LOL: Last One Laughing Ireland

As a big fan of the original japanese show "documental" I had often wondered how good it will be with top english speaking comedians who are often seen ebing so quick witted. Today I bit the bullet and binge watching LOL: Ireland. As the title suggests I believe I laughed out loud twice and I unlike the contestant/comedians was not under orders not to laugh.

I have to admit even as an English man I only knew half of the comedians and some of them I genuinely find funny in other shows but my god some of the performances were so embarrising. Now honestly the way these shows work best is usually the human side of people breaking/forgetting themselves and being caught off guard as it's rarely an actually skit or performance that gets them but a random comment but that was also absent.

I will say that this is a great concept but like the original show often falls into desperate choas which ultimately becomes unfunny. We see these comedians errupt into laughter on panels shows with thier fellow comedians and so expect a back and forth with quality punchlines. I can't help but feel like "stand up" is strictly prohibited as it just becomes silly, childish costumes and "jokes" that wouldn't make an actual child laugh, like the original as the show goes on, material becomes weaker and more desperate as it decends into choas of noise, random outbursts and starts to look like what I persume a nut house would look like.

Comedy like art is subjective and so you may like this you may not, but I'm not convinced from multiple hours of vieweing that most the people in thie show are actually comedians.

I really like almost all the comedians involved in this and it's a really strong cast, not to mention Graham Norton. The format was completely foreign to me and I really didn't know how to expect. I liked the cameos - no spoilers - in the first few episodes: they gave it great buoyance and added a bit of variety. However as the episodes went on, it got a little tiresome and the comedians - understandably - got a little desperate. But instead of making it funny, it almost seemed childish. It started off strong with good comedic timing and the cameos, but the last episode or two really just felt like filling airtime. I think the format could have worked better if they actually had more time, in the style of a 'Big Brother' house, or if the criteria to peck off contestants was more fluid. I did enjoy this and will be watching any follow up, if there is one, but it just didn't hold its pace to the end.

I only managed about three quarters of the first episode but can confidently say is the least funny thing of any genre I've ever seen. They didn't just resort to doing clown bits, that was their go to. Yes, actual clown bits, like 1950s circus tent mini bike clown bits. It was painful, and not in the fun, cringe-comedy way, just painful cringe.

This show reeks of theatre kids without a funny bone in their body networking their way up the ladder and this mess is the result.

The only relief from the pain was the guy doing puns, they were slightly amusing.

Surely Ireland has better talent out there.

If you have watched any last one laughing you would know that the comedians get desperate very very quickly, which leads to them doing horrible or stupidly simple but funny things. This is what makes the show so funny. A lot of the bits are very funny and there is a lot of Irish humour and references in it. There are more bits done by the show than the other last one laughings which did take away from some bits that comedians were doing but I thought it added an air of "what is happening" to it. If you like any of the comedians (except Mcsavage, who struggles a lot) it's a perfect watch. One of the funnier ones from this type of shows, probably because I'm Irish. Very absurd and silly, some people need to learn how to laugh at stupid things, a lot of the reviews are stuck up comedy snobs who only accept a joke if it has 15 satirical layers. It's low brow mixed with some smart jokes, because the basics are what make comedians laugh. What did you expect to happen when comedians don't get a laugh for 6 hours?

If I was to say what was bad is that some comedians are a bit awkward with them trying too hard or making very desperate jokes and it's a little bit cringy to watch, but it's minor.

Graham is a pretty good host, the production of the show is very high, and I found it very funny. I think most Irish people with a sense of humour would find it funny. Don't watch it if silly, stupid and dirty humour isn't your thing. But if it is, you'll have a blast.

I have not seen the other versions of this show so can't compare but LOL Ireland is nuts and I love it it's silly and fun and doesn't take itself too seriously - I can't explain why it's funny but it works. It is utter madness. It's not the big performance pieces that get you but the one liners they deliver amongst themselves that are gold. Deirdre O'Kane is a legend and Amy Huberman is fearless ! Aisling Bea what's not to love !

Also with Graham Norton as presenter need I say more, a Father ted reference even turns up.

It's not a show for everyone but it definitely brightened a few dull January nights !