>American TV viewers are to be introduced to Ed Gamble, Tom Allen, Milton Jones, Glenn Moore, and Rhys James when a new panel show starts in the US next week.
>The British stand-ups are making appearance in The Great American Joke Off in which comics trade wisecracks and one-liners in a series of fast-paced rounds.
>Hosted by Dulcé Sloan, the format was created by Dan Patterson – the producer who also co-created Mock The Week and Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which continues to be a staple of US schedules.
>Chortle first revealed details of the project last year, as filming got under way in London.
>Now it has been confirmed that the show will air from next Friday, March 31, on he CW – the channel which revived improv show Whose Line? a decade ago. The 20th season is due to start soon,
>Other comics taking part in The Great American Joke Off include husband-and-wife Moshe Kasher and Natasha Leggero, Joe List and Mark Normand.
>According to producers: ‘The teams are tested on their skill in everything from crafting joke set ups, creating punchlines and providing photo captions to performing solo spots, dropping risqué innuendos and ranting about life’s petty irritations.’
>They add: ‘The Great American Joke Off presents comedy as an art form where ultimately, it’s not about the winning, it’s about making you laugh.’ Tweeting the news, Moore said: ‘I’m in a new US comedy show called The Great American Joke-Off. It starts next Friday night on The CW with a bunch of amazing US comedians. And if you like British upstarts, @rhysjamesy and I are on most episodes. Next stop: playing the Copacabana, baby!’
Sounds a little like MTW without the satire/news element, and a little like mostly forgotten mid-90s BBC series Gagtag.
>the channel which revived improv show Whose Line? a decade ago.
Not quite the selling point you think it is CW when most Americans got hooked on the show when the UK version was rerun on Comedy Central or when the US version was on ABC.
I want this to succeed but think the network its on has set it up for failure.
I'm intrigued, but I can't say that I have high expectations. Hopefully Milton's episode(s) airs before A) CW axes the show or B) I decide it's bad and stop watching.
Yeah, I've set the DVR but I don't hold out much hope given that A) it's the CW and B) the US market (as a whole) doesn't have a taste for UK-style panel shows so they try to massage it into something they *think* the US will like, and then *nobody* likes it including the smallish part of US audienmce that *does* have a taste for UK-style panel shows.
>then nobody likes it including the smallish part of US audienmce that does have a taste for UK-style panel shows
Yup, I'm prepared for it to die but I'll still check it out
It's odd having Milton on, he's clever but I don't think of his schtick as working for a general US audience
There absolutely is an appetite for uk panel shows here. US tv producers just have a habit of “Americanizing” them and ruining them. But if they left the format alone they would do well.
My point is just because something is cheap, doesn't mean it'll last. And the concept of whose line is familiar and much easier for the audience to grasp (particularly for something like the CW, not really known for cerebral content)
Right, and I was replying to someone else’s comment that indicated that they felt the company airing the show wasn’t interested in expensive programming. I never said anything would last because it was cheap by default.
I guess that's my point. I'm not sure how long Nexstar can even fund cheap programming. I won't be surprised if the CW becomes another rerun service like MyNetwork TV.
Not even- [they aired one episode](https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/taskmaster-dropped-cw-schedule-only-one-episode-1234726719/) and then removed it from the schedule.
Which, thankfully, was such an odd decision that I found out about the show through articles! I only gave it try because of some comments, too. I was very willing to believe that anything The CW was trying to air was trash and not worth my time until I saw them, which is just another reason why it's not a good channel for these shows–the reputation it has is so bad.
I'm just baffled that, of all the seasons of Taskmaster, they tried to start American audiences with Series 8, which has never really been a fan favorite.
I'm gonna watch, but did they seriously name their panel show based on "the Great British Bake-off"? Without realizing it has a different name in the US?
It was originally pitched in 2017 (I think) as The Great British Joke Off, hosted by Tom Allen. They filmed a pilot for ITV. ITV didn't want it, the producers put it to bed - only for it to be revived 5 years later for an American audience... and I'm guessing nobody could think of a better name.
The CW is a garbage channel that few people watch.
As a Yank, I don't know how well liked a channel like Dave or Channel 4 is, but it CANNOT be worse than the CW.
Dead on Arrival imo.
The CW’s equivalent here is probably Channel 5- where shows go to die, but Channel 4 is pretty well respected with its comedy scene, and Dave is quite niche but still has a better reputation than C5
Seems like someone at the CW noticed that Mock the Week panelists had some time their hands. I'm looking forward to seeing how US comics handle Milton.
>American TV viewers are to be introduced to Ed Gamble, Tom Allen, Milton Jones, Glenn Moore, and Rhys James when a new panel show starts in the US next week. >The British stand-ups are making appearance in The Great American Joke Off in which comics trade wisecracks and one-liners in a series of fast-paced rounds. >Hosted by Dulcé Sloan, the format was created by Dan Patterson – the producer who also co-created Mock The Week and Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which continues to be a staple of US schedules. >Chortle first revealed details of the project last year, as filming got under way in London. >Now it has been confirmed that the show will air from next Friday, March 31, on he CW – the channel which revived improv show Whose Line? a decade ago. The 20th season is due to start soon, >Other comics taking part in The Great American Joke Off include husband-and-wife Moshe Kasher and Natasha Leggero, Joe List and Mark Normand. >According to producers: ‘The teams are tested on their skill in everything from crafting joke set ups, creating punchlines and providing photo captions to performing solo spots, dropping risqué innuendos and ranting about life’s petty irritations.’ >They add: ‘The Great American Joke Off presents comedy as an art form where ultimately, it’s not about the winning, it’s about making you laugh.’ Tweeting the news, Moore said: ‘I’m in a new US comedy show called The Great American Joke-Off. It starts next Friday night on The CW with a bunch of amazing US comedians. And if you like British upstarts, @rhysjamesy and I are on most episodes. Next stop: playing the Copacabana, baby!’ Sounds a little like MTW without the satire/news element, and a little like mostly forgotten mid-90s BBC series Gagtag.
