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Would I Lie To You?

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    Would I Lie To You?

    I can't keep it from the world any longer, nothing (apart from working my way through '30 Rock' again) makes me laugh more that 'WILTY' (as we aficionados style it) at the moment.

    David Mitchell is, of course, superb on everything, Rob Brydon is often brilliant (though relatively understated on this) and Lee Mack is surprisingly (based on his turgid sitcom) extremely funny and sharp.

    Even when they have seeming clunkers like people from 'The Apprentice' or (what is laughably still called) 'Masterchef' as guest panelists it is a laugh riot.

    It seems to be a growing success because it got shifted from a backwater slot of 10:35pm on a Tuesday to 9:30pm Friday night (making the first half decent hour of prime time comedy I can recall in ages with 'Outnumbered').

    In the largely bankrupt medium of TV panel shows, it's out on its own.

    #2
    Would I Lie To You?

    My wife absolutely loves it - as do I but it is her favourite thing.

    I meant to ask you what it was that you mentioned on Facebook had you you choking on it.

    A bit like that Andy Parsons on "Mock The Week", Mack appears to have found his niche on this.

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      #3
      Would I Lie To You?

      Agreed. Mack is quick, Mitchell's pithiness is best when reactive, so something like this is much more suitable for the both of them.

      Although still think it's not the best thing for Brydon to be doing. Can't explain it, but doesn't feel right for him. And can't spontaneously offer an alternative. But it's not him.

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        #4
        Would I Lie To You?

        I've been watching the past few series on YouTube, and now enjoying the current one. Almost every episode is funny, and the best ones are achingly so. (Mitchell's "Kevin the bun seller" almost had me choking and wheezing into an early grave).

        More laughs per minute than anything else on my telly at the moment. It's the kind of thing that gets called 'effortlessly funny', but then they made a NZ version without effort and it was really dire.

        So, er, jolly good show.

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          #5
          Would I Lie To You?

          Having worked on a number of (other) panel shows in the recent past, I have to say none matches up to WILTY? in terms of the effortless chemistry that seems to exist between the main protagonists. The format itself is nothing special - indeed, I rolled my eyes a little when I first heard it was planned c 2006: however, the simplicity of the set-up is hugely helpful to the flow of the humour and the generally relaxed nature of those involved.

          The secret of its success is, of course, in its casting. Brydon plays that understated 'schoolmaster' type very well indeed, and has enough about him to allow the action to play out around him - something that a lot of hosts are unwilling to do. Mitchell and Mack know exactly how to play up to their own caricatures (the use of which tends to be how a lot of these shows have thrived - QI, TTIAO, etc), both being highly-skilled in exploiting one another's supposed weaknesses, but in engagingly contrasting ways. I don't think the current series has been the 'best', but it's still an obligatory watch every week. Which is something I couldn't say about most other panel games.

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            #6
            Would I Lie To You?

            I don't like the Best Individual Liar bit. Always feels odd and unmerited. And they could write Rob Brydon better links.

            But this is nitpicking about a generally excellent show.

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              #7
              Would I Lie To You?

              I've noticed that the pre-scripted gags to introduce the guests and between the rounds tend to be played down a little on this show compared to others of its ilk. Which is testament to the producers who trust the stars to come up with the goods elsewhere. (Which they consistently do, of course.)

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                #8
                Would I Lie To You?

                Agree with pretty much everything on here. Mack now has his own anchor on Duck Quacks Don't Echo which isn't bad, has a nice formula but not on the same level. This one's very much Mack's gig, but I find his sharpness works for me and carries it along.

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                  #9
                  Would I Lie To You?

                  NB I don't think the 'Best Individual Liar' tailpiece is worthy of much discussion, really - my guess is that it was introduced to big-up a guest who might have had a more understated show, and has somehow stuck.

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                    #10
                    Would I Lie To You?

                    I saw an old episode of this on Dave recently and it had Angus Deayton presenting.
                    I had never heard of it until a few series ago with Rob Brydon and I assumed it had always been the case.

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                      #11
                      Would I Lie To You?

                      Love it.

                      I loathed Mack until I saw him on this and have changed my mind...the guy is hilarious, and he works so well with Mitchell, which was also a shock. You couldn't imagine the two of them being mates normally, but I bet they are now.

                      It's consistently funny, the only issue now is that its fairly obvious that the most outlandish, ludicrous stories are going to be true.

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                        #12
                        Would I Lie To You?

                        I haven't seen it that often, and, I suppose it's OK.

                        I prefer Mitchell (and the format of the show) on the radio in "The Unbelievable Truth".

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                          #13
                          Would I Lie To You?

                          I went to the filming of an earlier episode of this serious where we were lucky enough to see the undisputed all-time greatest previous panel member, Bob Mortimer.

                          It was apparently their longest ever filming, over three hours in total, yet it was continuously painfully funny throughout.

                          I caught up with the episode from two weeks ago last night and, not for the first time, woke up one of children through bellowing with laughter.

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                            #14
                            Would I Lie To You?

                            Guy Potger wrote: I haven't seen it that often, and, I suppose it's OK.

                            I prefer Mitchell (and the format of the show) on the radio in "The Unbelievable Truth".
                            The radio show is good (though the best bit of it may be the theme tune) but it really is a pale spin-off of WILTY.

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                              #15
                              Would I Lie To You?

                              where we were lucky enough to see the undisputed all-time greatest previous panel member, Bob Mortimer.
                              "Wolf"

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                                #16
                                Would I Lie To You?

                                It was apparently their longest ever filming, over three hours in total, yet it was continuously painfully funny throughout.
                                Three hours? Jesus, that is rough. Back in the day, we used frequently to top two hours recording NMTB (if the host's mood was such), but fair play to anyone enduring three hours for a half-hour show. Especially sat in the audience.

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                                  #17
                                  Would I Lie To You?

                                  Harry Truscott wrote:
                                  Originally posted by Guy Potger
                                  I haven't seen it that often, and, I suppose it's OK.

                                  I prefer Mitchell (and the format of the show) on the radio in "The Unbelievable Truth".
                                  The radio show is good (though the best bit of it may be the theme tune) but it really is a pale spin-off of WILTY.
                                  Interestingly, they both started at almost exactly the same time.

                                  The "Would I lie to you" format is something I use for teaching now.

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                                    #18
                                    Would I Lie To You?

                                    Echo the general roar of approval, it's almost always brilliant (as is the Unbelievable Truth, which I also love). Mack and Mitchell work off each other fantastically.

                                    The Kevin Bridges 'I once almost accidentally bought a horse' story and interrogation from some time ago nearly killed me, I think.

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                                      #19
                                      Lee Mack got a BAFTA for the show - at last. And yes, it's still funny.

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                                        #20
                                        Didn't see this thread before, but yes, this show is absolutely superb. I must have watched Bob Mortimer's "egg in the bath" one about 5 times and it still makes me laugh out loud.

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                                          #21
                                          Bob Mortimer along with Rhod Gilbert and, to a degree, Greg Davies, fall into the "story sounds immensely implausible but, because it's them, is probably true" category.

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                                            #22
                                            Bob M's tearing an apple in half trick sounded extremely unlikely before he demonstrated it.

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                                              #23
                                              Henning Wehn is also much better value on this show than in stand-up. His 'missing person' anecdote was very amusing indeed.

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