ABC’s new offering is a new take on true crime, where comedian host Julia Zemiro is joined by criminologists Professor Danielle Raynold and Dr David Bartlett and a changing lineup of comedians to unpick key crime issues.

I was intrigued when I saw the trailer for Crime Night, wondering how successful the marriage of crime and comedy could be. Would it work?

I have watched the first two episodes, and as a basic educational tool, this show may be of some interest. But is it educational or entertainment? It doesn’t feel like the creators have made up their mind and so the whole show hasn’t quite come together, at least not yet.

The format is this: the host leads the panel through a series of questions, starting with the criminologists who add some facts around the topic of the week. Then clips from true crime shows, or inserts sharing statistics or fun facts. The comedians are asked questions, or chip in to add a lighter moment. The panel discussion is supplemented by “experiments” both inside and outside of the studio, with the comedians or with the audience, hoping to add more light on the topic at hand.

The topic of the first episode is eyewitness testimony.

This is a good first pick: is it incredibly important in criminal investigations, and eyewitnesses get identifications wrong all the time. In Australia,

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