The Clive Anderson Years

[FormerMod-a1]

This is the place to discuss all things related to the British "Whose Line".

I got hooked on this show 15?(yikes) years ago when Comedy Central was showing the British "Whose Line". I loved everybody from Tony Slaughtery to Josie Lawrence to the ever ubiquitous Ryan and Colin

[DeepPoet117]

The UK Whose Line is what got me hooked on British comedy. I watched the reruns on Comedy Central when I was a young teenager, and then when I got older I found episodes on YouTube, so I started watching. Then I fell in love with Paul Merton and began watching Have I Got News for You, which led me to Mock the Week, then QI and Would I Lie to You, and Big Fat Quiz of the Year, and now I'm pretty much a huge Anglophile/lover of British television, and it's all thanks to Whose Line is it Anyway!

[rujasu]

Clive was a great host, and the later years of the UK version are just as brilliant as anything done in the US.  From what I've seen though, the first season or two was pretty brutal.  Some of the games like "Authors" go completely over my head, and they were clearly working the kinks out of what would eventually become the classic games we all know and love.

[Demented Daisy]

 Clive has always been my favorite host.  Drew (and now Aisha) let the games go on too long, I think.  

 

My favorite episode was probably the Christmas episode -- with Tony Slattery, Greg Proops, Josie Lawrence, Sandy Toksvig, Paul Merton, and Mike McShane.

 

I wish they had put more than the first 2 seasons on dvd. 

[solotrek]

Drew (and now Aisha) let the games go on too long, I think.

 

I think the UK version sometimes had the games too short to fit more in.  So sometimes right when they're really hitting their stride, it's over. But I do think that longer games can ruin a good game more than a short one. Clive had a fun way of interacting with the performers that's pretty different from Aisha and Drew.  He and Greg and him and Tony were great and trading barbs.

 

It's a shame Mike McShane, who is an American, never made an appearance on the US version. He was a fantastic singer.  I have to admit that Ryan was my favorite even in the UK version, but Josie, Steve Frost, Stephen Fry, Tony Slattery, Colin, Greg, Chip, and Paul Merton were all fantastic.  Some of the early US tapings, the ones in NYC in season 3 or 4(?) where they were trying out new American improv-ers were really bad. I don't think they ever brought back to the UK any of those people who they found for the shows in NYC aside from the pre-established people (Greg, Ryan, Colin, Chip, Brad).

[LadyNebula]

I think the UK version sometimes had the games too short to fit more in.  So sometimes right when they're really hitting their stride, it's over. But I do think that longer games can ruin a good game more than a short one. Clive had a fun way of interacting with the performers that's pretty different from Aisha and Drew.  He and Greg and him and Tony were great and trading barbs.

 

It's a shame Mike McShane, who is an American, never made an appearance on the US version. He was a fantastic singer.  I have to admit that Ryan was my favorite even in the UK version, but Josie, Steve Frost, Stephen Fry, Tony Slattery, Colin, Greg, Chip, and Paul Merton were all fantastic.  Some of the early US tapings, the ones in NYC in season 3 or 4(?) where they were trying out new American improv-ers were really bad. I don't think they ever brought back to the UK any of those people who they found for the shows in NYC aside from the pre-established people (Greg, Ryan, Colin, Chip, Brad).

Mike McShane is brilliant.  When he appeared, I knew I was in for a treat, especially if he sang with Josie.  I loved Tony Slattery as well.

[ExplainItAgain]

I mentioned this in another thread, but what I loved about the Clive years was the variety of games they did. They must have had about 30 different games in the rotation. Aisha's version seems to use about 8-10 games in rotation. Every now and then a random Foreign Film Dub or Sound Effects shows up, but considering Helping Hands and Living Scenery are two of my least favorite games ever, I wish they had a few more in rotation. I'm surprised they don't do Superheroes now with how big all that stuff is.

 

My favorites were Chip, Ryan and Tony Slattery. Mike McShane and Greg Proops were hilarious as well.

[Neon Clear]

I'm not a fan of Clive Anderson, I felt like he spent a long time explaining each game and then was quick to hit the buzzer and end the games. His comments at the end of the games often sounded like a school principle's attempt to be hip. He felt more like an executive than somebody who is part of the comedic process. 

[ExplainItAgain]

I'm not a fan of Clive Anderson, I felt like he spent a long time explaining each game and then was quick to hit the buzzer and end the games. His comments at the end of the games often sounded like a school principle's attempt to be hip. He felt more like an executive than somebody who is part of the comedic process. 

 

Haha, see I kind of liked that! He was like the principal scolding the naughty children. Drew's version was a complete 180 in the other direction and I feel like Aisha's is kind of in the middle. But I don't like when she gets involved in the games. It actually might have been nice if someone else was the host and Aisha could be a great female 4th chair since the pickings are slim in that area.

 

Do you prefer Drew or Aisha Neon Clear?

[FormerMod-a1]

4 minutes ago, ChlcGirl said:

I remember when I first saw the British version on Comedy Central.  God, I had actual tears running down my face.  Memories ....

Moved from KODTVTM discussion since it's only about WLIIA.  What are some of your favorite moments or episodes?  I do remember just loving this show, and Clive and the whole variety of improvisors they had on, even though they did still have Colin, Ryan, Greg, etc.

[Loandbehold]

I loved how Josie Lawrence and Tony Slattery played off each other. Also, I think Tony was the best host of Party Quirks.

[FormerMod-a1]

I agree. I loved him. I miss Josey, too.

[Sarah 103]

In high-school, I started watching reruns of the Clive Anderson version of Whose Line Is It Anyway and loved the show.  In college, I did a summer semester abroad in London. We had access to discount tickets for an improv club, so I bought one of the tickets. Off to the side of the stage, I thought I saw a woman who looked like Josie Lawrence but I thought, "It couldn't be her. She was on TV. She wouldn't be at some random improv club." As it turns out, it was her. It was before smartphones and I didn't have my camera with me so I didn't get a picture with her. I did get her autograph after the show. She was impressed I knew her from Whose Line Is It Anyway . I guess she didn't realize the British version was rerun in America for as long as it had been.