I can't believe this show hasn't been cancelled yet, as bad as it has gotten over the past many years the last 2 to 3 years have been just pathetic! The cast is tired and old, by that I mean they are doing the same old characters and jokes. The writing is obviously terrible with really bad jokes you are probably already thinking of the punchlines for before they get to them on the show. They just have turned completely into Royal Canadian Air Farce and that should be very embarrassing for a show that once was so much better than that with sharp writing and a great cast that could do many characters and didn't keep doing the same things over and over. I am so tired of looking at these people on this show, they need new blood, new actors and definitely new writers too because these people obviously just don't care any more, but after 20 years or however long it's been who can blame them? They took forever to cancel Royal Canadian Air Farce so please CBC before it gets any worse cancel this show or replace everyone with new people who have new ideas!
31 Reviews
Like Community Theater
joeycopsantarossa5 January 2014
This show is like watching a community players theater group do sketches every week that they think are funny. The impressions are all just terrible....how many times are we supposed to watch Cathy Jones and Susan Kent dress up like men and still find it funny? The correct answer is zero because it's not funny at all. Shawn Majumder and Mark Critch are just not funny and can't do impressions either. Watching Mark Critch pretend to be Al Pacino was one of the most painful experiences of my TV watching life I felt so extremely embarrassed for him and his family it was unbelievable. Who has the idea that these people should still be on TV after all these years doing the same bad impressions and the same bad jokes?
Quite a Bad Show
fembot10051 February 2010
I watched this show again a couple of times this season and didn't even know that they had a new cast. Obviously I knew Rick Mercer left but the other guy is also gone. The show was really bad, not funny for even a moment. The sketches are really pathetic and so are the characters. Gavin (one of the newer cast members) can do some okay character pieces but all of the characters are basic stereotypes and annoying. Mark Critch is one of the most annoying people I have ever seen on TV. I hate what CBC is doing now the comedy shows they make are pathetic. Air Farce is gone but now we have Ron James and still 22 Minutes, any comedy that isn't pathetic jokes by Newfoundlanders, CBC? Get rid of Mercer too because even he is not funny any more. I'm ashamed of the shows CBC is making nowadays.
Lame.
Bjorgen18 June 2006
The reason why This Hour Has 22 Minutes is not funny is because it tries to pass off its hackneyed stereotypes as legitimate satire. It's pretty hypocritical to take jabs at the ignorance of others considering that the writers and producers obviously know very little, if anything, about their own country west of Thunder Bay. Mike (from Canmore) is a good example of this: the old "Albertans are toothless hicks" gag - nyuk, nyuk, nyuk. I understand the gist of the sketch, but why is Mike from a beautiful, touristy, mountain resort village? I'm going to make my own sketch comedy show featuring crap like "Talking to Newfies" and "Pete (from Halifax)" - Pete will be a grizzled, old pirate with a corn cob pipe in his mouth, a peg leg and a bottle of rum in hand. Yeeehaaaw!!!
Outstanding long-running Canadian content!
Top_Dawg_Critic24 July 2019
Love this show, glad it's been on this long! Hilarious and entertaining Canadian news-satire comedy. This is a great show as far as Canadian content goes. Wannabe critics need to ease up on all the 1's and 2's... this show is funny and entertaining! A well deserved 10/10 from me. And if anyone thinks my review is fake, click on my username to see my 1000+ ratings and 600+ reviews, and read my bio on how to properly review on IMDb... you wannabe critics.
Just paying my respects to Canada's longest (and the worlds 2nd longest) comedy series!
therskybznuiss9 June 2021
This show was best, with the original cast, when it was making fun of CBC and the specific brand of CBC culture so prevalent at the time.... Ah Dee Cret-chee-ahn ara!
That era brought us the show's most memorable characters and moments and was a major hit in my mind. Marg the Princess Warrior, talking to Americans. It was best when Mary Walsh was the writer and producer.
Thing's change though, and it's still pretty great, though it's modernized - taken on pop-culture humor moreso, mostly Canadian "pop-culture".... Celine Dion huhuhuh. Rush wa-ha-ha..
It's still pretty good. And the best part is, the best skits all (legirimately) end up on YouTube!
