Taskmaster is back for the second time this year, but is the second time the charm? Or the third time, given this is the third series of Taskmaster Australia.* On paper, this is a strong cast, featuring popular and successful comedians from several generations: Peter Helliar, Rhys Nicholson, Mel Buttle, Aaron Chen and Concetta Caristo.... Read More »
Shaun Micallef’s Eve of Destruction went out the same way it came in: as a relatively engaging, definitely low-stakes talk show that managed to be utterly inessential viewing even by the standards of the genre. It wasn’t bad television, but was it really prime time television? Oh wait, it was on in the Hard Quiz... Read More »
Now that Shaun Micallef’s entered the “not trying to be funny” stage of his career with Eve of Destruction and now Origin Odyssey, it’s time to ask: is there anything here for comedy fans? Sure, it features comedians each week. So did that Julia Zemiro show where they did burnouts in a parking lot and... Read More »
Press release time! Step Into Tom Gleeson’s House Of Fun. Taskmaster Australia Season Three Premieres Tuesday, 24 September. Starring Aaron Chen, Concetta Caristo, Mel Buttle, Pete Helliar And Rhys Nicholson. Tuesday night laughs are about to get even wittier as we welcome a new season of Taskmaster Australia to your Tuesday night comedy line-up. You... Read More »
There’s basically two kinds of comedy showcases on television. There’s the ones where new talent gets a chance to strut their stuff, and the ones where established talent bring in the viewers. Guess which kind is the only kind we currently get on Australian television? It wasn’t always this way. It wasn’t even all that... Read More »
Earlier this week 10 broadcast a stand up comedy special from Aaron Chen, If It Weren’t Filmed, Nobody Would Believe. It’s ok. One of the best jokes is hidden in the opening title; Chen also undergoes a mystery costume change halfway through that is never (directly) commented on. The show is pretty good, not amazingly... Read More »
As probably the only Australian comedy format of the 21st century with any nostalgic value attached to it (can’t wait for the Randling revival), we shouldn’t have been surprised that Thank God You’re Here finally made a comeback. But did the magic return with it? Well, that depends: was there ever any magic there in... Read More »
The ABC’s really been going for it in terms of podcasts lately, with CrossBread, a mockumentary about a Christian rap band, the latest audio comedy to be released. This kind of show used to be a rarity – those with long memories may remember 2010’s The Blow Parade – but now, thanks to the rise... Read More »
Ten took their time to make a full series of Drunk History Australia, one of the better pilots from 2018’s Pilot Week. Has it been worth the wait? Well, try and stop us laughing at Wayne Hope as cannibal convict Alexander Pearce, as he chomps and slurps his way through some human ribs. But then... Read More »
In our previous blog, we wrote about the launch of ABC Comedy, reviewed some of the new batch of Fresh Blood shows now available on iView and promised to review more Fresh Blood next time. Well, promise kept; here’s our thoughts on more of this year’s Fresh Blood… Why Are You Like This? Two annoying millennial... Read More »