Ep 2. One Penalty Card After Another

HITOSHI MATSUMOTO Presents Documental is a Japanese reality show hosted by popular comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto. In each season, ten comedians are locked in a room for six hours, tasked with an objective: to make each other laugh. The catch is that if they laugh, they are eliminated and must leave the room. The last remaining comedian wins a prize of ten million yen.

Season 4 episode 2, titled One Penalty Card After Another, follows the same premise as previous episodes. The opening scene features the nine remaining comedians sitting anxiously in the room, clearly feeling the pressure of the competition. After being briefed on the rules, Hitoshi Matsumoto introduces a new twist for this episode: a penalty card system for any comedian displaying unsportsmanlike conduct.

The comedians begin their attempts to make each other laugh, with varying degrees of success. As always, the tension in the room is palpable and the slightest chuckle is met with gasps and groans from the others. However, this time, with the threat of penalty cards looming, the comedians are extra cautious.

To start the festivities, one comedian attempts a singer impersonation, which initially draws laughs. However, as the performance drags on, the other comedians quickly realize the joke is falling flat. This begs the question of whether the comedian can save himself before he gets a penalty card.

Another comedian opts for a more physical type of comedy, using a puppet to mimic different animals. This performance seems to be going over well until one of the other comedians makes a comment that strikes another comedian as particularly funny. Will the puppeteer be able to hold back his laughter or will he land himself in hot water?

As the hours pass, the comedians become increasingly desperate, trying everything from puns to slapstick to get a reaction. Meanwhile, the others grow increasingly paranoid, knowing that just one slip-up from anyone could result in a penalty card. One particularly tense moment occurs when two comedians team up to perform a sketch, with one playing a drunk person and the other playing a bartender. Despite their efforts, nobody is laughing... until the drunk comedian accidentally knocks over a prop.

As the end of the six-hour time limit draws near, the remaining comedians become more and more rigid, focusing all their energy on not laughing. The tension is heightened by the knowledge that at least one of them will be receiving a penalty card. Who will be the unlucky comedian and will they have a chance to redeem themselves and avoid elimination?

Overall, One Penalty Card After Another offers all the usual thrills and laughs that viewers have come to expect from HITOSHI MATSUMOTO Presents Documental. The addition of the penalty card system adds an extra layer of drama and forces the comedians to walk a fine line between being entertaining and being disqualified. As always, Hitoshi Matsumoto's hosting is top-notch, keeping the show moving along and providing just the right amount of tension and humor.