Fazzinchi

Christmas Review #8 of 12

Another one of those “traditions” that has only been with us for a few years now is the Big Fat Quiz of the Year.  Channel4 ’s roll of the dice in the overly used “comedy quiz” genre, while being yet another part of Jimmy Carr’s ambition to take over the whole of light entertainment.  Divided into six sections each accounting for two months of the preceeding year, Mr Carr sets the questions to three teams of two personalities.  The object of the exercise is to answer as many questions as you can (more…)

Actually, It’s Quite Funny

mock·er·y [pronunciation: mok-uh-ree]
-noun, plural -er·ies

1. ridicule, contempt or derision.
2. a derisive, imitative action or speech.
3. a subject or occasion of derision.
4. something absurdly or offensively inadequate or unfitting.

Sarcasm, when you think about it, is a very odd basis upon which to design a quiz show, but there it is, right in the title of (more…)

Christmas Review #6 of 12

The Big Fat Quiz of The Year is now in it’s third (?) year and the 2006 installment was genius.  Jimmy Carr and Jonathan Ross together have something of a monopoly on the light entertainment merry-go-round so it was no surprise to see them in action, David Walliams and Rob Brydon are no strangers to it either and Cat Deely… was also there.  However, it was the pairing of Mighty Boosh’s Noel Fielding and rising star/national hate figure* (* delete as applicable), Russell Brand, that (more…)

Who’s Gonna Win It?

The excitement is ramping up in the knowledge that the first quarter-millionaire has already been crowned in Deal Or No Deal’s Bristol studio, one wonders whether the contestant is already positioned in the West Wing or East Wing on our screens, unaware of their forthcoming infamy and fortune.  Back at the start of 2006, I wrote about this “little TV gem” that was hidden away in the schedules and, with rare accuracy, I predicted (more…)

Julian Fellows Presides

I stumbled across a lovely little quiz show on BBC4 the other week that I feel must have stemmed from the recent increase in interest in the English language that came about following Lynn Truss’s book (or is that “…Truss’ book”?), the incredibly successful “Eats, Shoots and Leaves”. Never Mind The Full Stops is a quirky panel show burrowed away in the depths of BBC4’s late night schedule, that is hosted by the delightful Julian Fellows who positively bristles at the common misuse and (more…)

Another Tate Incarnation
The third season of The Catherine Tate Show is being shown as one of three show’s that form BBC2’s Thursday night of comedy and is carrying on is exactly the same format and style as we’ve seen before. There are moments of genius in there… and while it’s a bit of a one trick pony, I don’t think I’ll ever tire of Lauren’s “Does my face look bovvered?” or the nan character who swears like a trooper. The newer character’s are a little hit and miss though: the office worker who (more…)