Quote: Magnus D @ September 3 2008, 5:34 PM BSTA big one that's been missed off the list is the Trailer Park Boys. One of the funniest mockumentaries there is.
Reno 911 is another big one: a very funny show even if the movie wasn't that great.
I loved Trailer Park Boys. The guy who always has a drink in his hand, no matter where or what he's doing. 
Is "Norbert Smith - a Life" done documentary style? I can't remember, but surely due a repeat in tribute to Geoffrey Perkins
A few additions:
Arrested Development - I can't believe we forgot this one. Pure genius.
Rock Profiles - The Matt Lucas/David Walliams thing on BBC Choice.
Also worthy of mention are:
Big Train - The mockumntary sketch "Big J and Big D" about Jesus and the Devil working in the same office ("Ha! Ha! You big twat!!!")
The Day Today - This featured a number of grerat mockumentaries, notably "The Pool: A Day In The Life Of A Swimming Pool" and "The Office: Journey Through Hell." The former about a swimming pool, and the latter about an American psychologist brought in to improve an offices efficiency.
Quote: chipolata @ September 4 2008, 1:33 PM BSTA few additions:
Arrested Development - I can't believe we forgot this one. Pure genius.
I never really believed AD as a mockmentary. I love the show, but if you actually take it as one, which I know it's sort of supposed to be, I don't think it really works. So I just try and ignore the bits where they pretend it is.
And if we're just including bits of shows, then all those little mock-docs in Victoria Woods 'As Seen On TV'.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ September 4 2008, 1:37 PM BSTI never really believed AD as a mockmentary. I love the show, but if you actually take it as one, which I know it's sort of supposed to be, I don't think it really works. So I just try and ignore the bits where they pretend it is.
And if we're just including bits of shows, then all those little mock-docs in Victoria Woods 'As Seen On TV'.
Interesting about AD, but to me I could never not think of it as a mockumentary because of Ron Howard's voiceover.
On the Victoria Wood front, I seem to remember a great one about a girl attempting to swim the channel.
Think the point here is to distinguish between format and style.
The Office(eg) is something that deliberately takes the form of a documentary.
The Thick of it(eg) takes the style of the documentary (eg. hand held camera/improvisational feel).
One of my favourite Woody Allen films, 'Husbands and Wives', uses the latter, shaky camera approach, but I'd hardly call it a mockmentary.
Quote: chipolata @ September 4 2008, 1:41 PM BSTInteresting about AD, but to me I could never not think of it as a mockumentary because of Ron Howard's voiceover.
It just doesn't really work; half of the stuff on screen just wouldn't happen if they were being filmed. For instance, all the illegal stuff. And would someone like Michael really let cameras follow him, especially when he's getting undressed about to have sex? And where are the crew? How do they film it all? And when people are sneaking about, how could they? Theyd have two camera men following them. There's just endless bits where it doesn't work as one, so I don't think of it as one. Still one of the greatest sitcoms of all time mind.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ September 4 2008, 1:49 PM BSTThink the point here is to distinguish between format and style.
Yeah, but AD does describe itself as a Mock Documentary, which I don't buy at all. It really is just shot in the shaky style of one, rather than actually following through on it.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ September 4 2008, 1:49 PM BSTThink the point here is to distinguish between format and style.
The Office(eg) is something that deliberately takes the form of a documentary.
The Thick of it(eg) takes the style of the documentary (eg. hand held camera/improvisational feel).
True. But I think in any discussion of mocumentaries it's interesting to look at how the verite feel of them has filtered into a lot of more traditional sitcoms, such as The Thick Of It.
Someone nailed it a few posts ago, but if the camera is a physical presence - something that exists within the character's world - then it's a mockumentary.
Arrested Development does not fit this - it just uses the device of a narrator to move the plot forward. Same goes for The Thick of it.
Quote: David Bussell @ September 4 2008, 2:11 PM BSTArrested Development does not fit this - it just uses the device of a narrator to move the plot forward. Same goes for The Thick of it.
Exactly, but the makers of AD claim it is a mock-doc, and at times do things like a cameraman putting his hand over the camera. Whatever they say, it ain't no Mockumentary!
Quote: David Bussell @ September 4 2008, 2:11 PM BSTSomeone nailed it a few posts ago, but if the camera is a physical presence - something that exists within the character's world - then it's a mockumentary.
Arrested Development does not fit this - it just uses the device of a narrator to move the plot forward. Same goes for The Thick of it.
No, AD is a mockumentary and the camera does exist in the characters world, to the extent that during the third season Gob actually throws something at it.
The makers use the occasional trick like Matt mentioned for the purposes of the odd joke but it's certainly not a pseudo-documentary. I'd need to rewatch it, but is there a chance those scenes are ones where (for instance) Gob has a crew filming his magic act?
Quote: David Bussell @ September 4 2008, 2:37 PM BSTThe makers use the occasional trick like Matt mentioned for the purposes of the odd joke but it's certainly not a pseudo-documentary. I'd need to rewatch it, but is there a chance those scenes are ones where (for instance) Gob has a crew filming his magic act?
No, it was a board meeting. But other than the camera thing, the show is shot through with references to it being a documentary, such as "Footage not found" appearing on screen every now and then.
Wasn't that the boardroom scene where Gob invites the camera in to film his magic trick?
But you're right - they do use the occasional trick like the "footage not found" thing that would normally belong in a doco. Or mocko I guess.
Quote: David Bussell @ September 4 2008, 3:06 PM BSTWasn't that the boardroom scene where Gob invites the camera in to film his magic trick?
But you're right - they do use the occasional trick like the "footage not found" thing that would normally belong in a doco. Or mocko I guess.
You might be right. I guess the thing which suggests it isn't a mockumentary is that nobody ever looks at the camera, the way they do in The Office or Operation Good Guys.