The perfect panel show’s back and -- no lie! -- funnier than ever
Just as no one can predict the chemistry that makes two people fall in love, or crack the formula for guaranteed No. 1 hits, it’s impossible to know why some tV panel shows generate endless entertainment . . . and others don’t.
Would I Lie To You? (BBC1) has returned for an umpteenth series in ten years, quicker and funnier than ever, with team captains Lee Mack and David Mitchell weaving one-liners into half an hour of inconsequential nonsense.
As they pondered over which of their guests’ tall tales were true, neither of them appeared even to be trying. Like chairman Rob Brydon, they could do this in their sleep — and we’d still watch. the format challenges us to beat the teams at spotting porkie pies.
try to replicate the success with a carbon copy, and it will fail. In 2013, Mitchell launched a show for Channel Four, based on celebrity quotes, called Was It something I said? — similar name, similar set-up, complete failure. It was cancelled after a mere eight episodes.
throughout tV history, the perfect panel show has been the holy grail of tV bosses. they got lucky in the Fifties with What’s My Line? in which four celebs — socialite handing over his mobile phone to let the prankster send a saucy text to all Ed’s friends. For Brydon and friends, he showed off his karaoke highlight, a duet of Endless Love with a trades unionist called Billy.
there’s no reason why he shouldn’t turn this lark into a full-time job. His fellow strictly dancer susan Calman is seizing her chances too, first with daytime quiz the Boss and now with another afternoon show,
Armchair Detectives (BBC1). It’s an ambitious format, with a huge production crew, though it doesn’t waste money on prizes — 15 players are competing to win a gold-plated magnifying glass. Not since Blankety Blank’s chequebook holder and pen has such tat been offered with a straight face.
Each day, a series of prerecorded scenes map out a murder, starting with the discovery of the body. A picture is rapidly pieced together of the main suspects and their motives, with clues and red herrings in abundance.
Investigating the crime are a detective inspector and his young sergeant, a man with dreadlocks peeping out from under his headband.
the fun for us — just as in Would I Lie to You? — is in puzzling out who’s telling the truth. It’s an original idea for a 45-minute gameshow, not unlike watching Midsomer Murders on fast forward.
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS