Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Review By: Andrea Tuccillo
AndreaTuccillo@TheCinemaSource.com

“Welcome to Whose Line: The show where everything’s made up and the points don’t matter.” Host Drew Carey utters these words and thus begins every wacky episode of the on-the-spot improvisational comedy, Whose Line Is It Anyway?

The show, based on the popular British hit of the same name, premiered on ABC in 1998. Four performers are assigned roles or scenarios (sometimes provided by the audience’s participation) and must act out a particular scene without ever having heard the suggestions before. Everything is completely improvised and unscripted which provides for some truly off-the-wall moments. The first ten episodes of season one on DVD prove that Whose Line Is It Anyway? is quite a crowd-pleaser.

First season favorites include the guessing games “Party Quirks” and “Let’s Make a Date.” In “Party Quirks” the performers are party guests who must take on strange traits based on a suggestion they receive on a card. The host of the party must then guess the quirks based on the guests’ bizarre behavior at the party. Some highlights include one guest acting out a one-man fight scene in slow motion, another acting out the 30-second version of Gone With the Wind, and—perhaps the most hilariously disturbing—a guest acting like a baby horse being born. “Let’s Make a Date” takes a cue from game shows like The Dating Game. Contestants’ must again take on unusual traits which one person tries to guess.

The main quick-witted performers on Whose Line are not afraid to make fools of themselves for the sake of comedy. They are the gangly goofball Ryan Stiles, the balding Canadian Colin Mochrie and the suave songster Wayne Brady. (A fourth participant changes in each episode. Greg Proops and Brad Sherwood are the most memorable.) They all have a knack for fast-thinking, spot-on impersonations, rapid-fire retorts, and deft physical comedy. But each have their own personal strengths as well.

Wayne is the best at making songs up on the fly—creating humorous lyrics and a catchy tune at a moment’s notice. His smooth voice and ability to sing in any musical style makes him a master of games like “Greatest Hits,” where he provides the vocal samples of various songs on CD compilation, and “Song Styles,” where he must sing a song about a member of the audience. “Song Styles” highlights from the first season include Wayne singing to an English literature student in the style of Luther Vandross and to an old-lady baker in the style of a movie soundtrack love song. “Greatest Hits” has him singing songs about the oddest professions in some truly strange styles of music. Not many people could sing songs about a lifeguard in the styles of gospel, salsa and lounge—but amazingly, Wayne does it with ease.

If Wayne’s strength is in the music, Ryan and Colin work best when they’re together. Whenever they are partnered in a skit, it’s guaranteed to be a riot. They work brilliantly together as the dimwitted pitchmen in ...