Telly Talk With Victoria Nangle
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A brand new series of Argumental is hitting our screens on Thursday, but rather than more of the same this is being considered a reboot. Gone are John Sargeant, Marcus Brigstocke and Rufus Hound and heralded in their places are Sean Locke taking up hosting duties, with Robert Webb and Seann Walsh as team captains. Interesting.
The first major effect of this all-change is on the role of the chair. Whereas John Sargeant used to amuse with his gentle and intelligent ribbing, Sean Locke has a habit of getting well stuck in to the arguments. Here is a comedian replacing a journalist, and you can see where the strengths lie. Locke is joint tie with Mark Watson as the most frequent guest on the show at six appearances, so he’s very familiar with the format, but whether he’ll be happy with on the fence chairing over getting stuck in on the stage remains to be seen.
Another effect of the change of chair from journo to comic is that the pace is faster. Not quite Mock The Week, but less sedate than QI. Locke is quick-witted and not afraid to show it, much to the audience’s glee. But he’s also quite a ‘boysy’ comic and with an all male line-up, as there is in the first episode, Argumental becomes a lot more fuelled with machismo than ever it was before. Perhaps it was also the light touch of vicar’s son funny man Marcus Brigstocke as team captain paired with the steady hand of Sargeant, but with all three anchors now male and appealing to a reasonably similar demographic, although the format remains the same the tone is altered. It’s reassuring to hear the danger of it going too far acknowledged by Sean Locke when he says; “This show’s becoming Argu-wankle.”
“unique laugh that sounds like someone cleaning a window without enough water”
It is good though. Seann Walsh is great fun taking his life (or at least his limbs) in his hands challenging the only female sumo wrestler from the UK to a bout. Robert Webb is surprisingly adept at thinking on the hoof, when previously his wit had been confined to the occasional spot on various panel shows hosted by his previous partner in Peep Show David Mitchell. And it is always a joy to hear Jimmy Carr – who along
with Russell Kane made up the guests – laugh his remarkably unique laugh that sounds like someone cleaning a window without enough water. Listen! It’s the low squeak!
It’s interesting to see popular shows progress. No one thought Have I Got News For You would survive without Angus Deayton. Buzzcocks seemed doomed first minus Mark Lamarr and then without Simon Amstell. They’re both going strong, and I see no reason for Argumental not to continue to do so. It’s a flagship programme of Dave, and gets some darn fine guests on. Maybe machismo will help it grow further. It does feel more like a terrestrial show now, and less of an outskirts of digital hobby. And with the main terrestrial channels making further budgetary cutbacks all the time, it’s good to see a chance being taken on fresh blood and new talent. Now for the second episode…
Argumental (series 4), Dave, Thursday 3 November