That era brought us the show's most memorable characters and moments and was a major hit in my mind. Marg the Princess Warrior, talking to Americans. It was best when Mary Walsh was the writer and producer.
Thing's change though, and it's still pretty great, though it's modernized - taken on pop-culture humor moreso, mostly Canadian "pop-culture".... Celine Dion huhuhuh. Rush wa-ha-ha..
It's still pretty good. And the best part is, the best skits all (legirimately) end up on YouTube!
This show deserves 10/10 rating
dckyipew30 November 2021
Satire on steroids
nancyldraper26 September 2019
Now in its 27th year. 22 MINUTES has neen mocking all we hold dear from the beginning. Some of our greatest comics have contributed to this show and most of our politicians as well. Comics have been one of Canada's greatest exports. Satire on steroids. I give this series a 7 (good) out of 10. {Satire}
hilarious show
theflyingpolicebox20 October 2020
Down the Drain
azergreco1 June 2013
This show used to be good and had a bit of a resurgence in the early 2000s but it has steadily been declining for almost 10 years, it is time to mercy kill this show by pulling the plug. Not funny or relevant any more the cast is not as good as they used to be, the new cast members are not up to snuff, the writing is totally hack now. I don't know why CBC keeps dragging out the same awful 'comedy' year after year after year long after it is time to put this show out of it's misery and bury it in the nearest ditch. The badness of recent years has completely tarnished what this show used to be. It's a huge mistake they didn't let this show die gracefully instead of putting it on TV year after year without obviously caring about any quality.
Funny
rusheggie25 March 2011
The other review on here is getting pretty old, and I think that it might have been referring to reruns at that time instead of the new shows that were actually airing in 2006. some people think mel brooks is funny. i don't. some people like john stewart. i do. this is more like the Canadian "daily show". the cast are as competent at what they do as anyone on that program. it helps if you've watched the news recently. it is also possible that the kind of comedy, or the way the comedy leans, is not to your liking. if you actually are reading this review to see if the show is good or not you should just watch it. wow, i find this 10 line minimum for a review really tiresome.
Not Funny
fembot100223 November 2009
The last two or three seasons of this show have sealed the deal for me, I used to be a big fan of this show and it used to be the funniest show on Canadian television, but now it is just awful. The comedy on this show is tired and predictable. Now that Air Farce is off the air (and I am so glad that show is finally gone) CBC really needs to take a look at their other tired shows. This Hour Has 22 Minutes has just got to go, it has been on too long and it just isn't funny. It doesn't even look like the people on the show are enjoying their work any more. Really lacklustre performances and really bad writing have done this show in. CBC should also get rid of Rick Mercer's new show, it hasn't been on very long but that show just isn't funny either, it is just Rick Mercer going places and talking to people.... yawn! CBC needs to shape up and stop making comedy for just old people. It's a shame to see how far this show and Rick Mercer have fallen.
Downhill...going...going...
doughboyCDN6 February 2005
This used to be a good program. It used to walk the fine line between parody & bad taste. The show was always at its best when the wit and satire carried the message. It seems that in the last 2 seasons (or at least since Rick M. left) the writers have to be so much more blatant in the attacks. Yeah I know, it's still better then a lot of other crap on the tube, but really, it has fallen down several notches. I just don't laugh much anymore when I bother to watch. Not that Air Farce is much better. Now we have 2 comedy shows that are passed their prime. Monday Report may miss as many times as it hits, but at least the edge is there...the smartness is there.
Great Cast, Top Notch Humour
animal_8_514 July 2006
I never really "got" the humour in this show for a few years, but lately I have really come to enjoy the wit and political savvy of the performers and writers. I wasn't a big fan of Rick Mercer, except for his "Talking To Americans" specials, which are just spectacular.
Twenty-Two has arguably overtaken Royal Canadian Air Farce as Canada's top comedy show, mostly because of great cast changes at Twenty-Two and recent ill-advised ones at Air Farce. I think both shows tried at one time to be more or less like one another. To me "This Hour" seems more like Saturday Night Live, only funnier. The transition seemed to happen about the time Gary Pearson joined the writing staff. This would be a boffo show if they let Gary join the cast. Just a suggestion!
Like I said earlier, recent cast changes are working for the show. Gavin Crawford has marvelous range, except for his rather disjointed rants. Mark Critch's impersonations of Canadian talk show host Mike Bullard and CBC-TV commentator, Rex Murphy have me rolling on the floor in utter delirium. The loss of Shawn Majumder, creator of that lovable Raj Binder character, might leave a hole that can't be filled. Over the years, I have fallen in love with Cathy Jones. She just gets sexier and sexier.
Twenty-Two has arguably overtaken Royal Canadian Air Farce as Canada's top comedy show, mostly because of great cast changes at Twenty-Two and recent ill-advised ones at Air Farce. I think both shows tried at one time to be more or less like one another. To me "This Hour" seems more like Saturday Night Live, only funnier. The transition seemed to happen about the time Gary Pearson joined the writing staff. This would be a boffo show if they let Gary join the cast. Just a suggestion!
Like I said earlier, recent cast changes are working for the show. Gavin Crawford has marvelous range, except for his rather disjointed rants. Mark Critch's impersonations of Canadian talk show host Mike Bullard and CBC-TV commentator, Rex Murphy have me rolling on the floor in utter delirium. The loss of Shawn Majumder, creator of that lovable Raj Binder character, might leave a hole that can't be filled. Over the years, I have fallen in love with Cathy Jones. She just gets sexier and sexier.
Has gotten better
dawnsacks-0157814 January 2021
Awful
castingcalls4 October 2010
I'm told this show actually used to be good but I have never seen anything that would support that belief. I've tried watching this show and I would love nothing more than to be a huge fan of it because it is a Canadian show but it's just so bad. The jokes are so simple and nothing on this show is ever funny. It's about the same as the sketches they used to have on Comedy Inc and that show was easily the worst sketch comedy show I've ever seen in my entire life, way worse than This Hour Has 22 Minutes but still This Hour Has 22 Minutes is a very bad show. I don't miss Royal Canadian Air Farce at all but at least they had the excuse that they were old, I don't know how people less than 50 can be performing crap like this on TV without dying right in front of my eyes from the horrible shame of it all.
Once Great, Now Awful
doctorawesomepants20 September 2010
This Hour Has 22 Minutes used to be one of the best Canadian-made comedy shows on the CBC network. As a Brit expat (long long ago I declared myself Canadian first) I was proud to have such sharp political comedy on the air. Now it is the states that has good poli-comedy though, led by Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. Royal Canadian Air Farce was terrible for years and years before CBC finally put it down and now This Hour Has 22 Minutes is suffering the same drawn-out, sad fate. If anyone had any mercy they would have pulled the plug on this show several years ago. The last three years in particular have been just awful, with recurring bad sketches, by-the-numbers performances, and some of the worst writing I've seen on Canadian TV (well, again, Royal Canadian Air Farce was walking dead for several years as well). Rick Mercer has also lost my attention completely with no reason (political or comedy) to watch him. I hope CBC wakes up and cancels these shows and replaces them with something fresh by different people, perhaps boredom after so many years on the air is responsible for these terrible shows. While they're at it they should cancel Little Mosque on the Prairie and a few other perennial losers.
Lame.... Please Shoot In Head & Take To Nearest Glue Factory....
commonwealthofcanada19 August 2010
This Hour Has 22 Minutes used to be a very good show. Then as a show it had some ups and downs with the quality of the comedy and the performances. But now it is just solid lame jokes and lame performances wall to wall every single week.
I just saw an episode yesterday, could have been a rerun or a brand new episode (not sure because I stopped watching early this past season when the show just kept getting worse than it has ever been). Here is what happened in the show.... they did a lame joke about the way to remember a terrorist's name is to put it to a song with all four cast members singing a verse. The singing was pretty bad but the real sad thing is the joke was old right away and they put us through two minutes of singing, yes we get it sometimes terrorist's names are hard to remember or pronounce, and guess what else the joke's been done to death. The beating of the dead horse continued.
