Television series

Spicks and Specks

Name: Spicks and Specks
Genre: Comedy, Music, History
Released: 2005
Cast: Adam Hills, Josh Earl, Alan Brough, Myf Warhurst, Dave O'Neil

Comedy
Light-hearted
Dip in and out

Spicks and Specks is a gleefully irreverent Australian music trivia game show where comedians and musicians compete on two teams, trading obscure knowledge and awful puns with infectious warmth. It's comedy first, facts second—a show that makes you love music history simply because everyone onscreen is having so much fun discovering it together.

If you liked this

Never Mind the Buzzcocks1996

British music panel show that inspired Spicks and Specks—sharper, meaner, with Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding trading barbs about forgotten one-hit wonders. Same DNA, different mood.

But The UK panel show format can feel cold and competitive where Spicks and Specks is warm. Phill's commentary occasionally ages poorly.

QI2003

Stephen Fry hosting a panel show where interesting trivia matters more than right answers, where tangents are celebrated, and comedians riff on obscure facts. Shares that anarchic curiosity about everything.

But Slower pace than Spicks and Specks. Fry's erudition can feel lecture-y. Episodes are longer—you're committing to the deep dive.

Taskmaster2015

Comedians compete in absurd challenges while Greg Davies judges with gleeful cruelty. Same warmth between competitors, same celebration of ridiculous brilliance, same 'what the hell did I just watch' joy.

But Format is completely different—no music knowledge required. If you want trivia specifically, this trades that for creativity and humiliation.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Spicks and Specks

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

High Fidelity2000

Both treat music history and trivia as a form of love language and self-knowledge. Both are about why we need these songs, not just what they are.

Rob Gordon is a music obsessive who reorganises his record collection by emotional impact while reckoning with love and failure. It captures that specific joy of music knowledge as identity, the way songs hold memory—but with real stakes and heartbreak underneath.

But It's a romantic dramedy, not comedy-first. Jack Black's character is genuinely difficult. The film's nostalgia for vinyl culture can feel dated now.

Would I Lie to You?2007

British panel show where comedians tell stories—some true, some false—and other panellists guess. Pure improv energy, the same chemistry-driven madness that makes Spicks and Specks work.

But No music angle at all. Lives or dies on the panellists' chemistry, and weak lineups can sink it entirely.

Have I Got News for You1990

British topical panel show with the same rapid-fire joke structure, same generosity between panellists despite competition, same 'did they really just say that?' hilarity. Jon Snow or Angus Deayton presiding over chaos.

But Requires UK current events knowledge to land half the jokes. Dated heavily—watching old episodes can feel like archaeology.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?1988

Improvisational comedy game show where points don't matter and the games are springboards for brilliance. Pure warmth between comedians, same celebration of 'wait, how did they come up with that?'

But Australian version is gentler than the US one. If you want actual structured trivia, improv games might feel too loose and scattered.

Countdown1982

Deceptively brilliant game show about words and numbers that became a warmly addictive British institution. Panellists are genuinely fond of each other despite competing; something meditative about watching people think hard and fail gracefully.

But No music, no comedy—it's pure wordplay and arithmetic. Episodes are episodic with no arc. Can feel like sitting through someone else's homework.

This Is Spinal Tap1984

Like Spicks and Specks, it's fundamentally affectionate. Both show people who love music—genuinely, not ironically—being ridiculous about it and never getting punished for that passion.

Mockumentary following a ridiculous hair-metal band through their decline. It's a love letter to musicians written as a cruel joke—the filmmakers clearly adore these characters even while skewering them, and every scene reveals more music knowledge underneath the absurdity.

But Mockumentaries can feel self-satisfied. The humour is deadpan and sometimes disappears entirely. If you don't know enough about rock history, some jokes won't land.