Typically-British Panel Game in which the contestants watch and analyse various television programs. The show is concocted and hosted by Charlie Brooker, with guests from the British comedy and panel show circuit such as Frankie Boyle, Josie Long, and David Mitchell.
Each week the panelists watch a number of shows and then assess them, as well as answering questions about them from Charlie, such as improvements to the show or to test whether they learned anything from it. The show also includes small reviews from Charlie of each show, somewhat similar to the material seen in Screenwipe.
The show also includes a website, where the viewers could see what TV shows they're going to review each week, as well as the ability to submit comments through Twitter ("which is bloody modern").
This show provides examples of:
- Catchphrase: "END OF THE SHOW", and also when closing up, Charlie usually says "GO AWAY" to the viewing audience.
- Caustic Critic: Despite it being a quiz show, it's still mostly vitriolic assessments of other television shows.
- Panel Show
- The Points Mean Nothing: Literally invoked, even.
- Self-Deprecation: "If anyone's a charlatan here, it's me. Oh, I hope Josie doesn't know I fancy her." Also, Charlie willingly admits that his catchphrase "END OF THE SHOW" is rubbish.
- Shout-Out: The name of the show is a reference to the caption that would accompany the Video Credits of David Croft's 1970's sitcoms, and Dad's Army in particular.
- Small Name, Big Ego: In an episode reviewing Dragons' Den, the contestants watch a terrible pitch for a dating service offering dates with celebrity lookalikes. Frank Skinner says a service selling dates with actual celebrities might work, leading to this exchange:Charlie: Who would you go with?Frank: [flustered] Any member of... the public...Charlie: Oh. [Everyone but Frank laughs uproariously]Frank: But thanks for that vote of confidence. God, is it going that badly?
- Totally Radical: One clip featured Daily Mail journalist Quentin Letts declaring that Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg seemed more "
jizzed up" during the latest pre-election debate.
