Spoiler Alert

SPOILER ALERT

Created by Kyran Wheatley & Rhys Nicholson

Spicks And Specks went on its merry way four years ago now, and little has filled the void, save for its direct competitor, RocKwiz. Now, the formula has been lovingly hijacked by triple j presenter Kyran Wheatley and comedian Rhys Nicholson to create a live comedy panel podcast recording with pointless points.

It’s a shaky ugly duckling at the moment, but given time and continually entertaining guests, it could very well become the institution to which it pays homage. The set on which Spoiler Alert unfolds is a convention-style panel bedecked with two huge boxes of propcorn (totally edible) and bargain bin DVDs donated by each week’s guests.

This first night pitted comedian Zoe Coombs Marr and Happy Feet 2 writer Gary Eck against triple j critic Zan Rowe and comic John Conway, and in all honesty was a bit of a hot mess. The turnout was disappointing, though the crowd grew more appreciative as the show went on, thanks to Marr and Conway keeping the laughs flowing.

It was the structural problems that stood out – Wheatley’s description of one game so dumbfounded the audience that they could not respond to his instructions, and a story by the otherwise affable Eck about how he got involved with George Miller ran overlong.

But there was plenty to recommend the night – reenactments of famous scenes involving hugely oversized props, ridiculously themed montage games and pun titles aplenty made for great viewing. Marr’s inability to distinguish male faces (“I’m that gay”) and Conway’s gratuitous audience pandering brought precisely the levity the slower parts of the show needed, and Eck bagging out the choice to use clappers instead of buzzers was a riot. Rowe, unfortunately, was not given much opportunity to speak, given the larger-than-life nature of her teammate.

As master of ceremonies, Wheatley was effective and enjoyable, but felt out of his depth. As with so much of the show, experience will change this, and the upcoming Star Wars episode is the perfect time for him to burst from his shell.

It’s rough, no doubt, but it’s likely that will buff out in the podcast version of the show. Given time and love, this may be the Spicks And Specks the film buffs have been waiting for.

★★★

Spoiler Alert was reviewed at Giant Dwarf on Tuesday November 17.

Post originally appeared in The BRAG, available at http://thebrag.com/arts/spoiler-alert