imad_jafar Reeves and Mortimer are an acquired taste - their zaniness is a love it or hate it style of comedy. One can see influences of early Steve Martin in their comedy, and nowhere is the Reeves and Mortimer format more engaging and exhilarating than in this raw and stagy sketch-show. "Vic Reeves Big Night Out" was a wild and weird stand-up extravaganza that had been developed since the mid eighties by Reeves and his comedy partner Bob Mortimer, which they performed at various clubs, stages and performance houses. Finally, in 1990, they recorded their well honed act for a video release. This recording is now available on DVD as "The Original Vic Reeves Big Night Out".But that's enough about the background and development; how is the actual show? Well, I will say this: you will either hate it or love it. There is no doubting that some of the humor in this show is simply not funny - even fans of parody and silly humor won't find it funny. Vic and Bob essentially try to throw all their early comedic skill at the wall to see what sticks. Most does. The viewers will overlook the few unfunny moments simply because there are many scenes which are filled with truly imaginative comedic ideas - the creation of Les is a masterwork on the team's part; his appearance assuring a laugh in every episode. Other highlights include Graham Lister, the hopeless and talentless talent try-out, Mr. Wobbly-Hand, and Vic and Bob's live singing of "Summer of '75", which Reeves recorded with more lyrics on his 1991 comedy album "I Will Cure You".Some of the most famous characters, however, such as The Man With The Stick, fall flat and their bits make you wonder why their scenes were not cut out of the whole act altogether. Nonetheless, "Vic Reeves Big Night Out" is a great show that reminds us you don't need obscenity to be funny. And, of course, each episode ends on a great musical note with Vic singing "Oh! Mr.Songwriter", using his undeniable singing ability to the maximum.

dalxray OK, here's the spoiler : All of the writing and acting.I am a great fan of English comedies (ie. Python, Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin, Alexei Sayle's Stuff, Alan Partridge, Knowing Me, Knowing You, Saxondale, Fawlty Towers, The Games)(okay, last one's Aussie) - sitcoms, sketch comedy, satire, whatever - and was extremely disappointed as this was supposedly an influential series, but is in fact a load of nonsensical dreck. Badly delivered, childish, corny and extremely dated jokes - although I hesitate to call them jokes. Yeah, I get that it's supposed to be a parody of earlier television variety shows, but parodies are also supposed to be funny. This isn't.Don't waste your time, it's about as funny as cancer.By the way, Simon Day appears briefly a few times and is billed as Tommy Cockles, but he is not doing the (very funny) Tommy Cockles character from the Fast Show.

screenman But certainly to mine, at least.This first TV pairing of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer was a Friday night must-see for me. I found it quite addictive. The sketches were preposterous - with items like 'novelty island', 'Justice Nutmeg' and 'the man with the stick' - the props looked like the result of 30 minutes improvisation with the contents of a local skip, whilst the dialogue was quick, slapstick, and largely surreal. Lines like: 'Now this is the time of day when I like to put a plum under a viper', could only have been uttered by Vic. Played-out in the old fashioned music hall style, Vic Reeves held the commanding role as MC whilst Bob Mortimer did a turn as side-kick. Then there was 'Les' a mute, aberrant assistant turned comic prop, with shaved head and laboratory coat, who seemed to have co-ordination issues. Other characters came and went as required. I've had guests who stared at the programme with a blank stupefaction and then turn to me as if in belated discovery that I were deranged. Nothing would persuade them that it was hilarious. Well; for me it was a Friday night staple that they never really bettered even with their later and more extravagantly funded follow-ups. 'Shooting Stars' continues their penchant for tacky props and prizes, and its recent reappearance as a new series is testament to the duo's popularity. Individually they have very little to offer, but as a team they're a scream.

Skint111 I consider Vic Reeves Big Night to be one of the finest comedy shows ever to have adorned British television. It was brilliantly funny, incredibly inventive and superbly performed. It is comedy in the true sense, in that the objects or names that Vic mentions (eg when he's looking at what the man with the stick has written on his helmet) are funny in themselves. Reeves and Mortimer had an unerring ability to know exactly what was funny. So one type of vegetable is funny, another is not. The mere mention of one celebrity's name is funny, another is not. This is observational comedy in its purest form, and a sign of witty, perceptive minds. Get the DVD of this and keep it close. They don't make many like this.