Have you tried turning it off and on again?

July 2, 2010 5:49 PM

So.. right. You've been enjoying the new IT Crowd episodes but you need more. For a bit of Friday fun, check out the IT Crowd Game!

It's a very cool flash game. You have to battle viruses and spam to keep Reynholm Industries working as efficiently as possible. Damn the popups! The staring!

Courtesy of malevolant via projects. Thanks!

posted by purephase (48 comments total)

Only 193113 points - I'm ashamed of myself.
posted by lholladay at 6:11 PM on July 2, 2010

Sweet... the ending when you don't complete a week is sweet too. Plus you reminded me I need to watch this week's episode courtesy of the wonderful Internet.
posted by inthe80s at 6:34 PM on July 2, 2010

Feh. I wish I wasn't still avoiding the IT Crowd because that looks quite entertaining.
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 6:44 PM on July 2, 2010

Have you seen that episode, ArmyOfKittens? Because I have and that blogger was so misleading about the show that I'm almost certain she didn't.
posted by moxiedoll at 7:05 PM on July 2, 2010 [4 favorites]

I have and I agree with the blogger and I talk about it more here and I don't actually want to derail this thread so memail me if you wanna :)
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 7:08 PM on July 2, 2010

I liked that it ended with Douglas in remorseful pain, realizing what he'd done and agonizing over the fact that he'd never see April again.
posted by Pope Guilty at 7:08 PM on July 2, 2010 [2 favorites]

Feh. I wish I wasn't still avoiding the IT Crowd because that looks quite entertaining.

AOK, I think you should give it a shot -- I'm not sure whether you've seen the episode, but Douglas (Matt Berry's character) really is meant to be a complete asshole, and we're certainly not supposed to be in sympathy with him in this or, um, anything, ever. I think Lineham could have done a better job of defending the episode -- his response is kinda weak-sauce -- but there's no question in my mind that the episode was not meant to disparage transpeople, and while such violence may be an ugly thing in real life, I can't imagine anyone seeing Douglas's behavior as something to be emulated (quite the opposite).
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:13 PM on July 2, 2010 [5 favorites]

(On review: Duly noted, AOK.)
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:14 PM on July 2, 2010

This is one of my favorite shows. Being in the industry these guys do a great job of capturing geek culture and have tons of awesome pieces on the set that hardcore geeks will recognize. The episode where Moss subscribes to the site to learn how to talk like a footballer is priceless. Needless to say I've been using "Did you see that ludicrous display?" throughout the world cup. I'm so happy the new season is here. Thanks for the link to the game!
posted by white_devil at 7:19 PM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

white_devil: What was Wenger thinking sending Walcott on so early?
posted by signalnine at 7:34 PM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

Episode not available in your area? As an American MeFite I now sympathize with my foreign compadres.
posted by MarvinTheCat at 7:37 PM on July 2, 2010

How has the new series been? I'm hoping IFC shows it at some point (or it comes out on dvd asap).
posted by Mael Oui at 7:44 PM on July 2, 2010

Damn my electric sexy pants!
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:57 PM on July 2, 2010 [3 favorites]

That is bloody lovely. Great attention to detail.

Shall I tell my namedroppy Alan Moore/Graham Lineham story?
posted by Artw at 8:09 PM on July 2, 2010

We tried watching the first season.
It was like "Boing Boing", the sitcom.
Enough said.
posted by monospace at 8:09 PM on July 2, 2010 [2 favorites]

I hate that fucking show, but the game is surprisingly addictive! Thank you, purephase!
posted by Greg Nog at 8:19 PM on July 2, 2010

(and, of course, thank you, malevolant!)
posted by Greg Nog at 8:20 PM on July 2, 2010

laugh track = can not watch.
posted by mlis at 8:41 PM on July 2, 2010

Shall I tell my namedroppy Alan Moore/Graham Lineham story?

Tell it, Artw, tell it!

Also, I know it was a typo, but Graham Lineham sounds like Graham Linehan's pig counterpart from some funny animal alternate universe.
posted by maqsarian at 8:53 PM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

Any word on when the new season comes to Netflix in the US? That's the only way I get to see it.
posted by saulgoodman at 8:56 PM on July 2, 2010

laugh track = can not watch.

It's not a laugh track goddamnit, it's filmed in front of an actual audience.
posted by signalnine at 9:02 PM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

Also, for those complaining about having to wait for the DVDs haven't you people ever heard of Bittorrent, UK proxy servers or Usenet?
posted by signalnine at 9:04 PM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

It's not a laugh track goddamnit, it's filmed in front of an actual audience.

can't watch that either.
posted by mlis at 9:13 PM on July 2, 2010

but, but--i don't want the dvd! (and i'm not complaining!) i'm just curious when i'll be able to stream it on netflix, so i can watch it on my tv through xbox, like i have every other series. and, sure, I could torrent it, but honestly, i'm just not that into tv shows.
posted by saulgoodman at 9:14 PM on July 2, 2010

So.. right. You've been enjoying the new IT Crowd episodes

I have not been, thanks for the heads up.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 9:16 PM on July 2, 2010

Tell it, Artw, tell it!

Oh well, since you *insist*...

My mate Alex is a stand-up comedian and editor of a comedy magazine called Mustard. Amongst other things they've ran an excellent interview with Graham Linehan and Alan Moore. They also ran some tat about Nazis and Dinosaurs which is probably only mildly amusing if your're aware of a 2000ad strip from 1980.

Anyway... I digress.

He got pretty freindly with Linehan and issues of Mustard are visible around the set, as well as a big poster aboove the door, featuring Alan Moore. Oh look, what's Chris O'Dowd reading there?

He also got pretty freindly with Alan Moore, and pops over his house to hang out and chat and have tea and stuff. So when Alan Moore started his new magazine it ended up having a Mustard section, which is basically similar material to the magazine, and it also ended up having a Graham Linehan section too.

So my mate is responsible for getting Alan Moore to work with Graham Linehan.

Well, I'm impressed anyway. I always knew him as a slightly-too-tall project manager.
posted by Artw at 9:49 PM on July 2, 2010 [8 favorites]

Which brings us one step closer to Alan Moore and Michael Kupperman working together.
posted by jtron at 10:05 PM on July 2, 2010

It's not a laugh track goddamnit, it's filmed in front of an actual audience.

It's a testiment to the quality of the show that it's still watchable despite that. A laugh track is a laugh track, whether it's canned or prompted.
posted by kafziel at 10:56 PM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

I have and I agree with the blogger and I talk about it more here and I don't actually want to derail this thread so memail me if you wanna :)
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 7:08 PM on July 2 [+] [!]

...

(On review: Duly noted, AOK.)
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:14 PM on July 2 [+] [!]


..?
posted by juv3nal at 12:28 AM on July 3, 2010

"We tried watching the first season.
It was like "Boing Boing", the sitcom.
Enough said."

Even Linehan himself is rather critical of the first series, in the DVD commentary and recent interviews he talks about the excessive 'hysteria' in the scripts and performances. I caught one episode, felt the same way, and didn't give it another chance for a while. And you do need to accept it's aiming to be a fairly traditional sitcom in many ways.

I haven't actually watched any of series 4 yet as after all the detailed research for the game I don't think my brain can take it for a bit...
posted by malevolent at 12:47 AM on July 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

If you really want to watch the series -- or anything at all that airs in Britain -- get an account at thebox.bz , which usually has open registration. It has a torrent archive of obscure British television shows that are absolutely awe-inspiring at times..

(And if it's not open registration, get an invite from someone who does have a membership there...)
posted by markkraft at 1:11 AM on July 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

One episode was rather rude about West Ham fans too, but I forgive
posted by devon at 1:14 AM on July 3, 2010

It's not a laugh track goddamnit, it's filmed in front of an actual audience.

One that magically tags along when they're shooting stuff out in the streets as well? I have my doubts. There is clearly a laugh track being used, even if its not all the time.

I don't really care for the program all that much even though it does have its moments. I should like it more, because I like the actors and the setting. I just think it's not all that well-written and isn't at all insightful about the dear-to-my-heart kind of people it's meant to be portraying. Set dressing can't replace actual good writing.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:19 AM on July 3, 2010

I guess you'll never know what happened there, juv3nal. Think about it: For as long as you may live, you will never. Ever. Know.

(it's actually pretty easy to figure out)
posted by kittens for breakfast at 5:18 AM on July 3, 2010

I got memail!

I like getting memail. it's like if favourites could talk to you.
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 6:14 AM on July 3, 2010 [2 favorites]

One that magically tags along when they're shooting stuff out in the streets as well?

The audience gets shown exterior scenes on video.

(Which is not to say a certain amount of editing and trickery isn't involves. It has to be, really - watching a TV show being filmed is not watching a play, and the whole thing is very stop and start.)

Personally I lean every so slightly against laughter on shows, but the dissenting comments on this piece in the guardian are worth reading for some good arguments in favour of studio audiences.

The comparison here is particularly worth while.
posted by Artw at 7:44 AM on July 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

Another Mustard link: Cut-out-and-make your own IT Crowd stars
posted by Artw at 7:53 AM on July 3, 2010

I've heard so much about this show that I tried to watch the new season that just started. I couldn't even make it through the whole episode. Perhaps it's because I don't watch many sitcoms, but the canned laugh track, weird rhythm, and hokey jokes of the show turned me off. It seemed like the crap sitcom Andy Millman made on Extras.

Is it just because I haven't watched it from the beginning? Are there subtle inside jokes I'm not getting?
posted by bluefly at 9:37 AM on July 3, 2010

It's not a laugh track goddamnit, it's filmed in front of an actual audience.

Whoops! Didn't see this. I guess it's just not for me, then. Although, I think there is some untapped potential for someone to make a more "nontraditional" comedy about IT work.
posted by bluefly at 10:02 AM on July 3, 2010

Jen: How can you two live like this?
Moss: [typing] How can you two...
Roy: Don't google the question, Moss!
posted by quarsan at 10:08 AM on July 3, 2010 [3 favorites]

It's a great show. It's success is due to the characters on the show, the decent writing (tons of geeky computer jokes/references) and the excellent acting. They tried to do a US version of the show with Joe McHale as the Roy character but I guess the US is not ready for a sitcom based on the IT world.
posted by Plug1 at 11:50 AM on July 3, 2010

I've seen the US IT Crowd pilot. It didn't fail because the US isn't ready for the subject matter. It failed because it was fucking awful. You know how the US Office pilot is basically the UK Office pilot minus a bunch of the jokes? Same thing.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:02 PM on July 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

I guess you'll never know what happened there, juv3nal. Think about it: For as long as you may live, you will never. Ever. Know.

I was just making passing commentary on the coincidence of your two usernames (ArmyOfKittens plus kittens for breakfast), but it looks like my bold tags got eaten by the system.
posted by juv3nal at 12:20 PM on July 3, 2010

but I guess the US is not ready for a sitcom based on the IT world.

The main problem with the pilot was more that McHale oozes cool too much to play a basement dwelling IT nerd. His charecter on Community is much more in his range.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 12:45 PM on July 3, 2010

Apreeeeel!!!
posted by Del Far at 1:13 PM on July 3, 2010

Also, for those complaining about having to wait for the DVDs haven't you people ever heard of Bittorrent, UK proxy servers or Usenet?

Geez, I wasn't complaining! And I have dial-up.. so regardless of whether or not I've heard of them, they're of little use to me...
posted by Mael Oui at 8:46 PM on July 3, 2010

The IT Crowd is one of those sitcoms that appears cheesy, predictable and just plain rubbish on first viewing, but then subsequently reveals itself to be a work of genius. Trust me on this.
posted by Summer at 5:08 AM on July 5, 2010 [2 favorites]

Agree with Summer. It seems that sometimes, especially over the last season or so, Linehan is using the IT Crowd to play with certain conventions of the sitcom form. Maybe this stuff becomes more apparent if you're a die-hard fan who has all the Father Ted and Black Books on DVD too not that there's anything wrong with that although what's up with him reusing the "gay date" storyline for both Fran and Jen?
posted by jtron at 9:42 AM on July 8, 2010