Hoe Downs and song and dance with Drew and Wayne. However, depending on what kind of comedy you prefer, there is a season that will speak to you. A lot of celebrity guests seemed out of their element also, so the real gems are when only skilled improv comedians are gathered as they keep the flow solid and tears flowing from laughter. I just wish some streaming service could get rights to every season so we could watch the evolution of the show and appreciate the diverse nature of so many fantastically warped minds!

This made me pee my pants.

[chthon2 · 29 July 2003]

That's right, I said it. I normally wouldn't be this honest, but this is the internet, so no one knows who I am anyway. Mike McShane said something about a German U-boat once, and I was already laughing so hard, that did it. I couldn't hold it in anymore. Luckily, I was watching it alone in my room at the time, so no one saw (this was when I was still in high school and in my parents house). I don't see how you couldn't laugh at this show. To do improv is a truly hard thing, but these people pull it off. One of the greatest shows EVER.

Funniest Sketch Comedy Programme Since Monty Python's Flying Circus, and Superior to Many Scripted Shows

[classicalsteve · 10/10 · 23 May 2011]

High quality sketch comedy was dormant for about 15 years after the last episodes of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" aired before another rivaled it. By the 1990's, the UK improv television show, "Whose Line Is It Anyway?", was the first sketch comedy show to equal the originality of Monty Python, even when you take into consideration Saturday Night Live which has always been rather mixed in the effectiveness and funny department. The later US version of "Whose Line" was decent but was never quite as entertaining as the original British offering which had a subtle spontaneity lacking from most other comedy shows on both sides of the pond.

Unlike "Flying Circus" and "Saturday Night Live" which were scripted, "Whose Line Is It Anyway" was entirely improvised. The host, Clive Anderson, would moderate four comedian/contestants and contrive interesting and often wacky scenarios upon which the contestants would then improvise. These could be scenes, songs, or just dialog. Aside from Anderson's often quirky settings, inspiration could come from the audience members whom Anderson would ask to come up with characters and/or places which the contestants would then act on. At the end of each show, Anderson would decide the winner who would read the credits in a style of Anderson's choosing.

One of the reasons the show worked so well was the endless plethora of material since the performers could act out any situation, which could be a bank, a prison, a hardware store, or any number of settings, either mundane or sophisticated. They enacted scenes in the style of genre movies, like westerns and horror movies, film noir and romance. They could act out historical figures, movie/television actors, or characters completely made up. One favorite was having three of the performers each play a character with some strange quirk (like one person believing he's Superman) and arrive at a party in which the host has to figure out who they are. Another was a scene in which two performers have a dialog in which they can only ask questions. They even improvised the lyrics of songs which always stunned me.

Many great stand-up and comedic talent were put through Anderson's ringers, and I don't believe there was ever a weak link. However, two talents stood out beyond most of the rest (in more ways than one), which were the American Ryan Stiles and the Scotsman Colin Mochrie. Whenever either of them were among the performers, and particularly if both were at Anderson's disposal, you were guaranteed an half hour of incredible comedic entertainment. I honestly don't know how these guys did what they did. Their improvised lines were as good and often better than scripted TV shows being shown on other stations. In one scene, Mochire and Stiles are at a bank vault. Whiles Stiles is pretending to be sealing the vault, Mochrie says "Why are you putting my wife in there?" Without a moment's hesitation, Stiles replies, "Collateral."

Despite much of the mediocre shows offered by the networks in the 1990's, particularly in the United States (barring Seinfeld) "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" demonstrated how much mileage could be gotten without a huge budget or elaborate productions. There were no sets, no costumes, no writers, and no scripts. Only four performers, a stage, an occasional chair or two, and a moderator. And ten years of some of the funniest television I have ever seen. Saturday Night Live, eat your heart out.

Formative viewing

[Leofwine_draca · 10/10 · 28 April 2019]

And so here we have it, one of the formative TV shows of my youth and one that gave me a life-long love of improvisation. I've just watched the full ten-year run of the original UK version of WHOSE LINE? for the first time and every single episode ranged from good to fantastic. It's a real labour of love for those involved, a show that popularised the amazing talents of endless genuinely funny performers.

