That Last One Laughing is back is no surprise, given the first series was the surprise comedy hit of last year. But an OK format and a cast of familiar – arguably over-familiar – panel-show comedians produced gold. The fact viewers already knew the contestants, and that they knew each other, actually proved to be a huge catalyst, even before adding in the national treasure that is Bob Mortimer.
Getting the master of mundane surrealism back for series two is, of coursem a coup, ensuring the winning formula remains. The premise is the same too, obviously. Trapped in a room together for a day, the comics must try to make each other laugh without cracking up themselves. Two strikes and they’re out.
It’s scientifically proven (probably) that nothing encourages laughter more than being told you must stifle it, as anyone who’s got the giggles at a funeral or school assembly knows. Cue plenty of shots of faces struggling to suppress what comes naturally. Amy Gledhill and Mel Giedroyc sometimes look in physical pain from the effort.
Speaking about the show, Roisin Conaty who co-hosts with the businesslike Jimmy Carr, has split the contestants into two groups: The Deadpan Daddies and The Gigglers.
In the latter camp you have the likes of Giedroyc, who’s rarely seen on TV without an enthusiastic, supportive chuckle playing across her lips, and the compulsively demonstrative Alan Carr – even though Celebrity Traitors has shown us he’s not always the open book he appears.
In the other camp, professional grump Romesh Ranganathan; David Mitchell with his middle-class English reserve and Diane Morgan, trained to keep a straight face from all those years asking preposterous questions as Philomena Cunk.
Some are harder to figure out. Sam Campbell is a skilful trickster who can go toe-to-toe with Mortimer for making absurdity seem credible (and who has an outstanding houseboat gag in episode one), and Black Ops star Gbemisola Ikumelo who seems to hold it all together – but when she goes, she really goes.
The series takes a little while to get going as the comics size each other up, a couple of strong gags in the trust circle icebreaker notwithstanding. But soon the comics adopt strategies, such as Morgan and Ranganathan teaming up to stare down Alan Carr, contributing to a gameplay that becomes surprisingly compelling as the comics figure out their attacks and defences.
Jimmy Carr sets some challenges – such as ahead-to-head between Ranganathan and Maisie Adam in episode 1– while each player has a joker, a set piece which can produce marvels. Who can forget Joe Wilkinson’s priceless RNLI appeal from series one? Here Mitchell plays against type with a spirited rendition of the jaunty Flash, Bang, Wallop!, while Morgan goes for the simplicity of a misplaced fart.
Not every bit lands but as with Taskmaster – a show which is a kindred comedy spirit – you’ll often find one of these ridiculous skits outlandishly funny, and usually the more earnestly executed the better. But at least at home you’re allowed to laugh at them.
• The first three episodes of Last One Laughing Season 2 are on Prime Video now. Two more come next Thursday, and the final on April 2.
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