Comedy panel gameshows have been a staple for 'thetvreviewguy' since he started the column; one mark of a half-decent show is longevity i.e. how long has it been running? While this can allow for the chaff (James Corden, seemingly great guy but...'A League of their Own' anyone?'), a certain amount of quality comedy wheat will be fit for harvest too, and despite running high on the irritability scale sometimes, '8 out of 10 Cats' (Channel 4), is doing something right. Jimmy Carr is the wise ass's, wise ass; rapid-fire one liners,
nasty/waspish turns of phrase (take your pick depending on your sense of humour) and, is a more than able ringmaster for team captains, professional curmudgeon Sean Locke and young pretender Jon Richardson. Add in some cracking guests like Sara Millican, and you've the makings for some excellent Friday night entertainment. Carr, once an aspirant to Enfant-Terrible of British Comedy, has mellowed in recent years; he's a generous host, allowing his team captains to shine. TV comedy relies a lot on predictibility; is that comedian likeable, is that format reassuring? While '8 Out of Ten Cats' doesn't score highly on the originality scale, it keeps 'thetvreviewguy' happy and is now main foundation stones of part of Friday night chill out TV. Jimmy Carr may be more acidic and edgy live but has found his niche as amiable and, occasionally, irritating, host.
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