Watching it from the beginning is a treat, because you get Josie Lawrence all fresh-faced and full of song and laughter; the irresistable Tony Slattery, stealing every round he's in, Greg Proops, the loud but lovable American talent, alongside the gradual introduction and growth of Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles as they came to dominate and own the show. And it wouldn't be WHOSE LINE? without Mr. No Neck himself, Clive Anderson, who brings real wit to his role as host. Yes, the show unfortunately became a bit too Americanised in the last couple of series, and the sacking or retiring of certain performers continues to smart, but overall this is masterful stuff that continues to enchant. It's instantly preferable to most other TV comedy shows of the last three decades.

Organised chaos...

[Yak-6 · 13 May 1999]

This is a great show. You never really know what is going to happen next, particularly if Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Greg Proops and/or Tony Slattery are playing. All the same, I still think the British version is funnier than the American version.

Improv at its best

[sngbrd39 · 22 August 2000]

As many people have pointed out before, this is one of the very few IMDb entries with absolutely no completely negative reviews. This honor is well deserved. IMHO, "Whose Line" is the funniest show on TV, and it's great that we are once again seeing the British version in America. I missed it the first time around, so it was a new experience to me when I sat in front of the TV on New Year's Day watching the marathon which heralded its return to Comedy Central. I had been hooked on the American version ever since it started, so I was curious as to how good the British ones were. I was not disappointed in the least. The British version is just as funny as the American, at times, even funnier. I just wish I understood more of the British references, like those to Jeremy Beatle or the movie "El Dorado" which I have yet to figure out.

It's kind of funny to see how the performers who we still see on the American version have changed and aged since the British ones. Josie Lawrence is the biggest example. When she made an appearance on the American "Whose Line", she had whacked off a lot of that long, beautiful hair of hers. Also, she looked a lot paler and her voice was deeper. Seeing these changes just testifies to the lasting power of the show, which barely missed a beat coming to America from England. May it be on as long in America as it was in England (even though its timeslot across from "Friends" won't help much)!

TONY RULES

[lowerexpo · 19 February 2003]

The best thing about this show was Tony Slattery. He was the best improviser on the show, ever since he did he first show. He brought unpredictability to the show. He even did crazy impersonations, funny dances, and was not afraid to do anything. He even comes up with the best hoedowns.

Yes, Ryan and Colin are classic performers, but Tony was the real deal. He made me laugh the most. He defined Whose Line. Some word of advice to ABC: BRING TONY BACK.

There is nothing better than this show!

[kona95 · 19 August 2000]

Whose Line is it Anyway will always be my favorite show of all time. Why? Well, of the millions of reasons I have, I'll give you a couple. 1- Clive. Clive Anderson is always hilarious, whether it's a battle of wits with Greg Proops (usually) or any of the other contestants, or his banter with the audience about their suggestions, he's always quick with a comeback and gets a laugh from everyone. Even though he's (only slightly!) losing his hair and, as the contestants say, he 'has no neck', Clive will always be the better of the two hosts. 2- The Contestants. Almost everyone who comes on this show is wonderful, from the quick wits of Greg Proops to the amazing physical comedy of Ryan Stiles, from the rubbery faced Canadian Colin Mochrie, to the shocking innuendo of my personal favorite, the adorable Tony Slattery. Josie Lawrence, Mike McShane, Caroline Quentin, and Brad Sherwood have the most amazing IMPROVISED songs ever produced (Wayne from the US one is wonderful, too), Rory Bremner's voices, Paul Merton's jabs at Clive, and Steve Frost's grinning face during his specialty game, 'Old Job, New Job', always put a smile on my face. The only REALLY bad performer they ever had was Archie Hahn, who barely ever got a laugh. Fortunately, he was only on 9(?) times, so we don't have to complain about how he ruined the show to our family members too often. 3. The Games- Sure, there are a million games, and sure, some of them are stupid (Fixed Expressions and Authors always seem to go on a bit long), but the others are priceless. Party Quirks is a game usually played, where one contestant (usually Tony Slattery or Greg Proops) is the host of a party. The other three have been assigned strange 'quirks' that they have to act out during the game, and the host has to guess what those quirks are. Hoedown is a singing game, where all four have to make up a one-verse song in the form of a hoedown, the subject of which is suggested by the studio audience. Alphabet (where two contestants act out a scene using successive letters of the alphabet) is always good fun because they usually mess up, and World's Worst (where the four stand on a step and step forward when they come up with an example of the World's Worst something, like president of the world, flatmate, or thing for a doctor to say) is almost always hilarious. If this review hasn't convinced you to see this show, look at the others and notice that as of now, there are NO BAD REVIEWS ABOUT THIS SHOW. It's on at 9:30am and 2pm on weekdays (also 9:30pm on Tuesdays), 10-11am Saturday, and 10am Sunday. I hope I convinced you!!

