Last One Laughing (Documental in Ireland)

[Magnum Valentino]

Stuck this on last night after abandoning the interminable Killers of the Flower Moon after half an hour and ended up watching the whole series.

I saw Documental mentioned in the "CAB favourites" thread so youse must be aware of the format to some degree. 10 comics in a sort of BB house for six hours trying not to laugh with Graham Norton presenting.

I enjoyed it alright even though almost none of the eliminations (invariably for just smiling) were the result of someone else trying to make people laugh.

It's on Prime, anyone else watched it?

[EOLAN]

Seen some promos. Think Kevin McAleer would have been a great addition to it, with his comedy styling fitting in greatly To the against the others who seem to be more demonstratively bubbly.

[chutnut]

Started watching this on Friday, think we're up to episode 4/5. I'm enjoying it a lot even though so far it's probably the least funny out of the ones I've seen (documental, australia & canada)

[DrumsAndWires]

where can i find this 'cab favouritess' thread

[Magnum Valentino]

where can i find this 'cab favouritess' thread

https://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=106609.0

[DrumsAndWires]

danke

[Oosp]

Have watched 3 and in bits laughing at much of it. Haven't watched much Documental but this is doing it for me. Tony Cantwell's bits are insanely good as usual, Aisling Bea obviously hilarious, Amy Huberman fantastic (great to see her do something this daft; she was great in Your Bad Self), Paul Tylak character stuff is great, so much stupid shit going on.

There are plenty of Irish comics who are not "names" but could be great on this. I wonder how much of the guest stuff will translate internationally but I also don't give a fuck. British version imminent, no doubt.

I do love a good laugh. Comedy chat!

[Mrgeebus]

I rather enjoyed this.

Have now started on LOL: Mexico which seems a wee bit closer to Documental in its presentation - right down to the "pay to enter" gimmick.

[lazyhour]

Having pre-emptively poo-pooed this on some thread a few weeks ago, we watched it all in one sitting this evening. Very enjoyable and some really great moments. I think we all know who the two dead weights were, though.

[kyema]

Same here. I thought this would just be a really tame clone of Documental and not worth it. But it made me laugh a fair bit today. Might watch the Canadian one now.

@lazyhour Which two are you referring to?

[Rolf Lundgren]

It was alright, fairly entertaining and I felt the need to get to the end. Aisling Bea's teacher's pet energy grated but thought there was good effort made by most of them. Catherine Bohart's earrings was a great bit and Tony Cantwell and Jason Byrne were both really proactive.

Downside was the judging which was unnecessarily harsh to the point where showing teeth would earn a yellow card although I get it must be hard if no-one is cracking. Bringing in special guests at random points was a strong move which helped keep things fresh.

[clingfilm portent]

He'd never do it, but Tordoff would be so great on this.

[Retinend]

This is a big improvement on the original Japanese show. I could take or leave the latter, but this one lives up to the promise of that show.

Firstly - no boring introduction to each comic. They just start with everyone going onto the set, as it should be. Also no unnecessary money motivation involved. Getting a yellow card for smiling seemed harsh at first, but it makes total sense in order to eliminate contestants quicker.

The contestants have been given time to plan their performances beforehand, and the art department did a great job in creating props to help them to sell the daftness of their ideas. For example Tony Cantwell was able to really sell his cat striptease performance with the convincing strip-bar mis-en-scene and surprise lactating nipples.

The amount of leeway they got to prepare their bits made it funny even when it didn't work (I'm thinking of David McSavage's baffling wheely bin gambit).

and Aisling Bea got the biggest laugh of the show from me when she faked getting an ankle sprain and getting her mate to rush in as the clown medic. Either that or how she started doing the "bleblebleble"s during her crap rendition of a sad song.

The special guests were also a nice surprise. I didn't know the newsreader or the song she sang (Aon Focal Eile) but it was still really funny on the face of it, especially when it cut to an opera singer for the last verse. Nice to see Zig and Zag again, and Chris de Burgh was funny in a cute old man way (I concur with the contestants that I was surprised he's not dead). 

Norton is a better - warmer, more avuncular - host than the pompous guy at the heart of the original. He's a treasure. I like how the evicted contestants get to sit with him and contribute to his commentary.