They did a Being Erica spoof where Erica was sent back too far and killed Hitler. This was the only thing that wasn't totally awful. It could have been very funny but somehow they still went nowhere with it. A Little Mosque on the Prairie Joke that any fifth grader could come up with ("next on Little Mosque they all get searched by airport security"). As usual they did a lot of headline jokes (news anchors reading jokes about the news) that were almost all lame and predictable. They did a premier of Newfoundland addressing the nation bit where he wore a seal skin suit that was so painful I actually groaned. They dressed up Gavin Crawford as that zitty teenager character (I guess not realizing he's like 45 years old now? wtf?) and had him interviewing people at a charity skiing event.... here's the thing when you land an interview with Alec Baldwin the day he wins a Golden Globe maybe you should actually get one or two funny moments out of it instead of just having him point out that you're obviously not a teenager. Similar wasted moments with Justin Trudeau, Mark Messier, Alan Thicke and more. The Alan Thicke stuff wasn't bad (pretended he was the father of a famous person and Gavin didn't know who he was) but the rest just sucked.
A take on the skiing tag removal commercial that honestly wasn't bad thanks to the performance of a 6 year old girl ("mommy's not a monster any more"). About the 9000th Nancy Grace bit they've done (wow she sure is ultra-conservative and takes things the wrong way!). This show was once a strong race horse but now all its legs are badly broken and mangled so please put a bullet in its brain and end our misery.
I just saw an episode yesterday, could have been a rerun or a brand new episode (not sure because I stopped watching early this past season when the show just kept getting worse than it has ever been). Here is what happened in the show.... they did a lame joke about the way to remember a terrorist's name is to put it to a song with all four cast members singing a verse. The singing was pretty bad but the real sad thing is the joke was old right away and they put us through two minutes of singing, yes we get it sometimes terrorist's names are hard to remember or pronounce, and guess what else the joke's been done to death. The beating of the dead horse continued.
They did a Being Erica spoof where Erica was sent back too far and killed Hitler. This was the only thing that wasn't totally awful. It could have been very funny but somehow they still went nowhere with it. A Little Mosque on the Prairie Joke that any fifth grader could come up with ("next on Little Mosque they all get searched by airport security"). As usual they did a lot of headline jokes (news anchors reading jokes about the news) that were almost all lame and predictable. They did a premier of Newfoundland addressing the nation bit where he wore a seal skin suit that was so painful I actually groaned. They dressed up Gavin Crawford as that zitty teenager character (I guess not realizing he's like 45 years old now? wtf?) and had him interviewing people at a charity skiing event.... here's the thing when you land an interview with Alec Baldwin the day he wins a Golden Globe maybe you should actually get one or two funny moments out of it instead of just having him point out that you're obviously not a teenager. Similar wasted moments with Justin Trudeau, Mark Messier, Alan Thicke and more. The Alan Thicke stuff wasn't bad (pretended he was the father of a famous person and Gavin didn't know who he was) but the rest just sucked.
A take on the skiing tag removal commercial that honestly wasn't bad thanks to the performance of a 6 year old girl ("mommy's not a monster any more"). About the 9000th Nancy Grace bit they've done (wow she sure is ultra-conservative and takes things the wrong way!). This show was once a strong race horse but now all its legs are badly broken and mangled so please put a bullet in its brain and end our misery.
Putrid
wheaton-732-15037318 July 2013
This show is so awful now. I give it a 2 out of 10 because of what it used to be. This used to be a very funny and also scathing and cutting look at what was going on in Canada. Now it's a series of awful, immature, poorly written and performed skits focusing on "funny" impressions and accents and stupid characters. It's like they just don't care any more. But seriously after 25 years or however long it's been why should they? They are probably even more bored with this crap than we are. The CBC needs to figure out that what they think is funny isn't what the rest of the country wants to see. The CBC executives are probably super old and into knock knock jokes or something. Who actually watches this crap if they have any choice of watching something else on TV at all? Why is our money being flushed into awful shows like this? Makes something new and good please, CBC!
lame and boring as hell
Jamessimgame2720 January 2011
Please stop playing this all the time on comedy network the show is basically lame joke lame joke lame joke dumb interview lame joke lame joke they sound like pirates and are seriously annoying the only half good actor was Gavin Crawford and he wasn't even that good Greg Thomey's creepy stares p***** me off from the first episode Rick Mercer wasn't that great or anyone else really and I could go on and on about how terrible the actors are but i'll save my breath basically no one on this show has any idea what the f*** their talking about no wonder Canadians are stereotyped please for the love of god take this s*** off the air give Rusell Peters a show THAT would be worth watching.
