CNN has given a thumbs-up to a second season of its American adaptation of the long-running British satirical panel show, Have I Got News For You. The renewal comes ahead of the Season 1 finale, scheduled to air this Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CNN, and available for streaming on Max the following day.
The stateside version retains the core format of its British cousin: two teams, led by regular captains Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black, go head-to-head, riffing on the week’s headlines. Host Roy Wood Jr. guides the proceedings with a blend of wit and exasperation that’s becoming increasingly familiar, if not yet entirely natural. It’s a format that depends heavily on the chemistry of its participants, and Season 1 has offered a mixed bag in that regard, though with flashes of genuine hilarity.
The show has featured an intriguing, if not always successful, mix of guest panelists throughout its first season. Notable appearances include journalists Kara Swisher and Robin Thede, along with comedians Andy Richter, Mark McKinnon and Ana Navarro. It’s the kind of show that probably benefits from that high turnover rate with the potential for fresh blood and new perspectives week after week, however its often difficult for guests to adjust to the particular rhythm of the program, which requires a delicate blend of prepared jokes and lightning-fast improvisational skills.
Have I Got News For You offers a different comedic sensibility than many of the late-night shows and even most of the topical comedy panel shows. It’s sharper, more cynical and sometimes willing to go after easier targets. While the humor can sometimes feel a bit too broad and even a little partisan the best moments remind you of how much fun you can have when smart people are given the freedom to tear down the week’s idiocies.
It’s a tricky format to master but the renewal suggests CNN has faith in the show’s ability to refine its approach and carve out a distinctive niche in the American comedy landscape. As the world continues to provide what executive producer Jimmy Mulville calls “plenty of news to poke fun at” the show’s second season, set to air as part of CNN’s Saturday primetime lineup early next year, is in no danger of being short of material.
Have I Got News For You is a Hat Trick production for CNN Originals. Executive producers are Jimmy Mulville, Richard Wilson, Roy Wood Jr., and Stuart Miller.
