Topic: Would I Lie To You S12 (12th October)

[Mango Chimes]

Really? I found the whole thing tedious. The truths are crap (and the Jon Richardson one was weird – "It's true, Jon is a creepily jealous boyfriend") whilst the lies are obvious ("It's a lie, renowned actress Olivia Colman obviously doesn't require a glove puppet to cry"). Bob Mortimer can salvage either with his embellishments, but with everyone else it's a bit of a flounder.

EDIT: New page TRUE

[Utter Shit]

Oh I mean it was nowhere near Bob Mortimer standard but I felt like Colman really went for it with the post lie, and it's always good when a seemingly obviously bollocks lie from one of the captains like Mitchell's ping pong stuff turns out to be true. It flew by for me. Lee seemingly (jokingly?) having it in for Aston was funny too.

[Clatty McCutcheon]

There’s an old Mortimer episode on Dave at 7.40pm - hooray!

[Bobloblawslawbomb]

4 non comedians on this week, absolutely woeful quality. One of thems a weatherman for fucks sake.

[Konki]

I don't get Big Narstie. Can someone please explain? Ta.

[Mango Chimes]

Yeah, as a 'character' he's shit. His story, though, was the least boring – it at least had some character and madness to it. Everything else was so perfunctory.

[rasta-spouse]

Some hack tv-producer somewhere is trying to pitch a Narstie/Mitchell travel doc.

I'd watch it tho.

[Oliver Mardy]

Some hack tv-producer somewhere is trying to pitch a Narstie/Mitchell travel doc.

I'd watch it tho.

Life's Too Narstie

Mitchell cycles around foreign cities, with the titular grimemaster pulling handicapped faces while sat in a little basket on the front. Mitchell pretends to be amazed that he can buy a hamburger in Beijing, while Narstie uses his stubby little arms to push endless bapped patties into his fat London mouth. Each scene is overdubbed with: a) a flute playing a scampering melody to indicate a sense of impish playfulness; b) a tuba parping a slow, lumbering tune reminiscent of a mentally deficient child trying to climb a small wall; or c) sad piano.

[BritishHobo]

Why has this been series been so off-and-on? The last episode came after a week's break, and now it's been two more week's with no episode.

[Mango Chimes]

I assumed it'd finished. It's been properly shit, this series. For a while it's been clear David and Lee know each other too well and have run out of stories, but when you add on an array of properly shit guests, and have them talking about very boring lies or truths, it's dead. The first episode with Bob is the only one I'd suggest anyone watch.

[kidsick5000]

Has Bob Mortimer spoiled the market for this show?
He’s so perfect for this show with his ability to lie outlandishly while having truths that sound like outlandish lies. Every time he’s not on it’s like going from zooming down a open highway to an inner city traffic jam.

[Oliver Mardy]

Why has this been series been so off-and-on? The last episode came after a week's break, and now it's been two more week's with no episode.

Aren't Brydon, Mitchell, and Mack touring WILTY? Maybe this season was kept shit to allow them to take the good stuff that had been written onto the road? I have no idea how television works, that is complete top-of-the head conjecture BTW.

[kidsick5000]

For a while it's been clear David and Lee know each other too well and have run out of stories,

They’re very good as captains but you’re right. It’s been going for more than a decade. They’ve not quite hit “Every time I make a cup of tea... I take it with two sugars” but it may be time to start testing new captains.

[Mango Chimes]

Yeah, it's not a criticism of them, it's just there's a natural lifespan (without changing the format). There needs to be some element of the unknown between the two captains or it it's just running through the motions. There's no way now that David won't be aware of Lee having a special handshake he does to give an accurate blood pressure reading to everyone he meets, or whatever.

I'd place Bob and Greg Davies on a level as being obvious stand-outs, but in previous series it hasn't felt like they're absolutely towering to the extent everyone else might not bother. Especially as a I think Bob is a bit of a rich ingredient and it'd be shit to have a series packed with Bobs (he's fucking brilliant, but he also really pushes against the walls of the game, and you need most people to play it with a straighter bat). I do think this series has had especially dull guests with especially dull material. It's the first series that's felt so tired.

[worldsgreatestsinner]

The problem is they so often go the light entertainment rather than comedy path with guests. Get more comedians and old actors, people with good stories and the ability to sell a lie and they won't have to rely on David and Lee so much in the edit.