It IS Canadian Comedy
Raleon31 March 2002
I can't believe some of the comments mentioned here. First of all, no one should listen to a negative comment which tells you that you shouldn't watch something just because they don't happen to like it. Writing in large caps isn't part of constructive criticism either. For the commenter who said he wrote a review for it, I can guess why it 'mysteriously' disappeared. Was it for an actual magazine, or for a high school Journalism class? You should know that comparing 22 Minutes with Tom Green is like comparing apples to oranges. He went to America, anyway.
Secondly, anyone who has any knowledge of Canadian Comedy whatsoever knows that there are three main types: Sketch, Satire, and Dramatic Comedy. Since 22 minutes is Satire, it's not supposed to be hilarious or keep you on the edge of your seat, but it is supposed to make you think and open your eyes to what's around you. I'll admit that sometimes it's not very thought provoking, but watching it after Sept 11, I found it very comforting.
But just because you don't think it's any good doesn't mean that no one else does. Maybe you just don't understand it. I don't like the Royal Canadian Air Force, but I don't deny that it's a Canadian Classic.
Secondly, anyone who has any knowledge of Canadian Comedy whatsoever knows that there are three main types: Sketch, Satire, and Dramatic Comedy. Since 22 minutes is Satire, it's not supposed to be hilarious or keep you on the edge of your seat, but it is supposed to make you think and open your eyes to what's around you. I'll admit that sometimes it's not very thought provoking, but watching it after Sept 11, I found it very comforting.
But just because you don't think it's any good doesn't mean that no one else does. Maybe you just don't understand it. I don't like the Royal Canadian Air Force, but I don't deny that it's a Canadian Classic.
Funny, if you're educated (no offense)
happydude_164 July 2004
I haven't had the opportunity to see many of the episodes, as I can't seem to find when it's on (maybe because the TV guide never shows up).
But from what I've seen, and what I've read, I agree with some and disagree.
This, in my opinion, is a very funny show, but if you're not up to date with current events, common stereotypes, and especially Canada related problems, you're going to find the show dull, boring, and stupid.
For the person who compared this with the Tom Green Show, I'm sorry that's a pitiful excuse of a show thats not funny at all.
This is sort of an educated wit show, you actually need to know something about the world before you watch it. Its like a fraser of comedy, but not really.
For Americans, it wouldn't be funny because in America, you hardly ever get any Canadian news, so it'd be hard for you to understand it. And for those Americans who make an effort to learn about Canada, it would be funny.
Granted, I do not understand all the jokes because I don't know some of the stuff, but, i think the target audience is for adults, maybe 30ish?
Tom Green = Immature adults, or males 15-22
But from what I've seen, and what I've read, I agree with some and disagree.
This, in my opinion, is a very funny show, but if you're not up to date with current events, common stereotypes, and especially Canada related problems, you're going to find the show dull, boring, and stupid.
For the person who compared this with the Tom Green Show, I'm sorry that's a pitiful excuse of a show thats not funny at all.
This is sort of an educated wit show, you actually need to know something about the world before you watch it. Its like a fraser of comedy, but not really.
For Americans, it wouldn't be funny because in America, you hardly ever get any Canadian news, so it'd be hard for you to understand it. And for those Americans who make an effort to learn about Canada, it would be funny.
Granted, I do not understand all the jokes because I don't know some of the stuff, but, i think the target audience is for adults, maybe 30ish?
Tom Green = Immature adults, or males 15-22
Let Me Be The First American To Comment
kwakkles12 November 2003
I live by the US/Canada border and CBC is on one of the channels I receive. Every once in a while when I channel surf, I come across This Hour Has 22 Minutes. When I watch it, I really do try to look for the humor. Sometimes, there is. A lot of times, there isn't. About half of their jokes revolve America. "Lets make fun of the Americans!"
