Stewart Lee

It's been too long since we've seen deliciously downbeat comedian Stewart Lee on our TV screens so, while we wait for him to park his Comedy Vehicle again, it's good to find him at the wheel of this new stand-up series. Promising an edgier alternative to the stable of naughty-but-nice comedians favoured by the likes of Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, Lee invites largely unsung acts on stage at The Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh. Opening the series, Lee introduces Henning Wehn, self-proclaimed German Comedy Ambassador to Great Britain, and Isy Suttie, Peep Show's Dobby, who we last saw putting the wind up Beggsy in Great Night Out.

Radio Times review

The popular image of stand-up nowadays is of arena tours, massive-selling DVDs and appearances on TV panel shows. But Stewart Lee wants to wrest what is known as "alternative comedy" away from the pejorative backwater where it's been languishing. In truth, that means a series of lower-profile - though very funny - comedians on stage at the Stand in Edinburgh. Henning Wehn, Isy Suttie, Boothby Graffoe, David Kay, David O'Doherty and Glenn Wool are in the line-up - and the conversations with Lee are bite-sized gems.

Is it the recession? The Tories? The procession of fresh-faced ob-coms filling the O2 with their jaunty musings on social-media etiquette and supermarket self-service checkouts? Who knows. But there's little doubt that what older readers will recognise as alternative comedy is undergoing a mini-renaissance. Alexei Sayle has returned to stand-up and this new series sees Stewart Lee, who has flown the flag through alt.com's fallow years, introducing comedy from The Stand in Edinburgh. It's simultaneously refreshing and frustrating.

Tonight's opener features Isy Suttie, David Kay, Boothby Graffoe, Henning Wehn, Glenn Wool and David O'Doherty. But not for very long: at half an hour, and with ads and six comedians per show, it means approximately one and a half gags each - although the same half-dozen will be returning for more across the 12-part series, which showcases a total of 20 stand-ups. It's great to see more marginal comic turns getting exposure, but frustrating that we aren't allowed to see them in full flow, at least tonight.

Stewart Lee: Pop culture's past is growing fast

I went for a meeting with the channel's marketing people, who had not watched any of the 12 episodes, but were principally, and understandably, concerned about how to sell this strange product to their target audience of 18- to 32-year-olds, whose loyalty to the channel encourages advertisers to fund it.

Stewart Lee interview

You won't see much of Stewart Lee in his latest TV series starting on February 5. He is executive producer/curator of Comedy Central's The Alternative Comedy Experience and only crops up briefly interviewing the acts between their appearances.

Stewart Lee: Our manifesto

We have been criticized on the internet for the lack of 'new' talent in the show, but we never wanted the talent to be exclusively 'new', and any quotes saying we did are inaccurate glosses of my words.

Stewart Lee is not amused by monopoly of TV comedy

Comedian attacks production companies behind popular shows for simply employing their own clients.

Stewart Lee interview

Do you hate stand-up comedy? You might love Stewart Lee's new quirky TV series.

The Alternative Comedy Experience - review

Stewart Lee curates a series of alternative comedians, but offers little discussion on the genre.

Adam Buxton, Ed Byrne, Stewart Lee for Union Chapel

Stewart Lee, Ed Byrne, Mark Thomas and Adam Buxton are heading to Islington's Union Chapel over the next few months as The Invisible Dot launches its spring season of comedy.