This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Let's face it. The daily news is usually boring, upsetting and provokes anger and disappointment with stories presented about government, corporate corruption, etc. etc. The list is endless. This Hour Has 22 Minutes pokes fun at current news events and gives us not only a daily dose of what's happening in Canada and abroad, but how our political leaders and celebrities approach the situations when interviewed impromptu in Ottawa.

Currently on sabbatical, Mary Walsh wasn't shy in character as Marg Delahunty who did a great job hunting down Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, and all the Ministers on their way to their daily meetings. You could see politicians ducking for cover, but she always caught up with them! Mary Walsh and Greg Thomey were also hilarious as Ma & Eddie Reardon, the trailer trash mother and son who hauled their couch to the Gemini Awards to meet their TV celebrities backstage.

Also memorable are the episodes featuring Colin Mochrie doing his Max Pointy routine and he can imitate anyone from any commercial.

The news got you down? Tune into 22 Minutes. The news can be funny!

Despite the fact that it's not daily, but weekly, "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" is exactly "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" for Canadians. Just take away unsuspecting citizen guest stars, except for the hilarious "Talking to Americans", where Rick Mercer would travel to America and tell them fictional trivia and ask them questions, now missing from the show due to his leaving and Colin Mochrie's coming.

In fact, "Talking to Americans" just proves: if you're American and you live in America, you probably don't know anything about our politics or politicians, so you probably won't get it. "22 Minutes" is meant for us Canadians. I can't really put it much another way. Many people regard Canada as "peaceful" or "America Jr."(despite the fact we're bigger than you). But we hate our politicians, love to make fun of them just as much, and have many of our own problems, including bad Canadian original programming(this is one of those great shows like "The Simpsons" that makes fun of the very channel it's on), and our unpredictable stock exchange, strange yet incredibly unnecessary-to-mention crimes, and over-spending by the government.

If you lived here, you'd understand.

I can't believe some of the comments mentioned here. First of all, no one should listen to a negative comment which tells you that you shouldn't watch something just because they don't happen to like it. Writing in large caps isn't part of constructive criticism either. For the commenter who said he wrote a review for it, I can guess why it 'mysteriously' disappeared. Was it for an actual magazine, or for a high school Journalism class? You should know that comparing 22 Minutes with Tom Green is like comparing apples to oranges. He went to America, anyway.

Secondly, anyone who has any knowledge of Canadian Comedy whatsoever knows that there are three main types: Sketch, Satire, and Dramatic Comedy. Since 22 minutes is Satire, it's not supposed to be hilarious or keep you on the edge of your seat, but it is supposed to make you think and open your eyes to what's around you. I'll admit that sometimes it's not very thought provoking, but watching it after Sept 11, I found it very comforting.

But just because you don't think it's any good doesn't mean that no one else does. Maybe you just don't understand it. I don't like the Royal Canadian Air Force, but I don't deny that it's a Canadian Classic.

I can't believe this show hasn't been cancelled yet, as bad as it has gotten over the past many years the last 2 to 3 years have been just pathetic! The cast is tired and old, by that I mean they are doing the same old characters and jokes. The writing is obviously terrible with really bad jokes you are probably already thinking of the punchlines for before they get to them on the show. They just have turned completely into Royal Canadian Air Farce and that should be very embarrassing for a show that once was so much better than that with sharp writing and a great cast that could do many characters and didn't keep doing the same things over and over. I am so tired of looking at these people on this show, they need new blood, new actors and definitely new writers too because these people obviously just don't care any more, but after 20 years or however long it's been who can blame them? They took forever to cancel Royal Canadian Air Farce so please CBC before it gets any worse cancel this show or replace everyone with new people who have new ideas!

This used to be a good program. It used to walk the fine line between parody & bad taste. The show was always at its best when the wit and satire carried the message. It seems that in the last 2 seasons (or at least since Rick M. left) the writers have to be so much more blatant in the attacks. Yeah I know, it's still better then a lot of other crap on the tube, but really, it has fallen down several notches. I just don't laugh much anymore when I bother to watch. Not that Air Farce is much better. Now we have 2 comedy shows that are passed their prime. Monday Report may miss as many times as it hits, but at least the edge is there...the smartness is there.