Mixed-gender is good. The first series of the original was a bit too much of a sausage fest. This one, in comparison, is something I could watch with my wife, and the humor was less gross as a result, for lack of a better word.

Didn't know any of the contestants except for Aisling Bea, but they were all really funny to me. Except for Catherine Bohart, who seemed a little bit separate from the rest. I had no idea why she thought large hoop earrings would trigger anyone, for example. Pin the clit on the vag seemed trite, and she didn't have any good lines while presenting it. David McSavage saved that whole presentation by producing a real baked bean instead of the paper clit.

Jason Byrne was the funniest for me. He's just hilarious to look at, and he had the best props (the cock-nose mask, the sausages, elastic bands and the tiny bicycle). Emma Doran had the most hilarious "trying not to laugh" face. I thought it was touching that she lost while testing out Byrne's tiny bicycle completely unsolicited.

Anyone still reading this?

I could write even more, because within 3 episodes (the amount I've watched so far) there's already been so many funny moments. If I were in charge at Amazon Prime I'd immediately commission 10 more series, quadruple the marketing budget, and give the hit-or-miss Taskmaster a run for its money.

[madhair60]

This is a big improvement on the original Japanese show.

everything you went on to describe sounds like a series of surefire dilutions of what made it so compelling

edit: not that i'm dismissing it, I'll check it out

[Retinend]

everything you went on to describe sounds like a series of surefire dilutions of what made it so compelling

I listed loads of things. What in particular makes it sound diluted?

[bgmnts]

Unless Jason Byrne pushes something out of his cock, it won't be as good as the original Japanese one.

[madhair60]

Unless Jason Byrne pushes something out of his cock, it won't be as good as the original Japanese one.

this basically

[MojoJojo]

I think diluted is a good way of putting it. It ends up feeling polished and like an Avalon panel show. Whereas Documental felt really different - although that's at least partly it being Japanese of course.

I say that as someone who wasn't a massive fan of Documental. It generated some big laughs but there weren't enough for a one hour show. Although I realise editing it down loses a lot of the tension which is something the half hour versions miss.

[Retinend]

I say that as someone who wasn't a massive fan of Documental. It generated some big laughs but there weren't enough for a one hour show.

Exactly. One hour made the original a slog to sit through. This Irish version isn't diluted, it's concentrated.

[madhair60]

not me, i loved it. entire series' flew by. i think this irish effort is basically just the baby version

[mechanical blood goat]

I adore Documental and I'll probably watch this but if they ever make a UK version it will be fucking awful, it'll be the same pack of taskmaster/8 out of 10 cunts and one do them will be Josh Widdecombe and one of them will be Rob Beckett, feel sick thinking about it.

[chutnut]

tbh I reckoned if there was going to be an English one it would have happened already, but apparently they are thinking about it:
https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/7561/uk-version-of-lol-last-one-laughing/

[Magnum Valentino]

Last One Laughing doesn't work as a title though.

[colacentral]

This is a big improvement on the original Japanese show. I could take or leave the latter, but this one lives up to the promise of that show.

Firstly - no boring introduction to each comic. They just start with everyone going onto the set, as it should be. Also no unnecessary money motivation involved. Getting a yellow card for smiling seemed harsh at first, but it makes total sense in order to eliminate contestants quicker.

The contestants have been given time to plan their performances beforehand, and the art department did a great job in creating props to help them to sell the daftness of their ideas. For example Tony Cantwell was able to really sell his cat striptease performance with the convincing strip-bar mis-en-scene and surprise lactating nipples.

The amount of leeway they got to prepare their bits made it funny even when it didn't work (I'm thinking of David McSavage's baffling wheely bin gambit).

and Aisling Bea got the biggest laugh of the show from me when she faked getting an ankle sprain and getting her mate to rush in as the clown medic. Either that or how she started doing the "bleblebleble"s during her crap rendition of a sad song.

The special guests were also a nice surprise. I didn't know the newsreader or the song she sang (Aon Focal Eile) but it was still really funny on the face of it, especially when it cut to an opera singer for the last verse. Nice to see Zig and Zag again, and Chris de Burgh was funny in a cute old man way (I concur with the contestants that I was surprised he's not dead). 

