Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Season One Volume 1
Available in Uncensored and Censored versions
Originally aired on ABC
10 Episodes on 2 DVDs
Includes Outtakes and 2 Gag Reels
Warner Home Video 2006
Whose Line Is It Anyway? is the Drew Carey hosted improv comedy show that became a cash cow for the ABC network. This mid-season replacement that followed The Drew Carey Show proved such a hit that the network pretty soon had a show on every night of the week, sometimes twice a night. The two DVD set Whose Line Is It Anyway? Uncensored Season 1 Volume 1 includes the first 10 shows of the series plus outtakes and 2 gag reels. It comes in either a censored or uncensored version.
Whose Line Is It Anyway? Season 1 Volume 1 stars the extremely versatile Wayne Brady, Canadian Colin Mochrie, big-footed Ryan Stiles, Brad Sherwood, Greg Proops -who was on the original, British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?-as well as irregulars Denny Siegel, Karen Maruyama, and the occasional presence of Kathy Kinney (Mimi on The Drew Carey Show).
Perhaps the greatest contributor to Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the episodes in Season One Volume 1 is musician Laura Hall. Her ability to match wits with the comics, especially Wayne Brady and Brad Sherwood in the funny song bits, certainly added a lot to the show and definitely gave Brady the quality backup he needed on the Greatest Hits skits and his many other musical numbers.
Watching the 10 episodes on Whose Line Is It Anyway? Season 1 Volume 1 it is easy to see why the ABC network had such a big hit on its hands -though it really did milk it for all it was worth. There is a variety of sketches in each show such as strange newscasters, props, personal favorite party quirks where each guest has a problem the host must identify, as well as other improve comedy skits such as sound effects, hats, and so on. Of course, the very best skit on this hit TV show was Greatest Hits where Wayne Brady, and sometimes someone else, had to come up with tunes for a K-Tel style infomercial music CD based on an audience suggestion. A close second was Duet where Brady and Sherwood had to improvise a song about an audience member.
Whose Line Is It Anyway? Uncensored Season 1 Volume 1 is something the family can probably enjoy -hey, it was on prime time TV– even if some of the skits have adult references, a bad word or two and lots of innuendo. If you are worried about bad language, get the censored version of the set. The two ten-minute gag reels are not family viewing however but absolutely hilarious. The outtakes are blue but fairly lame. Long-time fans of this Drew Carey hosted show will notice that some of the ideas that the network people object to in the gag reels would eventually be allowed to air in later seasons as the show became such a ratings smash.
The show where everything is made up and the points don’t matter is a great addition to any fan of funny television and good improv. This two DVD set is not something you can watch in one sitting but definitely fun to watch when, as often is the case, there’s nothing good on TV. A bizarre feature on Whose Line Is It Anyway? Uncensored Season 1 Volume 1 are the French or Spanish subtitles. Interestingly enough, the subtitles try to match wits with the comedians such as in the game 90 Second Alphabet where the translator set it up so each line starts with the next letter in the alphabet.
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