Twenty years on, our mongrel relation to America’s robust SNL comes off like an episode of the Beeb’s Comedy Connections with political Tourette’s. It’s telling that, especially in contrast to Ben Elton’s dated “littlebitapolitics” verbiage, only Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondon’s slapstick Bottom rehearsal, The Dangerous Brothers, remains hilarious. It’s disappointing to see how many of the show’s “edgy alternative” figures now either write West End musicals with Lord Lloyd Webber (Elton), play limping doctors on US TV (Hugh Laurie), present BAFTAs (Stephen Fry) or have acted in Corrie (Red Dwarf’s Craig Charles). A Gong Show approach is best applied – if it ain’t made ya chuckle in 30 secs, hit the ‘Next’ button.
BEST BIT The Dangerous Brothers: Babysitter.
