David Mitchell - new show The Bubble (no BBC stars allowed!)

mike65

A promising new comedy panel game thingy starts on Friday BBC2 Friday 10 pm in which a collection of famous faces will be tested on the news and if they can tell the real from the fake having spent a week without comms with the outside world. The beeb has forbid its own employees from taking part.

The BBC has been accused of having a "total sense of humour failure" after banning its political editor, Nick Robinson, and other senior journalists such as Huw Edwards and George Alagiah from taking part in one of the corporation's own entertainment television programmes.

The extraordinary situation, which has caused a major split among BBC management figures, comes ahead of tomorrow's filming of the new BBC Two news-based game show series, The Bubble, which is aimed at a high-brow audience and is due to make its debut at 10pm on Friday. BBC News is refusing to co-operate with the light-hearted entertainment programme for fear that it could undermine the reputation of its journalism. "They saw the words 'fake clips' and hit the panic button. They are treating the audience like idiots," said a source close to the row.

Looking forwards to this.

amacachi

Could be a laugh, though I can't imagine the calibre of guest being that high if they've to be shut off for a week beforehand. Shall give it a chance anyway.

Skid

Frank Skinner, Reginald D Hunter and Victoria Coren are the panel for the first show.

This is an interesting idea which could go either way. David Mitchell is always good value on Panel Shows so I will definitely give it a watch

Frank and Reg should be good guests, Victoria Coren can be a bit dry.

Full marks for originallity if nothing else.

mike65

Bump. 10 pm.

Aidric

SkidMark wrote: »

Reginald D Hunter
Full marks for originallity if nothing else.

Is there a panel show that this man isn't on these days?

Mr.Nice Guy

The concept does sound promising. I'll be giving this a look.

Basq

Not great.. but not terrible!

Could improve with further episodes.

PS - was funny to see the BBC news story from the OP included!

mike65

A bit "meh" will need a little tweaking to sharpen the paceing.

Mr.Nice Guy

Yeah it didn't really work. Might have been better to have two teams of three and do it that way. The format with 3 people just seems too relaxed and casual.

Still, maybe it will improve. Hope Frankie Boyle appears on it.

Rjd2

SkidMark wrote: »

Frank Skinner, Reginald D Hunter and Victoria Coren are the panel for the first show.

This is an interesting idea which could go either way. David Mitchell is always good value on Panel Shows so I will definitely give it a watch

Frank and Reg should be good guests, Victoria Coren can be a bit dry.

Full marks for originallity if nothing else.

It was much better than I expected it to be, Reg was the star, Cohen tried to hard but she wasn't that bad really. Next week's guests except Ed Byrne don't excite me to much though.

Basq

Everytime I see Reginald D Hunter, I keep thinking "jaysus.. isn't Lenny Henry looking younger.. and when did he become American?"

Sir Gallagher

It wasn't bad, the format of the show was strikingly familiar to Charlie Brooker's You have been watching. Same guests too.

I really wish it wasn't David Mitchell presenting though apart from Peep Show he's just useless.

Ponster

Not great but promising all the same. I thought that the pace was a little slow and the whole points system doesn't work as no one really cares who's winning or not.

Very reliant on the personalities invited and Mitchell is no Dara I fell when it comes to keeping a conversation going.

Dozen Wicked Words

I like David Mitchell, like the idea, quite liked the guests on the first week. It just didn't quite hit the mark. Was a bit slow paced and thought David Mitchell looked uncomfortable and VERY nervous. Think it might be a one season wonder, but hard to judge after just one week.

Basq

Ponster wrote: »

Not great but promising all the same. I thought that the pace was a little slow and the whole points system doesn't work as no one really cares who's winning or not.

Isn't the whole point system redundant in most modern quiz shows? Especially British quiz shows like 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks', 'QI', 'Mock The Week' etc.

All of them have a point system but they're un-necessary!

mike65

Points should be awarded like on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue - ie completely arbitrarily!

Last night Coren had a perfectly correct pop at mumsnet.com, needless to say in this sensitive age she was quickly onto same just to, y'know make it clear she was engaging in lighthearted banter and doesn't hate the site and what its inhabitants stand for.

By VCoren Sat 20-Feb-10 01:47:07
Hi guys, Victoria Coren here (weirdly, the actual name "Victoria Coren" was taken already - whoever's using it, it's not me...)
Anyway, look, please don't be cross about the Bubble thing! It was just a joke about being childless and jealous - I thought that was obvious but if not to all, sorry. It's not the most original joke in the world - single/childless woman gripes resentfully about married/mothers (Bridget Jones was doing it years ago), but what can I tell you, it's scary to be there alongside professional comedians, sometimes the obvious is all that comes to mind.
If it wasn't clear, OF COURSE I don't have a problem with mumsnet (or, as someone oddly said on Twitter, "with mothers"), I was just being joke-grumpy about women with children having children and an online community and being wooed by MPs, and the rest of us feeling invisible or not important. I haven't looked at this site properly (naturally feeling it isn't for me) and I imagine you don't all feel lucky, but you are, I promise. Don't be cross with me for scratching grumpily at the window.
VCx

Ponster

basquille wrote: »

Isn't the whole point system redundant in most modern quiz shows? Especially British quiz shows like 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks', 'QI', 'Mock The Week' etc.

All of them have a point system but they're un-necessary!

I completely agree but the last "quick-fire" round where the lights went down seemed to try to instill a sense of excitement in the viewers that just wasn't possible.

Numina

SkidMark wrote: »

Full marks for originallity if nothing else.

I wouldn't totally call it original, it's just like a media blackout version of Big Brother.

amacachi

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

It wasn't bad, the format of the show was strikingly familiar to Charlie Brooker's You have been watching. Same guests too.

I really wish it wasn't David Mitchell presenting though apart from Peep Show he's just useless.

Get out. Now.

I enjoyed it. Maybe the pacing was a little off but I actually quite liked the more sedate feel. Overuse of the music between clips I thought.
Also, very disappointed to see Coren back down.

Gekko

It was ok but the problem is that not many potential contestants will want to be holed up in a house together for however many days as they simply don't have the time or whatever.

That's its big downfall and it'll make for not a very big number of contestants.

I think Colin Murphy's new programme Unanswered Questions might be a better idea myself. It's the right combination of quirky, entertaining and in parts actually educational. There's plenty of banter, the internet guy is a good addition to the show too.

Maybe it just appeals to my geeky side though!

Skid

It was watchable, but not great. Most of the 'true' stories were fairly obscure which defeats the purpose of the whole enterprise. Even if you had been watching the news closely, would you have really have seen a regional news report on the police camera drone thing?

It reminded me of Charlie Brooker's recent panel show on Channel 4 - harmless, sanitised, entertainment value is variable, much depending on the guests rather than the format.

One other point, I reckon Twitter doesn't help either. Most of these panellists follow each other and it creates a 'Luvvie' atmosphere where no-one wants to make jokes at the expense of someone else whose comments they read on a regular basis, and occasionally exchange messages.

This veneer of friendship didn't exist until recently and I think it has taken the sting out of some of these panel shows.

expectationlost

not enough david mithcell in it.

unanswered questions , have had thread on that, bizarrely bad, that scientist guy they have on, the very definition of dry ****e. life sucking force.