The Drew Carey Years

[FormerMod-a1]

... or as I call it " The return of Whose Line. YAY!"

Discuss all "Whose Line" during Drew Carey years here.

[rujasu]

The American Whose Line is the one I first watched any significant amount of, and it's the one I got hooked on.  I think Colin, Ryan, and Wayne were all at their best during these years.  Most of the fourth chairs were excellent.  Best of all, the guest stars were a rarity, and were actually relevant rather than "I'm going to stand around awkwardly while the host plugs my show and the comics try to work around my dead weight."  That's not to say there weren't bad guest spots, but you didn't have 1-2 dead segments during every single show.

I liked Drew Carey as a host, and to me he wasn't necessarily better or worse than Clive.  He brought his own style as a host, and while he didn't have Clive's subtle wit, he had plenty of enthusiasm and great chemistry with the regulars.  His constant "points don't matter" jokes were dumb, but they kinda grew on me.  (In contrast with Aisha, at least Drew bothered to make a joke about it!)  I actually enjoyed when he would join in for a game at the end of the show (depending on which game -- never liked Helping Hands much).  He didn't have the same knack for improv as the regulars, but he still new how to be funny.  Also, he was the only regular on the show who actually looked like he enjoyed Hoedown.

Wayne Brady really added a lot to the show, and making him a regular was the right call.  Unfortunately, the downside of this was that they were left with only one rotating cast member.  I'm not a huge fan of the really early UK stuff where you could have a completely different cast of four every week, but it was, and is, restricting having only one slot open for some of the really talented rotating players.

[FormerMod-a1]

One of my favorite celebrity guests in this era was Richard Simmons.  I'm at work or I'd post a link to his run at Living Scenery.  One of the funniest bits of television of all time, IMO.

[rujasu]

Yeah, Richard Simmons was one of the people on my mind when I was thinking of guest stars being better.

[AntiBeeSpray]

Yea I remember when he was on the show. Also I really loved when Robin Williams was on it and when Sid Caesar was. Both of whom were really good. Anyone remember the sound effects clip where the two older ladies failed at it? Man I love that one XD.

[Jiggle Billy]

Robin Williams Commits Suicide

 

Robin Williams has committed suicide.

 

The Oscar-winning actor/comedian killed himself in Tiburon, in Northern California.   His people tell us he's been recently battling severe depression.

 

According to the Marin County Sheriff's Office ... authorities found Williams' body inside his home.  They say he was found unresponsive.

 

He was unconscious and not breathing and the coroner suspects suicide due to asphyxia.

 

Williams was last seen alive at his house at 10 PM Sunday night.

 

Robin went back to rehab last month to focus on his sobriety.  We're told alcohol was an issue.

 

Williams struggled with cocaine and alcohol abuse in the early '80s but was sober for 20 years ... with the exception of a stint in rehab in 2006.

 

Robin's wife, Susan Schneider, says, "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings.  I am utterly heartbroken."

 

Robin's last tweet was on July 31 ... wishing his daughter Zelda Rae a happy 25th birthday. He posted a #tbt instagram pic of himself holding her as a child.

 

Williams was 63.

 

 

[FormerMod-a1]

A tribute thread was created for this here, and it's also being discussed in the In Memoriam thread.

[Princess Sparkle]

I wish I still had the Robin Williams episode on my dvr, because I had it on there for YEARS.  It's only up in bits and pieces on youtube, but he was hysterical - and out of all his jokes, my favorite was his deadpan "I have a career, what the hell am I doing here?" during Scenes from a Hat.

 

One of the things that strikes me, from these episodes to the Aisha years, is how much better Jeff Davis has gotten.  He wasn't one of my favorites during this Drew Carey years, but I think he's one of the best on the show now.   It also really makes me miss Brad Sherwood - I floved him during these years.  He was the best during "Questions Only" and "If You Know What I Mean."  Do they even do "If you know what I mean" anymore?  I used to love how bad Colin was at it.  

 

I will post my two favorite Whose Line clips ever - I think they're on most people's lists as the best sketches, but I watch them whenever I'm having a bad day.

 

The "Wrong Name" Irish Drinking Song - Colin's "Meow"s are the best part, as well as him being the only one left standing at the end:

 

And the Arctic Tern part of the "Greatest hits about Birds" sketch:

Edited August 20, 2014 by Princess Sparkle

[AntiBeeSpray]

Yea Jeff Davis has really grown as a comedian. 

 

Me too :(. Brad Sherwood was dang funny.

[rujasu]

What's there to miss?  Brad Sherwood is still around.  He appeared twice this season.

[Princess Sparkle]

Unfortunately, after giving up cable right before this new season started, Whose Line isn't on Hulu Plus.  Which now I'm mad that I've been robbed of Brad Sherwood.

[AntiBeeSpray]

Unfortunately, after giving up cable right before this new season started, Whose Line isn't on Hulu Plus.  Which now I'm mad that I've been robbed of Brad Sherwood.

Check out CW's site. They have all of this year's episodes.

[Amarsir]

For reference, all the US and UK episodes are available here:  

http://whoselineanyway.org

 

New CW episodes are on their own website, as AntiBeeSpray listed above.

 

And if that's not enough, all of the GSN episodes of Drew Carey's Improv-a-Ganza are in full on YouTube. (That appears to be a non-official person's channel, but GSN had originally uploaded them all themselves so I suspect they don't mind too much.)

[Princess Sparkle]

Check out CW's site. They have all of this year's episodes.

Well, there goes my day at work....

[FormerMod-a1]

Some good memories here: "A throwback to some of the most memorable moments from ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway’ (30 Photos)"

[Sarah 103]

On April 22, 2014 at 0:45 PM, rujasu said:

The American Whose Line is the one I first watched any significant amount of, and it's the one I got hooked on.  I think Colin, Ryan, and Wayne were all at their best during these years.  Most of the fourth chairs were excellent.  Best of all, the guest stars were a rarity, and were actually relevant rather than "I'm going to stand around awkwardly while the host plugs my show and the comics try to work around my dead weight."  That's not to say there weren't bad guest spots, but you didn't have 1-2 dead segments during every single show.

I remember when it was promoted as celebrity week and it was awesome because it was people who could hold their own with the regulars and actually participate as full members. I think the guests were Robin Williams, Sid Ceasar, Whoppi Goldberg, Richard Simmons, and someone else. 

[GreatKazu]

The UP Network will be airing the Drew Carey years beginning Sunday with a marathon. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2017/09/20/whose-line-is-it-anyway-coming-to-up-this-october-666515/20170920wbt02/