Whose Line Is It Anyway? 1988
What is Whose Line Is It Anyway??
"Whose Line Is It Anyway?" is an un-scripted comedy television series. The show features four guest performers who participate in various improvisational games.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1988
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 136
- Runtime
- 22 minutes
- First aired
- Sep 23, 1988
- Last aired
- Feb 4, 1999
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- GB
- Networks
- Channel 4
- Genres
- Comedy
- Updated
Where to watch
Stream
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 136 episodes and an average 22-minute runtime.
Trailer
No official trailer is available for this title yet.
Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
"Whose Line Is It Anyway?" is an un-scripted comedy television series. The show features four guest performers who participate in various improvisational games. These games often rely on suggestions provided by the show's audience. The series focuses on the performers' ability to think creatively and respond quickly to the suggestions, resulting in comedic scenes and interactions. The show's format is centered around the improvisational nature of its content, with each episode featuring a unique set of games and audience suggestions. The performers' skills and chemistry are showcased through their ability to adapt to and build upon the suggestions, creating a dynamic and unpredictable viewing experience. The series' emphasis on audience participation and improvisation creates a unique and entertaining atmosphere, setting it apart from more traditional scripted comedy shows. The show's format allows for a wide range of creative possibilities, making each episode a distinct and engaging experience.
Should you watch it?
“Four comedians improvise hilarious games based on audience suggestions.”
- Unscripted humor keeps each episode fresh.
- Audience suggestions drive unpredictable jokes.
- Relies heavily on improvisational skill, which may not appeal to all.
- Some jokes may be hit-or-miss.
Watch it if you enjoy quick-witted, unscripted comedy and interactive audience participation.
The show’s TV‑PG rating means humor is generally mild and suitable for most viewers.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 13 episodes
- E1 Archie Hahn, Josie Lawrence, Paul Merton, John Sessions Sep 23, 1988
- E2 Archie Hahn, Rory Bremner, Jimmy Mulville, John Sessions Sep 30, 1988
- E3 Stephen Fry, Peter Cook, Josie Lawrence, John Sessions Oct 7, 1988
- E4 Tony Slattery, Betty Thomas, Paul Merton, John Sessions Oct 14, 1988
- E5 Josie Lawrence, Jonathan Pryce, Paul Merton, John Sessions Oct 21, 1988
- E6 Graeme Garden, Jan Ravens, George McGrath, John Sessions Oct 28, 1988
- E7 Tony Slattery, Jonathan Pryce, Rory McGrath, John Sessions Nov 4, 1988
- E8 Richard Kaplan, Griff Rhys Jones, Paul Merton, John Sessions Nov 11, 1988
- E9 Mike McShane, Josie Lawrence, Tony Slattery, John Sessions Nov 18, 1988
- E10 Stephen Fry, Josie Lawrence, Enn Reitel, John Sessions Nov 25, 1988
- E11 Series 1 Compilation 1 Dec 2, 1988
- E12 Series 1 Compilation 2 Dec 9, 1988
- E13 Original Pilot with Jon Glover, Jimmy Mulville, Josie Lawrence, John Sessions Dec 16, 1988
Season 2 · 17 episodes
- E1 Greg Proops, Josie Lawrence, Tony Slattery, Mike McShane Nov 10, 1989
- E2 Archie Hahn, Josie Lawrence, Tony Slattery, John Sessions Nov 17, 1989
- E3 Ron West, Griff Rhys Jones, Paul Merton, John Sessions Nov 24, 1989
- E4 Greg Proops, Josie Lawrence, Paul Rider, Mike McShane Dec 8, 1989
- E5 Ryan Stiles, Sandi Toksvig, Tony Slattery, John Sessions Dec 15, 1989
- E6 Ron West, Jimmy Mulville, Paul Merton, John Sessions Dec 22, 1989
- E7 Greg Proops, Josie Lawrence, Paul Merton, Sandi Toksvig, Tony Slattery, Mike McShane Dec 22, 1989
- E8 Ryan Stiles, Josie Lawrence, Neil Mullarkey, Mike McShane Jan 5, 1990
