Television series
The Mash Report
- Satire
- Light-hearted
- Dip in and out
A BBC sketch and topical comedy show that uses surrealism and absurdism to skewer the week's news. Nish Kumar leads an ensemble of writers and performers through rapid-fire segments that prioritize laughs over conventional satire. It's smart without being smug, anarchic without losing shape. Made for people tired of straightforward panel shows.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like satire that treats the week's news as raw material for sharp, silly sketches, and you enjoy a presenter who can be cutting and warm in the same breath.
Skip it if you want serious, straight reporting or you find topical comedy tiresome once the headlines have moved on, since much of the material is tied to a specific week.
What it asks of you: Each episode runs about half an hour and moves quickly between segments, so it asks for light attention and a willingness to keep up with current events.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Have I Got News for You1990
The gold standard of British topical comedy. Sharp panellists riff on the week's stories with genuine wit and surprising depth. Faster and funnier than its reputation suggests.
But Can feel smugly clever. Some episodes lean too hard on in-jokes between regular panellists, leaving you on the outside.
Taskmaster2015
Absurdist comedy built on a simple premise: watch smart, funny people fail at ridiculous tasks. The joy is in how they think, not what they know. Endlessly inventive.
But Some tasks fall flat. And if you don't click with the five panellists in a given season, you're stuck with them for ten episodes.
The Thick of It2005
Political satire at maximum velocity. Malcolm Tucker's verbal assaults are genuinely funny and the show captures how government actually works—or fails to. Sharp and unafraid.
But The relentless swearing and shouting exhausts some viewers. Also deeply angry in ways that can feel bleak rather than funny.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Mash Report
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret2010
Both favour absurdism and surrealism over conventional joke structure; both build on ensemble energy and rapid-fire ideas rather than relying on star power.
American sketch comedy with a narrative spine. David Cross plays an incompetent businessman in increasingly surreal situations. It's structured like a story but plays like chaos. The surrealism and sketch mentality match The Mash Report's anarchic DNA.
But Deliberately alienating protagonist. You have to enjoy watching someone fail repeatedly and spectacularly. Some gags are too weird to land.
More like this (5)
Dead Ringers2023
BBC sketch show about impersonation and parody. The writing is intricate and the cast commits fully. Rewards close listening in ways other sketch shows don't.
But Radio-only (or radio-focused) means no visual gags. Some sketches are more clever than funny, and they can sprawl.
NewsRadio1995
American news satire that's less about politics and more about office chaos. Witty ensemble cast doing smart physical comedy. Holds up startlingly well.
But Period sitcom feel. It's gentle where The Mash Report is spiky, and American where you might want British.
Nathan for You2013
Absurdist 'reality' show where Nathan Fielding pitches baffling business ideas to real business owners. The humour comes from surreal tension and commitment to the bit.
But Goes dark and uncomfortable. Some sketches outstay their welcome. And it's relentlessly awkward in ways that repel as many as they charm.
Brass Eye1997
Chris Morris's fearless hoax news show. Scarifying, inventive, and genuinely dangerous. It thinks comedy can do things news cannot. Essential.
But The special on paedophilia caused such outrage it nearly killed the whole project. Also wildly uneven—some sketches land harder than others.
The Day Today1994
Precursor to Brass Eye. A parody of breakfast TV and news culture that's weirdly shaped and delightfully stupid. Armando Iannucci at his sharpest.
But Older and rougher than its successors. Some jokes don't land and the format can feel formless. BBC Two budget shows.
People
Cast
Nish KumarPresenter