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