HIGNFY new series=last chance to retain credibility

[KennyMonster]

A new series of HIGNFY starts tonight.

Last series all credibility was lost, lame obvious jokes coupled with the team(s) going along with the established narratives and missing open goals.

Example: In the week that Jacob Rees Mogg was a guest he was also filmed in parliament and on record saying that an advantage of post-bexit Britain is that we could lower the safety standards of our goods to be less than required by the EU to those that places such as in India.

Mentions from Hislop et al. = 0

Were jokes made about Corbyn in the same episode? = Yes

So now we have a new series starting only a few days after the shock announcment of a GE.

I know it is asking the impossible to ask for the shows to be funny but perhaps we should ask for it, especially Hislop to mention the election expenses scandal and the timing of the new GE to whitewash those findings (and BBC News appears to refuse to acknowledge the existence of it, let alone report on it).

This is Hislop's last ditch effort to show that he is something more than an establishment mouthpiece who ometimes looks a bit grumpy if an MP lies. 

[imitationleather]

Imagine old man Corbyn as PM! Hahahah! He'd probably keep forgetting where he'd left the keys to Number 10 and putting his vegan shoes in the fridge! Ahahahaha!

I have 0% hope that this series is going to go above that level.

[DrGreggles]

Gave up on this show a few years ago now.
It serves no purpose any more.

[Serge]

I will probably torture myself with this and then come on here and moan about it. You've got to have a hobby.

[Mini]

But Patrick Stewart is guest hosting!

Star Wars!

[Ignatius_S]

That horse bolted years ago.

[ajsmith]

I wonder how long it will go on for. Will it still be on air in 2030?

[lankyguy95]

Wow, anyone else seen this? A clip from the pilot version with John Lloyd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD0DOmrVfZY

[olliebean]

Wow, anyone else seen this? A clip from the pilot version with John Lloyd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD0DOmrVfZY

There's a slight call-forward to QI there as well - 1 point for a wrong answer that's tolerably amusing. Somewhere out there is probably a QI pilot called "John Lloyd's Tolerably Amusing."

[Mango Chimes]

Who's the current fat politician? Don't hear much about Eric Pickles these days, so have they got a new one or have they had to draft Prescott back in?

HIGNFY IS SHIT.

[Serge]

I can see that they thought that getting Patrick Stewart in would give them another Brian Blessed episode, but it didn't work with Tom Baker, and it really didn't work here. The one laugh I got in the episode was Osman's Archbishop/boyband line, and he was the only person with a spark of life in the whole show. Merton may as well have been asleep for all the good he does appearing on this now.

[tomasrojo]

The title sequence is a bit of a departure.

Speaking of departures, interesting to see the Republic of Ireland seems to be leaving the EU along with the UK in the title sequence.

[Dr Rock]

So they dropped all the political stuff from it completely now?

[DrGreggles]

So they dropped all the political stuff from it completely now?

Along with the jokes and entertainment value.

[up_the_hampipe]

Along with the jokes and entertainment value.

Didn't they get rid of that back on 28th September 1990?

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Depressing to see how shit the show's become, but god damn it i still try to get tickets each and every time. I want to see it being recorded just once before it ends simply for old times sake as i used to love it.

Plus I'd be interested to see what gets cut. For all we know that Rees-Mogg thing could have come up and the beeb leant on hat trick to drop it?

The fact he's now a fairly regular guest is telling , if they really stuck the boot in he'd just refuse to return wouldn't he? He turns up, gets treated nicely because he makes good telly and buggers off til next time.

It's pointless wishing HIGNFY suddenly got its teeth back but I'll be fucking livid[nb]....livid.... livid.... livid.....[/nb] if they take this GIFT of a snap election and piss it up the wall giving any MPs an easy ride.

Fuck, I'd welcome audience members going full question time and shouting at them.

[Utter Shit]

The idea that HIGNFY in any way satirises anything is miles out of date isn't it? As in well over a decade? I remember buying the two 'best of the guests' DVDs and as funny as they were there wasn't much in the way of biting satire. It's been throwaway 'discuss the news' banter and funny photos/videos for years. In fact I think you'd have to go back to the early/mid 90s to see the show when it was consistently good at attacking the establishment or politics in general.

[Chris Morris No.1 Fan]

I saw it and it was shit. A BA BABA DOO BA!

[JoeyBananaduck]

I struggle to think of anyone on TV so visibly bored by their role as Paul Merton on HIGNFY. He clearly hasn't given a fuck for years and years. It makes me hate him to be honest. If you don't want to do it anymore, have the balls to leave.

[Bobtoo]

He did leave once, I think he only lasted one series before he came back though.

[JoeyBananaduck]

He did leave once, I think he only lasted one series before he came back though.

Late 90s I think, and even in that series he was one of the guests on the first episode. It's a real shame his career has plateaued so much. One of my favourites growing up. I'd take something offbeat like Paul Merton: The Series or a passion project like Silent Clowns over him sitting and looking listless and lifeless on another series of HIGNFY any old day.

[RenegadeScrew]

Merton is incredibly bored now.  The little input he does make seems now to be a sarcastic parody version of himself. 

They should get Paul Merson on instead.

[asids]

They should get Paul Merson on instead.

"What does this Corbyn guy know about being a Prime Minister? Get Gary Rowett in!"

[up_the_hampipe]

Merton is incredibly bored now.  The little input he does make seems now to be a sarcastic parody version of himself. 

Is it a dolphin in a bathtub?

[Dead Soon]

I struggle to think of anyone on TV so visibly bored by their role as Paul Merton on HIGNFY. He clearly hasn't given a fuck for years and years. It makes me hate him to be honest. If you don't want to do it anymore, have the balls to leave.

Must be paid rather handsomely for 20 work days a year. I'd do it, la'.

[imitationleather]

I remember hearing years and years back that Hislop and Merton got £100k per show. I wonder what it is now.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Yeah that'll do nicely. Most people would put up with 20-ish tapings a year for that kind of money.

[Malcy]

I thought Patrick Stewart was brilliant.

'I ask you. Who defeated the Borg?!' had me in stitches.

[thenoise]

Who's the current fat politician? Don't hear much about Eric Pickles these days, so have they got a new one or have they had to draft Prescott back in?

Tom Watson is a bit chubby, although his longevity on the shadow front bench puts lie to the narrative that Corbyn has no allies within his own party.  From Wikipedia:

On 10 May 2009 it was revealed that since being re-elected to parliament in 2005, Watson had claimed the maximum £4,800 allowance for food in a single year.

lol fatty

[Quincey]

They've completely changed the opening titles.