It was Friday morning, the first of March. Waking up to start another day of work at the pool, guarding the lives of Plymouth’s fit and lively. Of course, awaking at 6:30 in the morning isn’t all too satisfying, unless something comes along that brightens the day even more than the sunrise. “Oh, by the way, Whose Line is coming back. More details later…” was tweeted by veteran improviser and “Whose Line” alum, Colin Mocherie. Yes, it is finally happening, new episodes of the series are slated to return to television screens this coming summer on the CW.
Ever since the original ABC series concluded in 2006, there has been a bad taste in the mouths of the fans. It was one of the most creative and humorous shows on television, that more importantly wasn’t just another sitcom or crime-drama. It was refreshing seeing a show breakaway from the boundaries of network television. Although a risky move placing an improv-based show in primetime, it thrived for around eight years before being axed. Legions of fans since then have rallied for a return of the show and it certainly helped that the boom of social media has evolved since seven years ago when the show was cancelled.
The show had such an impact on the nation that many similar shows tried to grasp onto the improv-sketch based routine. Very shortly after “Whose Line” was cancelled, Drew Carey (the show’s host, resident punching bag and fellow improviser) had tried creating a show based on improv but with a twist, implementing a green screen for zany, animated additives to the comedy. It didn’t fare well with the viewing public and ended after twelve episodes. In the spring of 2011, he once again tried reviving interest by creating “Drew Carey’s Improv-a-ganza” on the Game Show Network. It lasted a reasonable forty episodes and subsequently concluded the same year over the summer.
More details have come out since Mocherie’s tweet and it appears most of, if not all, of the original members of the show will be returning. It should be interesting to see how they can plan all of the conflicting schedules. Greg Proops, Ryan Stiles, Jeff B. Davis and Chip Esten have a nationwide improv-tour that circuits numerous cities year-round. Colin Mocherie and Brad Sherwood have their own two-man improv show as well. Wayne Brady, frankly, is doing it all at this point; one-man productions in Vegas, hosting game-shows along with random guest-spots on various television shows. All of them seem on-board to bring around the show that launched their careers so high.
However, the one person who seemed to be its biggest fan, Drew Carey, will not host the show. Carey, so far, has no affiliation with the program and has yet to be quoted on his intentions or if there are any. Instead, the show will be hosted by Aisha Tyler, who is most notably the voice of Lana Kane on “Archer.” It’s quite possible that her big tie to the show is due to the fact that The CW is owned by ABC, the network that produces “The Talk”, a talk-show co-hosted by Tyler.
In the end, it should be entertaining to see how the new episodes turn out. It also helps that most other shows are over and in repeats over summer break, thus making new weekly-episodes an anticipating factor. However, the chemistry of the show will be different with the absence of Carey and it may falter with devoted fans of the show. Yet, it seems as though devoted fans will be able to look past that one detail and just be happy the show is finally back.