Trigger Happy

This is probably one of the funniest TV shows ever made. Trigger Happy TV, fronted by the irrepressible Dom Joly, is a programme based loosely on Candid Camera. The show is a series of sketches that focus on those little irritating things in life (mobile phones, fishermen, traffic wardens) by blowing them out of all proportion. Trigger Happy is so irreverent, so insanely unique, that you're absolutely guaranteed to laugh. What's more, the whole thing is wrapped up by a delightful "sad-rock" soundtrack which, unlike canned laughter, makes you just laugh even harder. Look out for the park-bench secret agent, the educated punk, and the door-to-door Grim Reaper in particular! Fantastic.

Okay, I don't know what to say other than if you don't find yourself

laughing at this you either: 1. aren't intelligent enough to understand

it - or - 2. are WAY too uptight (like many of the people shown)! Dom

Jolly's Trigger Happy TV is nothing short of comic genius. I'd like to

meet the man personally just to shake his hand! Yes, there are recurring

characters, but none of the jokes are exactly the same (which some

people don't seem to catch on to - they see the same character and

instantly think "he's doing the same thing, this is repatative, and

since I have the attention spam of a 2-year-old, I'm going to write him

off and say this isn't funny because I'm not intelligent enough to pay

attention and see what actually happens!").

Trigger Happy TV is NOTHING LIKE Jackass. Jackass is idiots hurting

themselves and others or just generally disturbing the peace and risking

getting their asses kicked if they haven't already kicked each others'.

Trigger Happy TV is cleverly planned out sketches that rely entirely on

public interaction to make them work. Some of it is juvenile, yes, but

you'll never see Dom Jolly or his cohorts destorying property (others or

their own) or deliberately hurting each other (or others) just for

kicks. When they dress up in animal costumes and get in play fights,

it's just for shock value/hilarity. No one is actually hurt. That is

where the difference lies.

Now, when are we going to get the original UK episodes unedited on US

region 1 DVD Mr. Jolly? I'll be first in line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I hear a lot of people say that this is the British form of "Jackass," but that is far from the truth. What the Brits do is not crude, gross out humor, where they staple their body parts or run around trying to inflict pain on each other. A little more random acts of insanity occur in "Trigger Happy" as opposed to the random acts of stupidity in "Jackass." Trigger happy is the kind of stuff you and your friends could do (and believe me we have) and not get arrested for it. One of the greatest moments ever was where one was dressed in a a turtle outfit and was waiting at a cross walk. The cars stopped, he got down on his knees and slowly crossed. After about a minute and a half another guy dressed in a rabbit outfit ran passed him. London motorists laughed, I laughed, all my friends laughed. The stuff is classic, and I recommend watching the new seasons on Comedy Central...

10/10!!!

I've been a fan of British TV shows for many years. Trigger Happy TV, by far, takes the cake. The sketch comedy was brilliant, and parts were so funny that I cried from laughing so much. I can no longer hear a Nokia mobile phone go off without snikkering to myself.

If you are able to procure a copy of this on VHS or DVD, get it. Be careful, though, if you are in the States because your machine needs to be able to read PAL videos and DVDs.

A comparison to Candid Camera has been made, but Trigger Happy TV is a lot funnier and much more original in the humor content. It's the same kind of motif as Candid Camera, but the recipients of the gags are not made to look stupid like Candid Camera did often.

See this show if you have the chance to. You won't be disappointed.

Dom Joly is a genius. Playing a Traffic Warden he will use a pedestrian crossing and warn the motorist who stopped for him he has 'parked' on double yellow lines. Dressed in a striped t-shirt and eye-mask he asks an elderly couple the way to the village post-office. As a park keeper he asks an old man if he is the vandal who chopped down trees with a chainsaw during the night ("If you want to do that sort of thing, sir, get a job as a forest ranger - don't do it here, OK?").

These situations are funny but what is even funnier is: the motorist gets angry; the couple *apologise* for not knowing where the post-office is, they're just visiting; the man in the park gives an anxious account of his movements.

Are these reactions typically British? That strange desire we have not to make a fuss and stick out from the crowd? The psychology of THTV is fascinating.

My personal favourites are the squirrels - but I've given away too much already!