- E9 Archie Hahn, Jonathan Pryce, Paul Merton, John Sessions Jan 12, 1990
- E10 Lee Simpson, Jan Ravens, Tony Slattery, Mike McShane Jan 20, 1990
- E11 Josie Lawrence, Arthur Smith, Sandi Toksvig, Mike McShane Jan 26, 1990
- E12 Mike McShane, Chris Langham, Sandi Toksvig, John Sessions Feb 9, 1990
- E13 Greg Proops, Josie Lawrence, Tony Slattery, John Sessions Feb 16, 1990
- E14 Ron West, Sandi Toksvig, Tony Slattery, Rory McGrath Feb 23, 1990
- E15 Josie Lawrence, Paul Merton, Tony Slattery, Mike McShane Mar 2, 1990
- E16 Series 2 Compilation 1 Mar 9, 1990
- E17 Series 2 Compilation 2 Mar 16, 1990
Season 3 · 17 episodes
- E1 Josie Lawrence, Greg Proops, Jim Sweeney, Tony Slattery Jan 18, 1991
- E2 Josie Lawrence, Mark Cohen, Tony Slattery, Mike McShane Jan 25, 1991
- E3 Mike McShane, Sandi Toksvig, Paul Merton, Jim Sweeney Feb 1, 1991
- E4 Josie Lawrence, Paul Merton, Julian Clary, Mike McShane Feb 8, 1991
- E5 Mike McShane, Colin Mochrie, Sandi Toksvig, Tony Slattery Feb 15, 1991
- E6 Mike McShane, Josie Lawrence, Denalda Williams, Sandi Toksvig Feb 22, 1991
- E7 Mike McShane, Paul Merton, Steve Steen, Jim Sweeney Mar 1, 1991
- E8 Greg Proops, Sandi Toksvig, Tony Slattery, Mike McShane Mar 8, 1991
- E9 Series 3 London Compilation Mar 15, 1991
- E10 Josie Lawrence, Ryan Stiles, Christopher Smith, Jim Meskimen Mar 22, 1991
- E11 Mike McShane, Mark Cohen, Greg Proops, John Sessions Mar 29, 1991
- E12 Josie Lawrence, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Mike McShane Apr 5, 1991
- E13 Christopher Smith, Sandi Toksvig, Jim Meskimen, Mike McShane Apr 12, 1991
- E14 John Sessions, Archie Hahn, Ryan Stiles, Mike McShane Apr 19, 1991
- E15 Greg Proops, George McGrath, Ryan Stiles, Mike McShane Apr 26, 1991
- E16 Josie Lawrence, Greg Proops, Sandi Toksvig, Mike McShane May 3, 1991
- E17 Series 3 New York Compilation May 10, 1991
Season 4 · 13 episodes
- E1 Jim Sweeney, Steve Steen, Steve Frost, Tony Slattery Jan 24, 1992
- E2 Greg Proops, Paul Merton, Ryan Stiles, Josie Lawrence Jan 31, 1992
- E3 Jim Sweeney, Paul Merton, Steve Steen, Tony Slattery Feb 7, 1992
- E4 Jim Sweeney, Steve Frost, Josie Lawrence, Tony Slattery Feb 14, 1992
- E5 Greg Proops, Ryan Stiles, Chip Esten, Tony Slattery Feb 21, 1992
- E6 Series 4 London Compilation Feb 28, 1992
- E7 Greg Proops, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Brad Sherwood Mar 6, 1992
- E8 Greg Proops, Archie Hahn, Ryan Stiles, Chip Esten Mar 13, 1992
- E9 Ron West, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Greg Proops Mar 20, 1992
- E10 Sam Johnson, Jane Brucker, Ryan Stiles, Chip Esten Mar 27, 1992
- E11 Jim Meskimen, Chris Smith, Ryan Stiles, Chip Esten Apr 3, 1992
- E12 Greg Proops, Ron West, Ryan Stiles, Brad Sherwood Apr 10, 1992
- E13 Series 4 New York Compilation Apr 17, 1992
Season 5 · 9 episodes
- E1 Greg Proops, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Tony Slattery Mar 5, 1993
- E2 Greg Proops, Russell Fletcher, Ryan Stiles, Josie Lawrence Mar 12, 1993
- E3 Jim Sweeney, Steve Steen, Paul Merton, Tony Slattery Mar 19, 1993
- E4 Greg Proops, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Tony Slattery Mar 26, 1993
- E5 Greg Proops, Ryan Stiles, Josie Lawrence, Mike McShane Apr 2, 1993
- E6 Greg Proops, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Josie Lawrence Apr 9, 1993
- E7 Jim Sweeney, Steve Steen, Tony Slattery, Mike McShane Apr 16, 1993
- E8 Stephen Frost, Colin Mochrie, Ryan Stiles, Tony Slattery Apr 23, 1993
- E9 Series 5 Compilation Apr 30, 1993
Frequently asked questions
What is the format of the show?
Four guest performers improvise a series of games, often using audience suggestions.
When did the series first air?
The series premiered in 1988.
What genre does it belong to?
It is classified as a comedy series.
What is the content rating?
It carries a TV‑PG rating.
How many performers appear in each episode?
Each episode features four guest performers.