[BritishHobo]

I assumed it'd finished. It's been properly shit, this series. For a while it's been clear David and Lee know each other too well and have run out of stories, but when you add on an array of properly shit guests, and have them talking about very boring lies or truths, it's dead. The first episode with Bob is the only one I'd suggest anyone watch.

I assumed the same, but the episode list on page 1 says there should be two more episodes before the Christmas special. Maybe they're trying to line them up, as there's now two Fridays left? Weird though.

I've enjoyed this series more than last series but aye, having so many non-comedians makes a real can't. The Royal Wedding lie showed it can still be great, but it's tough to keep that up.

[Sin Agog]

My problem is how either the runtime or the format turns some panelists into window dressing.  Diane Morgan was easily the most interesting person on that week, and she was confined to just reaction shots.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Yeah, it's not a criticism of them, it's just there's a natural lifespan (without changing the format). There needs to be some element of the unknown between the two captains or it it's just running through the motions. There's no way now that David won't be aware of Lee having a special handshake he does to give an accurate blood pressure reading to everyone he meets, or whatever.

I'd place Bob and Greg Davies on a level as being obvious stand-outs, but in previous series it hasn't felt like they're absolutely towering to the extent everyone else might not bother. Especially as a I think Bob is a bit of a rich ingredient and it'd be shit to have a series packed with Bobs (he's fucking brilliant, but he also really pushes against the walls of the game, and you need most people to play it with a straighter bat). I do think this series has had especially dull guests with especially dull material. It's the first series that's felt so tired.

I put it down to the fact that there were too many actors / sports people / tv presenters appearing on it and it should be just comedians like the good old days but my memory turned out to be faulty as that's been the case from the get go, the very first episode featured Duncan Bannatyne, Frankie Boyle, Natalie Cassidy and Dom Joly, so only one comedian amongst them all. I do think the move to a pre-watershed time slot has affected it, and I miss David Mitchell's rants, he used to get really angry with some of the stuff Lee came out with in the early days but now they're all good friends that element seems to have been lost. So yeah, it's time for a change of captains I guess, but better guests would be a boon as well.

[Mango Chimes]

I assumed the same, but the episode list on page 1 says there should be two more episodes before the Christmas special. Maybe they're trying to line them up, as there's now two Fridays left? Weird though.

Oh, you're right: according to the BBC site, the last one was 6/10. But there's no more episodes scheduled this year except for the Christmas one (plus a repeat from two series ago, bafflingly.)

[kidsick5000]

They did change format slightly in that they used to have general knowledge truth/lies - which led to one of the most famous Mitchell rants about Mike Reid and the Tories

[keir]

I watched the latest one tonight, it was a new low for guests. I didn't know any of them except James Acaster - It turns out that was because it was someone off Love Island, someone off First Dates and someone off Strictly Come Dancing.

[Captain Z]

I don’t know if it was the same episode but I have been very troubled by the fact that there’s now a female ‘celebrity’ called “Dani Dyer”. I mean, come on...

[Clatty McCutcheon]

I don’t know if it was the same episode but I have been very troubled by the fact that there’s now a female ‘celebrity’ called “Dani Dyer”. I mean, come on...

When you find out who her father is, you will shit bricks.

[Captain Z]

Seinfeld_I’m_out.gif

[Puce Moment]

This series has been really bad so far. The outlandish lies they write for Mitchell and Lee have become ridiculous and unfunny.

[Captain Z]

And every new guest’s story is always true.

[Daniel]

For those who've given up on this, the most recent outtakes episode (14th Feb) has a good new Bob Mortimer story in the second segment.

[Pseudopath]

For those who've given up on this, the most recent outtakes episode (14th Feb) has a good new Bob Mortimer story in the second segment.

He does some pretty funny role-play with Lee later on too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m2Cpbpr1zM

[Mango Chimes]

Cancel this now and get Bob on some kind of improv show. It's a shame Murder In Successful died after such a strong start, I'd've loved to have seen Bob on that.

[amateur]

I agree that this has been a disappointing series. Mitchell and Mack have started to get very meta with theirs which could be tremendous but amongst all the straight ones it feels odd.

Could also do without the whole "stand up and act out the thing" bit they seem to do every episode. Comes off as a desperate attempt to inject some dynamism into the show when it ought to be sustained by the guests and questions.