Watch Comedy Lab

Comedy Lab was a UK television series presented by Channel 4 that ran from 1998 to 2011. It was a platform that aired pilot episodes of comedy shows and gave new comedians and writers the chance to showcase their talents to a large audience. The show typically consisted of a series of unrelated, experimental comedy pilots, ranging from traditional sitcoms to more avant-garde sketches and surreal humor. While some of these pilots went on to become full-fledged TV shows, including The Inbetweeners, Peep Show, and The Mighty Boosh, many more remained one-off pilots never to be seen again.

Comedy Lab featured notable comedians and performers who would go on to make a name for themselves in the industry of comedy. Among them include Stephen Merchant, who co-created hit shows such as The Office and Extras with Ricky Gervais. Merchant got his start in Comedy Lab with an episode titled The Last Chancers, which featured him and his future collaborator presenting a series of game shows and quizzes to an increasingly hostile audience. The episode was a clear example of the awkward, uncomfortable humor that would later become their trademark.

Another featured comedian on Comedy Lab was Kristen Schaal, who is best known for her role as Mel in Flight of the Conchords. She appeared in an episode titled Penelope Princess of Pets, in which she played an eccentric, animal-obsessed woman who kidnapped people's pets and held them for ransom.

David Mitchell, who went on to be a regular on Peep Show and Would I Lie to You?, made several appearances on Comedy Lab, including the pilot episode for Peep Show. In another pilot, Mitchell starred in a dark, satirical comedy called The Hospital, which was set in a dystopian healthcare facility and tackled issues such as euthanasia and the nature of morality.

Other notable Comedy Lab episodes include Ralph Little's comic take on the vampire genre, a surreal two-hander featuring Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse, and a bizarre sketch show from the comedy duo Adam and Joe, which featured a range of absurd characters and sketches. Not all of the pilots were hits, however, with some being criticized for being overly crude or failing to land their comedic punches.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Comedy Lab was the unpredictable nature of the pilots it featured. Viewers never quite knew what they were going to get, whether it was a traditional sitcom, a sketch comedy show, or an avant-garde performance piece. The show's willingness to experiment and push the boundaries of what was considered "funny" at the time gave many comedians a chance to be seen and heard in their early days, paving the way for their later success.

In conclusion, Comedy Lab stood out as a unique and innovative platform for new comedians and writers to test out their ideas. It was a breeding ground for some of the most inventive and groundbreaking comedy of its time, and its influence is still felt in the UK comedy scene today.