Warning. This episode contains skipping. Sure enough, Lee suckered his TV viewers in last week with a relatively benign look at the nature of modern comedy and a few cheeky swipes at his fellow entertainers. This week he goes for the jugular, addressing the more tricky question of the rise of Islamophobia and the acceptability of jokes about religion.
The skipping, inevitably, comes in a section about a different rise – the rise of observational comedy. I guess the running around is a wry poke at Michael McIntyre. It’s a broad visual gag and what makes it really funny is how red in the face Lee gets. Positively puce. I worried for his heart. In fact there is an uncharacteristically large amount of energy expended this week. There’s a lot of shouting at the screen too.
I won’t give away too many of the gags here. Although they do work in print you really have to watch Lee to get the full impact. He truly is a consummate craftsman, showing how, unlike other comedians, he is capable to getting in his apology for a potentially ill-judged remark long before the punchline. Not that he is ever actually offensive.
In a number of set-pieces here he shows himself to be a master of having his comedic cake and eating it. Within the first few minutes he has his cake and eats it with an impeccable routine about the Great British Bake Off, including the best Mary Berry joke you will hear this year.
Lots of good stuff this week, even if at times Lee teeters on the cusp of self-parody. Yet despite his “liberal intelligentsia” schtick he remains accessible, with quips about Dapper Laughs and 50 Shades of Grey. There really are gags here that would work on on Live at the Apollo. As he suggests himself with a sly, mock-arrogant wink to the camera, he can do jokes if he wants.
Oh and there’s another treat here. I won’t go into detail except to say that it features Kevin Eldon and Paul Putner and might give you nightmares.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum