Genius With Dave Gorman

This second series of the show in which comics and TV personalities riff off mad inventions and ideas from the audience works so much better in
its new informal, chatty format.

Tonight, the pair deciding what's brilliant and what's not comes in the irresistible shape of Tim Minchin and Alexei Sayle, who have great chemistry and have a fine old time finding mirth in the general bemusement. What's a genius, Tim? 'A genius is a nuts person who turns out to be right.'

The Thick Of It's Chris Addison and Mel and Sue's Mel Giedroyc join Dave Gorman tonight in judging his audience's often superb ideas to improve modern life. Suggestions in this episode include a hand-shaking machine, the prototype of which is quite impressive, an ingenious idea to liven up Olympic coverage and a de-wedging device for buttocks prone to munching cloth. Anything that brings the spirit of Heath Robinson to television is a good thing.

I've got a lot of time for Dave Gorman. America Unchained, in which he attempted to cross the US using only independent hotels/garages etc, was an inspired subversion of the travelogue genre. So it's hard not to feel he's wasting himself on formula panel show Genius With Dave Gorman (BBC2).

Proving simple ideas are not always the best ones, Genius gets the audience to suggest daft ideas and the guests decide if they're genius. So you get sky-diving dolphins, soup ice lollies and so on. It had Russell Howard on - because that's panel-game law - but it's a long way off genius, just an average night's daft banter down the pub.

A second series of Gorman's mad invention comedy debate show in which members of the public pitch their ideas and Dave and his guests cast their votes as to whether it's genius or not. It's an excuse for a bit of banter with the guests - the episode has Russell Howard and Hazel Irvine - but on this show the audience can easily upstage the stars.

Dave Gorman returns to showcase the inventiveness of the British public, with people keen to show-off their ideas which they believe are touched by genius. We went to see one of these episodes being filmed, and one of the ideas involved several paintings of birds. That was about it. Hopefully, guests Russell Howard and Hazel Irvine will be asked to judge slightly cleverer notions, although we do know one of the concepts they're faced with are soup lollies... Bonkers fun, and at times very funny indeed.

Video: Dave Gorman on the 'Genius' of the public

Video of Dave Gorman talking to BBC Breakfast about the new series of Genius.

Interview: Dave Gorman

If we Brits are known for one thing, it's embracing the eccentric. So it's little wonder Genius With Dave Gorman has proven a hit, first on radio and now on TV.

Stormin' Gorman

Dave Gorman's show, Genius, is returning to our screens as part of the BBC's autumn comedy season. Scott Matthewman talks to the travelling comedian about touring and a darts obsession.

Dave Gorman interview

The comedy show intent on unearthing genius ideas returns, but as host Dave Gorman reveals, it's all change for series two...

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If rational ideas like "The cat-shaped cat flap", "edible sticky tape" and "A wasp in every car to keep drivers alert" grab you then Genius is the show to watch.