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.
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter