Stylistically, the show broke many rules. Although it was commonplace on "live" shows of the 1950s (such as the rock 'n' roll show 6-5 Special) to see the cumbersome cameras being pushed from one set to the next, TW3 went beyond that. A camera mounted high up in the studio would offer a bird's-eye view of the entire proceedings, showing the complete studio set-up with the flimsy sketch sets, the musicians, backroom personnel, the audience, other cameras, and so on. It seemed to indicate that the viewing audience was to be treated as equals, and that both creator and viewer knew it was a studio, knew the sketches were not really set in a doctor's waiting-room but in a three­ walled mock-up, knew that make-up girls would wait in the wings with powder and paint-so why hide it? The format of the show was simple, rigid enough to keep it all together, flexible enough to let items lengthen or shorten or disappear altogether, depending on time. Millicent Martin (the only permanent female member of the team) would sing the title song (music by Ron Grainer, with Caryl Brahms providing a new set of lyrics each week relating to the news of the past few days), then David Frost, as host, would introduce the proceedings and act as link man between the items, often appearing himself in sketches or giving monologues. (Originally, John Bird was to be host, but declined; Sherrin saw Frost at a club, doing an act where he gave a press conference as Prime Minister Harold MacMillan, and offered him the role of cohost with Brian Redhead, who dropped out after doing the un­ transmitted pilot.) Bernard Levin interviewed people in the news or with strongly held views, and his acid wit added an edge that occasionally produced flare-ups both verbal and physical. (A member of the studio audience once punched Levin during the program, rather ineffectually, following a scathing review he had written.) Lance Percival acted in sketches and sang topical calypsos (a device used on Tonight), many of which were ad-libbed. David Kernan was a resident singer whose strength was his ability to parody other singers and styles; Timothy Birdsall drew cartoons, Al Mancini pulled faces, and the engine room was provided by Willie Rushton, Kenneth Cope, and Roy Kin­ near who fleshed out the sketches and comic chatter. The show occasionally featured guest artists-most famously, comedian Frankie Howerd, whose popularity had waned somewhat. His one appearance on TW3 managed to dramatically resurrect his career, as his humor seemed to work for both traditionalists and this new, younger, harder generation.

     The writing credits for the show read like a Who'sWho of the sharp young talent of the time: John Albery, John Antrobus, Christopher Booker, Malcolm Bradbury, John Braine, Quentin Crewe, Brian Glanville, Gerald Kaufman, Herbert Kretzmer, David Nathan and Dennis Potter, David Nobbs, Peter Shaffer, Kenneth Tynan, Stephen Vinaver, Keith Waterhouse, and Willis Hall-plus contributions from the  show's  creative staff: Sherrin, Frost, and Levin.

     Memorable moments from the series include Gerald Kaufman's list of silent MPs, highlighting politicians who had not spoken in the House of Commons in ten or fifteen years. The sketch caused a furor when it was read out by the team, despite the fact that the information was readily available. Kenneth Cope's "confession" monologue (written by John Braine) featured a figure, hidden in shadows, who confessed to being het­erosexual and related the misery this identity can cause. Frost's scathing profile of Home Secretary Henry Brooke insinuated, among other things, that his intractability in an immigration case had led to the murder of the subject. Millicent Martin sang with black-faced minstrels about racism in the southern United States. And most memorable of all was the truly serious edition immediately following President John Kennedy's assassination. The whole show was given over to the subject, tackling the shock felt and the implications of the shooting with rare solemnity and dignity. (That episode was lodged at the Smithsonian Institution.)

     A U.S. version of the series (also featuring Frost) debuted 10 January 1964 on NBC and ran until May 1965 . Singer Nancy Ames took the Millicent Martin role and Buck Henry, Pat Englund, and Alan Alda were among the regulars. The show proved equally ground­-breaking in the United States and, like the British version, was no stranger to controversy.