Norton is a better - warmer, more avuncular - host than the pompous guy at the heart of the original. He's a treasure. I like how the evicted contestants get to sit with him and contribute to his commentary.

Mixed-gender is good. The first series of the original was a bit too much of a sausage fest. This one, in comparison, is something I could watch with my wife, and the humor was less gross as a result, for lack of a better word.

Didn't know any of the contestants except for Aisling Bea, but they were all really funny to me. Except for Catherine Bohart, who seemed a little bit separate from the rest. I had no idea why she thought large hoop earrings would trigger anyone, for example. Pin the clit on the vag seemed trite, and she didn't have any good lines while presenting it. David McSavage saved that whole presentation by producing a real baked bean instead of the paper clit.

Jason Byrne was the funniest for me. He's just hilarious to look at, and he had the best props (the cock-nose mask, the sausages, elastic bands and the tiny bicycle). Emma Doran had the most hilarious "trying not to laugh" face. I thought it was touching that she lost while testing out Byrne's tiny bicycle completely unsolicited.

Anyone still reading this?

I could write even more, because within 3 episodes (the amount I've watched so far) there's already been so many funny moments. If I were in charge at Amazon Prime I'd immediately commission 10 more series, quadruple the marketing budget, and give the hit-or-miss Taskmaster a run for its money.

Documental already has pre-prepared bits, props, and guests too depending on what series you're watching. Describing those things as differences and referring to Matsumoto as "the host" and as pompous sounds to me like you haven't watched enough of it. I'd also say the first series is probably the worst, with the rules and the right mix of comedians for the format still being worked out.

I also agree with the comments above about needing the space where not much is happening. It's a slow burn and it's that much funnier when it descends into chaos. It annoys me enough that Documental edits out as much as it does, I'd happily watch the entire thing uncut.

[Retinend]

Documental already has pre-prepared bits, props, and guests too depending on what series you're watching. Describing those things as differences and referring to Matsumoto as "the host" and as pompous sounds to me like you haven't watched enough of it. I'd also say the first series is probably the worst, with the rules and the right mix of comedians for the format still being worked out.

I also agree with the comments above about needing the space where not much is happening. It's a slow burn and it's that much funnier when it descends into chaos. It annoys me enough that Documental edits out as much as it does, I'd happily watch the entire thing uncut.

I watched the first two series then stopped. It was alright. But didn't feel compelled to watch all the rest.

[Famous Mortimer]

I watched the first two series then stopped. It was alright. But didn't feel compelled to watch all the rest.

Really surprised someone watched season 2 and didn't think it was worth bothering with afterwards. Although it's probably a good sign the format just isn't for you.

[ProvanFan]

I couldn't get through an episode of the Canadian one because it felt like a reality template had been used to produce it, like it might as well have been an auction at a storage unit. Constant bits of Apprentice music and interview retreads of what just happened and all that. Get fucked.

This one looks closer to that than Documental, so my guard is up. I'll need to disarm myself somehow to give it a fair shot. Maybe there's something I could ingest to help with that.

[Retinend]

Really surprised someone watched season 2 and didn't think it was worth bothering with afterwards. Although it's probably a good sign the format just isn't for you.

Sorry. Will try to do better in future.

[Jerzy Bondov]

I couldn't get through an episode of the Canadian one because it felt like a reality template had been used to produce it, like it might as well have been an auction at a storage unit. Constant bits of Apprentice music and interview retreads of what just happened and all that. Get fucked.

This is exactly how I feel. I gave the Canadian one a fair chance, and it had a really fantastic cast, but NOTHING is allowed to breathe. Like Caroline Rhea comes in dressed funny, nobody reacts, great. But then they immediately cut to Rhea explaining that nobody reacted. I KNOW! I WAS WATCHING IT! ONE SECOND AGO! I know Documental is an acquired taste but they really sanded it right down until it was just nothing. I'd love it if the Japanese editors got hold of the Canadian footage.

But! I will try the Irish one. Graham Norton is a great choice for the host, who needs to be a respected 'elder' figure like Matsumoto in the original. Vic and Bob for the UK one please.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Yeah too much music, too many interviews, not enough boring bits. Also the room is way too big. It's not intense enough.