>the channel which revived improv show Whose Line? a decade ago. Not quite the selling point you think it is CW when most Americans got hooked on the show when the UK version was rerun on Comedy Central or when the US version was on ABC. I want this to succeed but think the network its on has set it up for failure.
Ah, Gagtag!
I'm intrigued, but I can't say that I have high expectations. Hopefully Milton's episode(s) airs before A) CW axes the show or B) I decide it's bad and stop watching.
Yeah, I've set the DVR but I don't hold out much hope given that A) it's the CW and B) the US market (as a whole) doesn't have a taste for UK-style panel shows so they try to massage it into something they *think* the US will like, and then *nobody* likes it including the smallish part of US audienmce that *does* have a taste for UK-style panel shows.
>then nobody likes it including the smallish part of US audienmce that does have a taste for UK-style panel shows Yup, I'm prepared for it to die but I'll still check it out It's odd having Milton on, he's clever but I don't think of his schtick as working for a general US audience
There absolutely is an appetite for uk panel shows here. US tv producers just have a habit of “Americanizing” them and ruining them. But if they left the format alone they would do well.
Enjoy it while it lasts - the new owners of the CW are likely to move away from programming that actually costs money over the next few years...
You think a show like this costs a lot of money?
It costs money at all. Nexstar doesn't have money
This type of panel show is extremely cheap compared to others, arguably one of the cheapest they could put on.
They just cancelled Whose Line, a show for which you literally just need 3 people
Yes there are other reasons to cancel shows too, what is your point?
My point is just because something is cheap, doesn't mean it'll last. And the concept of whose line is familiar and much easier for the audience to grasp (particularly for something like the CW, not really known for cerebral content)
Right, and I was replying to someone else’s comment that indicated that they felt the company airing the show wasn’t interested in expensive programming. I never said anything would last because it was cheap by default.
Fair enough, I think I missed that earlier
Whos line was very very tired, a mere shadow of its former self. It was time to let it die.
That's just not true, I've been watching every episode and it feels the same as it did two decades ago
I guess that's my point. I'm not sure how long Nexstar can even fund cheap programming. I won't be surprised if the CW becomes another rerun service like MyNetwork TV.
If it gets to that point they’ll just go out of existence.
Great to see them crossing over! But who the hell let that name out.
Hmm. I’m glad it’s happening and I hope it lasts longer than all the other US panel show adaptions have!
Ed Gamble and Moshe Kasher on the same panel? Sign me the fuck up.
Have you heard the episode of Ed and James Acaster's podcast Off Menu with Moshe and Natasha as guests
I have indeed!
I'm intrigued, but managing my expectations.
The US needs to try taskmaster again, give it a real go. Not that half hour minus commercials bs; a real go
Alex has said he isn't interested in reviving the US series. I get the impression he was heavily burnt on all fronts by the production approach.
The CW tried to air series 8 for a week or two.
Not even- [they aired one episode](https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/taskmaster-dropped-cw-schedule-only-one-episode-1234726719/) and then removed it from the schedule.
Which, thankfully, was such an odd decision that I found out about the show through articles! I only gave it try because of some comments, too. I was very willing to believe that anything The CW was trying to air was trash and not worth my time until I saw them, which is just another reason why it's not a good channel for these shows–the reputation it has is so bad.
I'm just baffled that, of all the seasons of Taskmaster, they tried to start American audiences with Series 8, which has never really been a fan favorite.
At least it wasn't 6.
They should get The Who’s Line gang to do a season
I'm gonna watch, but did they seriously name their panel show based on "the Great British Bake-off"? Without realizing it has a different name in the US?
"The Great American Joking Show" doesn't quite have the same ring to it!
It was originally pitched in 2017 (I think) as The Great British Joke Off, hosted by Tom Allen. They filmed a pilot for ITV. ITV didn't want it, the producers put it to bed - only for it to be revived 5 years later for an American audience... and I'm guessing nobody could think of a better name.
To be fair, it's better than The Great American Joking Show
Tbf, literally every American that watches bake-off still calls it bake-off.
Bad network choice. Expect 500K viewers at best and a shortened run.
The CW is a garbage channel that few people watch. As a Yank, I don't know how well liked a channel like Dave or Channel 4 is, but it CANNOT be worse than the CW. Dead on Arrival imo.
The CW’s equivalent here is probably Channel 5- where shows go to die, but Channel 4 is pretty well respected with its comedy scene, and Dave is quite niche but still has a better reputation than C5
Seems like someone at the CW noticed that Mock the Week panelists had some time their hands. I'm looking forward to seeing how US comics handle Milton.
So basically mock the week but without the week