C4 launched Was It Something I Said? (an 8 episode series) on 6^th October 2013 With David Mitchell as host and Micky Flanagan and Richard Ayoade as Captains, accompanied by a different comedian each week. Plus, a variety of guest narrators were wheeled in to read out the quotes.

The show is based around quotations and having to guess who said what – either from a list of famous people or the panellists themselves. Added into that is a Twitter element (heralded by C4 press as “the first use of Twitter as a dedicated play-along companion for a TV show”). Probably seemed like a good idea at the time but then wouldn’t have worked with repeats.

Episode one started off well with David introducing the panellists:

On Micky Flanagan’s team tonight is actor, author and man whose dealings with the inland revenue are above reproach – Charlie Higson … and with Richard Ayoade is comedian and writer Jimmy Carr.

Unfortunately for David I would say that the Carr / Ayoade combo stole the show, with Micky throwing in some cheek now and then. Jimmy sporting a beard on TV for the first (and probably only) time – plus it’s worth a watch for the “c*ck or ball” game.

Episode Ninja voting ranks episode 1 as the best of the series – frankly I think it deserved a 10/10 (I’ve watched it several times via this copy). The Huff Post gave it 3/5 and declared it “still needs development”. I liked the series but felt that David wasn’t great as the host, never looking confident enough in the role of carrying a show.

The viewing figures can’t have been great as, sadly, it never made it to a 2^nd series.