Numbers in British comedy
Here at British Comedy Guide, our lives revolve around thinking about comedy pretty much every moment we're awake. Whether it be in a supermarket (which makes us think of1980s sitcom Tripper's Day) or even getting a taxi (are we the only ones that remember Frank Skinner sitcom Shane?), we can see links to comedy all around us.
Numbers often particularly link us back to British comedy. For example, the number 32 holds significance in roulette as it is one of the numbers on the wheel often favoured by players for various reasons, including its positioning on the wheel, its historical significance, or simply personal superstitions. That's why there's a website called 32Red (a casino which is worldwide; there's now 32Red in Hungary). Why do we mention this? Well, when we saw it listed on Google, our first thought was actually not gambling, but the colour... we thought of the 32nd episode of Red Dwarf.
From the show's sixth series, Out of Time sees the crew of the Red Dwarf encounter a duplicate version of their ship from a different dimension. This alternate Red Dwarf is crewed by their future selves who have become corrupt and ruthless. The episode explores themes of morality, power, and the consequences of one's actions. Out of Time is often cited as one of the standout episodes of Red Dwarf due to its dark and dramatic storyline, as well as its exploration of the characters' inner conflicts.
See, we managed to go from seeing a casino link to a particular sitcom episode in just a couple of flickers of the brain!
Pretty much any number can be linked to British comedy.
Say "4" to us and we'll think of "The Four Yorkshiremen", the classic comedic routine in which four characters engage in a humorous competition to outdo each other with exaggerated tales of their impoverished childhoods in Yorkshire.
Then add a 2 to the end of 4 and of course you'll get us to 42. We probably don't need to explain this one, as you'll already be ahead of us...
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy creator Douglas Adams famously chose the number 42 as the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. This choice has become an iconic and often referenced aspect of his work.
Adams explained in various interviews that the choice of 42 was arbitrary and meant to be absurdly random. He liked the idea that the ultimate answer to life's biggest question could be something so mundane and seemingly meaningless. Moreover, Adams enjoyed the irony of providing such a seemingly definitive answer without any context or explanation, reflecting the absurdity and unpredictability of life itself.
Over the years, fans and scholars have speculated on potential deeper meanings behind the number 42, proposing various mathematical, cultural, and philosophical interpretations. However, it's clear that Adams' initial intention was to inject humour and absurdity into his storytelling, rather than convey a specific profound message with the number.
As we say, pretty much every number can be linked to British comedy in some way. Even long ones. Do you recognise the phone number 0118 999 881 999 119 7253? If you do, you must be a fan of The IT Crowd, as that's the number of the emergency services in that sitcom. It makes sense actually - when it's typed out on a keypad, it spells out 'emergency'. Let's get rid of 999 and make that memorable number our new hotline for help!?!