Standup and Away! with Brian Regan

If you're new to Brian's standup act, you may find this very enjoyable. Otherwise, it's a lot of recycled material. Some of the acted out bits are pretty funny, others not so much. The interaction with the "floor manager" and the audience seems forced overall. Was hoping for better.

I love Brian's standup and he's great at his bits in this but the format does not work. Brian doesn't need a contrived overenthusiastic 'live/studio' audience. He's an immense talent in search of a concept and a point of difference. Greatest hits standup throwing to TV screens with sketches doesn't seem to be it. The show 'Seinfeld' successfully interspersed standup with a sitcom based on the standup. This show has Seinfeld as a producer and it is trying to intersperse standup with sketches based on the standup.

I went to check this out thinking it was a new standup special. I was intrigued to discover it was a series, then disappointed at the execution. The audience interaction and Beth banter are further unnecessary and distracting contrivances.

The standup is fine. The sketches are mostly solid. I love lap griddle and the restaurant with tables too close. But the means by which the standup and sketches are brought together is clunky. I'm sad to not be able to recommend this and, given the mass of other comedy choices to watch, won't be returning to view any future efforts should there be any.

Brian Regan is a legend and his stand up alone is worth watching here. But the show format is somewhat contrived and feels forced and deliberate in some parts. The audience questions are interesting enough but appear pre-arranged and coming from super fans (like me). The "floor manager" is completely unnecessary and too obvious as a cue for segues to segments or banal reactions. A complete distraction. Can he not host this himself? In essence, great, original comedy delivered in poorly conceived concept that adds unneeded waste and insults the viewer's intelligence.

Don't get me wrong it was funny. Brian is funny.

But I was disappointed with this special. It's about 90% recycled material from a selection of his most classic bits. With several of them a sketch has been made to elaborate on the point of the joke. Didn't really do much for me.

I like Brian but this is out dated and unfunny. I mean a whole skit on turning on a landline??? And the floor manager thing and audience question is forced. He can do better.