TV Review – Shooting Stars on BBC Two
New 2009 Series of Vic and Bob’s Comedy Panel Show
Aug 26, 2009
Predictably 2009 has seen many of the comebacks that characterised the previous year. Alternative rock geniuses Faith No More reformed, independent game developers have found new life during the recession, James Cameron is turning the notion of 3D films up to 11 with the hugely anticipated Avatar and Michael Schumacher could (health and rule book permitting) drive in a F1 event again.
Oh and something called Shooting Stars is back on the telly. Apparently it’s a panel thingy that used to be around in the 90s with two blokes called Dic and Boob with a giant baby hitting drums, or something like that. Of course, it’s the BBC’s once admired randomist comedy show that has been given new life following a much publicised, and somewhat disappointing, one-off outing last Christmas.
New Shooting Stars
People of a certain age remember Shooting Stars a little too fondly. An oft quoted and repeated comedy based on getting bizarre double act Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer asking inconsequential questions (such as “Is Jeremy Kyle the king of gypsies?”, “Name someone with a face?”) to the likes of The One Show’s Christine Bleakley. Edgy and funny 10 years ago, will it hold up now?
There were some laugh-out-loud sequences: Reeves’s corn on the cob musical bit needs to be seen to be appreciated, the You’ve been Filmed sketch where everyone unconvincingly ends up in a paddling pool and DJ Ironick failing to recall what breed his dog is to which Mortimer replies “that’s a cat”…you had to be there.
Nostalgia and Angelos Epithemiou
A couple of the old features have been dusted off; the original Dove from Above (cooed down by the guests), the club singer round, Vic’s leg rubbing towards the attractive female guest and Little Britain’s Matt Lucas is back as the popular drumming baby/score keeper George Dawes. All of which add a faint melancholic air that it’s tough not to conclude that this revival is largely down to rose-tinted nostalgia.
It’s true that more than any other panel show Shooting Stars knows that the whole points scoring business and genuine questions are simply an unnecessary addition, this is ultimately a chance for Vic and Bob to extend their unique brand of surrealist humour. Although it doesn't help when a documentary about the show’s history, containing their trademark style with fake scenes, was funnier than the Christmas Special that followed.
One new addition though is Angelos Epithemiou (AKA comedian Dan Skinner), a weird looking chap who’s aiming to be both boring and inappropriate when talking to long standing captain Ulrika Jonsson. He even out deadpans Jack Dee, who is taking up the “grumpy team captain” role previously filled by Mark LaMarr and Will Self, and with the rather oddball Epithemiou character sucking up the attention and the most laughs Dee’s contribution seems overshadowed and sidelined.
Shooting Stars with Vic and Bob
Panel shows are not only ten a penny but have moved on from the Q&A style of Never Mind the Buzzcocks and They Think It’s All Over to the conversational modes QI and Mock The Week so despite the questions being utter nonsense Shooting Stars is relying heavily on fan support rather than attracting a new audience especially as there’s not a lot to add to the format.
Vic and Bob are funny and likeable guys so deep down most fans would prefer they work on new sketch series instead of rehashing the same routines they were doing over 10 years ago. This was a little desperate, yet it wasn't terrible and could have been so much worse. Shooting Stars 2009: S’alright.
Shooting Stars is on every Wednesday at 10pm on BBC Two.
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