Shinigami's HIGNFY reviews episode 1-01
Since I haven't had any decent comments on these things on the WTATA forums, I decided to post my HIGNFY reviews on livejournal.
Cross posted to glovelove.
So here is Season 1 episode 1 of HIGNFY.
s01-01
Air date: 29 Sept 1990
Ian's guest: Sandi Toksvig
Paul's guest: Kate Saunders
My observations and notes: (My comments are made as I watch the episode in real time)
This is the first episode aired and made.
Ugh! Thank GOD they changed the theme song next season.
First broadcasted on September 29th, 1990. One day before my birthday (I was almost 4). But in the reruns, it says it was broadcasted on Sept 28th. Hmm.
First appearances of Angus, Ian, and Paul. Ian will appear on every episode, Paul appears in all episodes but most of the 11th season, and Angus would host all episodes until the 24th season.
OH MY GOD! Angus, what’s with that HAIR!? LOL! And that suit looks two-three sizes too big for him. *sigh* Ah, the early, early 90’s.
Wow, first episode and there are Saddam jokes and a toga party joke to boot.
Princess Di makes an appearance in the second In the News bit.
Wow, Ian had hair! And he looks like a little boy. We also have the first Private Eye joke. (For those who don’t know, or has never ever seen the series, he’s the editor of Private Eye) He is the only one who has appeared in every episode.
Sandi - <3 - So funny and short, and with some funky late 80’s hair. This is her first appearance on HIGNFY.
-Fun Fact: according to Paul and Ian on the “Very Best of” DVD, Sandi was one of the choices for the host. It was between her and Angus. They went with Angus.
Paul - looks so young. Still wears crazy shirts and this one: wow! (A black shirt with bright colours and shapes) For those who never heard of him, Paul Merton is a deadpan god. He’s appeared on Whose Line is it Anyway and Just a Minute, hosted Room 101, and has performed with the Comedy Store Players.
-Fun fact: Paul wore that same shirt on Whose Line in the third episode of season 3.
Kate Saunders (A British Journalist, novelist and actress) is ok. “Described Ian Hislop as sexier than Richard Geere”? Gee, I wonder why she was put on. This is her only appearance on HIGNFY.
Ahh, the first “Film Round” game, such nostalgia. And the boy’s are so nervous. (Note: Ian and Sandi’s first clip was then shown on the Very Best of HIGNFY)
More Saddam jokes.
Paul’s first line: (On Nikkol *not sure his name is right*) “Ah, this is one of the Osmond brothers”.
That shirt Paul has on is really distracting….
Speaking of distracting: Angus’s hair.
Ian really looks cute in this first episode.
Ian: (on Nelson Mandela’s wife) It’s Oprah Winfry. Sandi: (other woman is holding something) She’s hugging a woman with a hearing condition.
Kate: (on George Foreman) “It’s Patrick Stewart from Star Trek the Second Generation.” Somewhere, Trekkies’ are foaming at the mouth.
Headline Round: One for each player.
The “Jimmy Hill” headline - Paul makes a comment on Hill doing a Cabaret sex act with a pony, prompting lots of loud laughter.
Kate offers her body to Angus in exchange for her answer to her headline round question. Angus refuses. Hmm, fast-forward twelve years later…
“No onboard chainsaws, please” - my favorite of the headlines. Quick question: Who the hell would bring a chainsaw on a plane in the first place?!
And Ian makes a Jeremy Beedle joke on “The Great Plague of 1990” headline. How 90’s.
Rare third round - montage of visual clues and find out how it relates to a major news story. An interesting round, but kinda drags. Plus there’s a spanking joke in there.
Mini-headlines round - also a rare round. Kinda drags as well. Glad it and the one before were removed.
Paul (on Joan Collins) “She relied on glamour and her knickers exploded” - Lol. Also, Kate once again gets the name “Star Trek: The Next Generation” wrong. Angus, Paul, and Sandi make some Star Trek jokes which make me giggle.
Watching this makes me wish Sandi was on more.
Oooo, Ian made a Princess Di joke - can’t really get away with those anymore.
The archive round - another lost game from the first few seasons.
Nothing really worth noting, except Angus calls Ian “Emeline” or something.
The Props round - only around for a short time. (Only two ever playings)
Sandi: (On the props: A toy parrot, two oranges and handcuffs) Fun for the whole family.
Angus: Hm. Do with these what you will.
Sandi: We'll be back, then. - lol
Sandi makes a boob joke with the oranges.
Wonder how many fans wanted Paul to wear that sombrero?
The debut of the Odd One Out Round.
Paul kinda looks bored by this time.
(Not much I wrote about this round, because I was already getting a bit bored from the games before.)
Final round: Missing Words.
“Lets get high, Joan tells Di” - wow.
“Lawson admits to three *what*” - Paul: Testacles.
And Ian won! WOW! First episode and Ian wins!
Score: Ian: 25- Paul: 21
Caption Contest - Sandi wins and gets the severed arm as the ‘prize’. She even cuddles with it.
My Overall opinion: A pretty decent start of the series, but only memorable for it being the first one. Paul looked bored by Odd one out, Ian was ok, Sandi was awesome, and Kate was a bit dull.
Link to Screen shots: http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa28/shinigami518/HIGNFY/1x01%20full/
More to come once I'm able to and when I've uploaded the screens.