8 Out of 10 Cats

The headline says it all. Seven comedians + 1 laugh track = not funny

8 out of 10 cats is a game show in which two teams answer questions linked to opinion polls answered for by the general British public. Hosted by the terrific Jimmy Carr, it features Sean Lock and Dave Spikey (both also brilliant) as the team captains, and a host of famous faces to be the other team members. The comedy comes thick and fast, especially from Lock and Spikey, with regular quips from the guests, most of which are surprisingly funny! With a host like Carr, and team captains who know what they're doing, this programme is an absolute treat and should not be missed.

This programme has become one of my favourite comedy game shows, up there with Have I Got News For You, Shooting Stars, and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Don't Miss!

Since this panel show mostly concerns current events, the episodes feel old pretty quickly. Many of the jokes rely on the audience having news stories in fresh memory, so as those memories have faded, the jokes no longer work.

The quality of guests varies greatly, and conversations between them can feel a bit forced. Still, latest episodes can be worth catching if you're into making fun of current affairs.

The one old episode I'd recommend is S13E09 - the tax avoidance scandal.

This is a comedy panel game about public opinion and recent events. It was originally shown on Channel 4, then moved to More4 and is now on E4.

Every episode is hosted by Jimmy Carr. Each of the two teams has a captain and two guests. The captains have been Sean Lock, Dave Spikey, Jason Manford and Jon Richardson. The current captains are Rob Beckett and Aisling Bea.

How good it is varies a lot, depending on who is on that episode. Some guests are good, but many are awful. Aisling Bea is the best of the captains.

Most shows up until the recent series are pretty good. Jimmy Carr and Sean Lock in particular. However, it has been utterly ruined with the introduction of Rob Beckett as a captain. Now about as funny as pulling teeth, giant shiny teeth at that. No wonder the viewing figures are through the floor. Won't last long now I wouldn't think unless they get shot of Beckett.