

Hypothetical
TV preview by Steve Bennett
The Dave channel has its biggest hit with Taskmaster, with comedians challenged to figure their way around bizarre challenges.
If the Greg Davis/Alex Horne show is the practical, Hypothetical is the theory, with a panel asked to work out how they would achieve a series of imaginary goals. That three out of the four people taking part in episode one have already been Taskmaster contestants just shows what a small pool TV panel shows draw from.
When this show was first announced, the twittersphere was quick to draw comparisons with Danielle Ward’s ace podcast Do The Right Thing. However things plays out rather differently here, which is all about improvising an extended scenario rather than grappling to get what might be a passable right answer.
On Hypothetical, for example, the first challenge for Tom Allen is to stage a ‘fun-filled and romantic date’ without spending any money, requiring him to eat, do two activities, offer a gift and get the lucky gentleman home, without revealing he hasn’t got two shillings to rub together.
As he talks us through how he’d achieve this, hosts Josh Widdicombe and James Acaster and the rest of the team, not least former schoolmate Rob Beckett, gently rib him. Everyone does genuinely seem to be having fun with the format, rather than it being too competitive.
Indeed. the players are not necessarily great improvisers - witness Jessica Knappett’s awkward sermon as she tries to recruit people to her cult or Liza Tarbuck’s stream-of-consciousness in the same round. But they all muck in and give it a go in the spirit of party games.
The masterstroke of Hypothetical, though, is in casting Acaster as Widdicombe’s sidekick. They have been friends for yonks, which adds to the chummy atmosphere, but crucially Acaster adds a dash of peculiarity to everything he touches.
It’s him who lays down the parameters for each mental challenge, and marks the responses – ‘from one, the lowest of all the numbers, to five, the fifth lowest of all the numbers’ – as well as playing along with the contestants’ act-outs.
Widdicombe makes a decent go of being the host, too. Often a little of his eager shtick goes a long way, but he dials it back here, and when he does slip into exaggerated high-pitched incredulity, it’s both appropriate and reined in by Acaster’s wry surrealism.
This probably won’t be such a mega-hit as Taskmaster, but everything Acaster touches tends to turn to gold, so it’s easy to see this becoming an audience favourite. The dilemma of whether you’d rather wear a big hat or a small hat for the rest of your days – a staple of the show – will surely divide the nation more than Brexit.
• Hypothetical is on Dave at 10pm tonight, and episode one is already available on UKTV Play here. The list of future guests is here.
Published: 6 Feb 2019
James Acaster: Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999
In his seventh solo show, James Acaster is still reinventing…
1/11/2018
James Acaster, Nish Kumar, Suzi Ruffell and John Robins
Day two of the Greenwich Comedy Festival and the quality…
14/09/2018
It’s testament to the sheer amount of quality…
27/03/2018
If there was a recurring theme to this year’s Cat…
6/06/2016
James Acaster has been nominated for more Edinburgh…
15/04/2016
Brighton Comedy Festival 2015 gala
The Brighton Comedy Festival opening gala is usually…
10/10/2015
He’s a serial award nominee for the Edinburgh Comedy…
24/08/2015
The Invisible Dot Cabaret at the Manchester International Festival
As part of its collaboration with the Manchester International…
16/07/2015
The boilerplate for The John Bishop Show is as standard…
30/05/2015
Resplendent in green corduroy, like a rock 'n' roll…
16/08/2014
James Acaster is in no rush to make you laugh.
Dressed…
7/08/2013
James Acaster: Prompt: Fringe 2012
At first, James Acaster seems like one of those newer…
3/08/2012
James Acaster: Amongst Other Things
'Is this a dream?' James Acaster asks himself after…
21/08/2011
James Acaster – Original Review
Mild-mannered James Acaster makes a lot out of a little;…
6/05/2009
Past Shows
Agent
Chris Lander
Contact by email
Office: 020 7291 9000
Comments