The Jokes Are Just Not Funny! I am not stating that only because I am a proud, patriotic American who is taking offense. Not at all. I watch many of our American comedy talk shows (such as Jay Leno), where most of the jokes are about our dumb politicians. We know just how dumb they are, and I'll have you know that we can make fun of them ourselves. And do a better, funnier job of it, too. What I want to know is: why aren't there more jokes about Canada and England? Is America just easier to crack jokes at?
I suppose the Canadian commentators were right - it's not something Americans can understand.
The Jokes Are Just Not Funny! I am not stating that only because I am a proud, patriotic American who is taking offense. Not at all. I watch many of our American comedy talk shows (such as Jay Leno), where most of the jokes are about our dumb politicians. We know just how dumb they are, and I'll have you know that we can make fun of them ourselves. And do a better, funnier job of it, too. What I want to know is: why aren't there more jokes about Canada and England? Is America just easier to crack jokes at?
I suppose the Canadian commentators were right - it's not something Americans can understand.
"The Daily Show" for Canadians
BlackX18 October 2002
Despite the fact that it's not daily, but weekly, "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" is exactly "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" for Canadians. Just take away unsuspecting citizen guest stars, except for the hilarious "Talking to Americans", where Rick Mercer would travel to America and tell them fictional trivia and ask them questions, now missing from the show due to his leaving and Colin Mochrie's coming.
In fact, "Talking to Americans" just proves: if you're American and you live in America, you probably don't know anything about our politics or politicians, so you probably won't get it. "22 Minutes" is meant for us Canadians. I can't really put it much another way. Many people regard Canada as "peaceful" or "America Jr."(despite the fact we're bigger than you). But we hate our politicians, love to make fun of them just as much, and have many of our own problems, including bad Canadian original programming(this is one of those great shows like "The Simpsons" that makes fun of the very channel it's on), and our unpredictable stock exchange, strange yet incredibly unnecessary-to-mention crimes, and over-spending by the government.
If you lived here, you'd understand.
In fact, "Talking to Americans" just proves: if you're American and you live in America, you probably don't know anything about our politics or politicians, so you probably won't get it. "22 Minutes" is meant for us Canadians. I can't really put it much another way. Many people regard Canada as "peaceful" or "America Jr."(despite the fact we're bigger than you). But we hate our politicians, love to make fun of them just as much, and have many of our own problems, including bad Canadian original programming(this is one of those great shows like "The Simpsons" that makes fun of the very channel it's on), and our unpredictable stock exchange, strange yet incredibly unnecessary-to-mention crimes, and over-spending by the government.
If you lived here, you'd understand.
The news *can* be funny
phbalanced30 January 2005
Let's face it. The daily news is usually boring, upsetting and provokes anger and disappointment with stories presented about government, corporate corruption, etc. etc. The list is endless. This Hour Has 22 Minutes pokes fun at current news events and gives us not only a daily dose of what's happening in Canada and abroad, but how our political leaders and celebrities approach the situations when interviewed impromptu in Ottawa.
Currently on sabbatical, Mary Walsh wasn't shy in character as Marg Delahunty who did a great job hunting down Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, and all the Ministers on their way to their daily meetings. You could see politicians ducking for cover, but she always caught up with them! Mary Walsh and Greg Thomey were also hilarious as Ma & Eddie Reardon, the trailer trash mother and son who hauled their couch to the Gemini Awards to meet their TV celebrities backstage.
Also memorable are the episodes featuring Colin Mochrie doing his Max Pointy routine and he can imitate anyone from any commercial.
The news got you down? Tune into 22 Minutes. The news can be funny!
Currently on sabbatical, Mary Walsh wasn't shy in character as Marg Delahunty who did a great job hunting down Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, and all the Ministers on their way to their daily meetings. You could see politicians ducking for cover, but she always caught up with them! Mary Walsh and Greg Thomey were also hilarious as Ma & Eddie Reardon, the trailer trash mother and son who hauled their couch to the Gemini Awards to meet their TV celebrities backstage.
Also memorable are the episodes featuring Colin Mochrie doing his Max Pointy routine and he can imitate anyone from any commercial.
The news got you down? Tune into 22 Minutes. The news can be funny!
See also
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