Best show on TV-PERIOD!

[DarkHelmet-1 · 28 April 2001]

This show is hilarious! Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Tony Slattery, Josie Lawrence, Steve Frost, Mike McShane, and Paul Merton are all on my list of the funniest people alive! And Clive Anderson makes a great moderator-type host! A classic! Anyone who is thinking about ever doing improv should see it!

A laugh riot

[Tito-8 · 30 December 1998]

This is probably the funniest show in the history of television. Although the first couple of seasons probably had more misses than hits, this show has cranked out nothing but uproariously funny episodes for several years now. Even as great as the new American version is, the British original is still even better. Maybe it's because of Clive...

Mike McShane

[Jonah14 · 5 January 2000]

It's too bad the American version never invited Mike McShane to the new version, as Ryan Stiles was. McShane was probably the best of either series. Maybe sometime they will. Until then, I'll have to stick to the Comedy Central UK reruns.

Improvisation at its best!

[RueMorgue · 31 May 2000]

Many of my friends simply don't understand British comedy. Greats such as "Monty Python's Flying Circus", "Black Adder", and "Are You Being Served?" are mis-understood by many North Americans, although they are some of the funniest shows on television.

With the introduction of the original "Who's Line Is It Anyway?", improv was brought into the home by the people who could do it the best... and the result is spectacular. The only regular appearance throughout the life of this show was the host, Clive Anderson. He does an excellent job at pulling the show together, introducing the skits, and bantering back and forth with the contestants. In particular, his on-screen disagreements and arguments with Greg Proops in the latter years of this show provide raw and unrehearsed comedic entertainment, often at the expense of Clive's balding head.

Overall, the performers on this show know their comedy. Skits are done at the drop of a hat, with no advance knowledge by the contestants of what sort of antics will be required to pull them off. Games such as 'Scenes From A Hat', 'Film Dub', 'Questions Only', and the infamous 'Hoe Down', only serve to display the comedic talents of the contestants, allowing them to amaze and surprise the viewer with their seemingly endless quips, jabs, and one-liners.

From the witty John Sessions in the early years, to the comedic improv super-duo of Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles in the later years, and who can forget the hyper-but-fantastic Tony Slattery, this show has entertained me for many years, and will continue to do so for a long time to come, as I just can't seem to stop watching the re-runs on cable.

My Rating: 10/10

Variable but often brilliant

[standardmetal · 1 June 2003]

Yes, the British version was perhaps better and Drew isn't Clive but he's not bad. But I also thought Greg vs. Clive was among the highlights of the British series. Everyone vs. Drew is also funny at times, especially when Drew gets that look when he knows what's coming, but somehow the British-American repartee works better in my opinion.

Except for Drew, the cast members at the end of the British version were pretty much the same as the American version.

I never cared much for the "three-headed" singing but Wayne's song improv is quite brilliant. (I suspect the music part is somewhat rehearsed and the words improvised to the music. I would imagine several musical styles might be prepared in advance.) I think the game where they sing to an audience member is a bit embarrassing and I only hope they give their permission to be "picked" beforehand.

Very funny!

[Monika-5 · 9 October 2000]

No one can host this show as great as Clive Anderson did (sorry, Drew Carey). The improvers, of course, are spectacular. Many of them (Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Wayne Brady, Greg Proops, Brad Sherwood) can be seen on the current American series, as well as some of the same games. Why mess with success?