I *love* that line.
The IT Crowd 3.0 Page 23
Best episode of the series so far. (And that is not an inverse of the "Worst. Episode. Ever." argument.) Mr Lineham's writing is always funny, but this was particulary brilliant in the way that everything came together. Matt Berry-heavy episodes do, though, seem to be the stand-outs in the last 2 series?
I've been meaning to revisit this show after being less-than-thrilled with the first season. Currently downloading the second and third seasons ... 
Quote: Tim Walker @ December 14 2008, 3:37 AM GMTMatt Berry-heavy episodes do, though, seem to be the stand-outs in the last 2 series?
The thing is, if you know Matt Berrys going to do it, how can you help but write brilliant stuff?! You know he's going to explode every time he's on screen. I have a character in one of my sitcoms that I really wish I could put him forward for, but he's already done his Berry-ness in this now!
Quote: sanniberry @ December 13 2008, 5:56 PM GMTFantastic episode. While I didn't think the man/Iran joke was all that great, something about Matt Berry's performance in that storyline made it work for me. I loved the internet prank, too. It's nice to have a little bit of geek humor in the show, though I think it's even better when the geekiness is less about dropping geeky references than about geeks being socially awkward. Both kinds work but it's nice to have a bit of other stuff in the show as well.
Iran/aman was a bit unlikely. A 'forced' joke.
Might have been better if she had said I used to be a Male, a Man, & have that misconstrued as a mail person.
Quote: DaButt @ December 14 2008, 3:48 AM GMTI've been meaning to revisit this show after being less-than-thrilled with the first season. Currently downloading the second and third seasons ...
I didn't like it much after the first series, but series two made me love it. Hope the same happens to you!
Quote: earman2009 @ December 13 2008, 1:51 PM GMTWonderful episode. My favourite so far. Loved the Internet bit. Good to have an IT related episode. I also thought the sub plot was better too. I think it's fair to say we won't be seeing Noel Fielding this series, but it was good to hear what happened to Richmond!
Quote: Johnny Green @ December 13 2008, 3:42 PM GMTGreat episode last night!
Probably my favourite of the series so far. Other episodes have had me laughing harder in places but this episode seemed to be more consistently funny. Quite a simple idea but very funny. Reminded me of the time that a friend and I persuaded someone to believe that to get the best broadband connection you have to wrap your broadband cable around a tree
Quote: Tim Walker @ December 14 2008, 3:37 AM GMTBest episode of the series so far. (And that is not an inverse of the "Worst. Episode. Ever." argument.) Mr Lineham's writing is always funny, but this was particulary brilliant in the way that everything came together. Matt Berry-heavy episodes do, though, seem to be the stand-outs in the last 2 series?
I'm at a loss to understand why the weakest episodes (in my view) are the most popular with people here. I watched this again at the weekend with my girlfriend and didn't laugh once - and not because I was with my girlfriend. I think there was only really one good joke in it - the 'caricature' that Douglas drew of April - which was perfect and a credit to props.
Aside from the fact that the internet joke had essentially been done in an earlier episode - to sound like Moss for a moment - the internet actually IS a black box with a light on it (well a series of black boxes) so this isn't really a joke - unless like Linehan - you know nothing about com-pú-ters. And as soon as the fight starts it's obvious what's going to happen. The montage sequence of Douglas and April in love was also a bit lacking and weak in contrast to the one in series 2 between Douglas and Jen. ("Remember when I knackered that squirrel?")
The previous episode had its problems, but it had the wonderful plot strand of Roy losing his shirt and becoming a tramp within a hour and that is the brilliance that I associate with Linehan - the kind of stuff nobody else writes. This week's episode could have been written by any jobbing comedy writer in my view - which perhaps explains its popularity.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ December 15 2008, 10:33 AM GMTI'm at a loss to understand why the weakest episodes (in my view) are the most popular with people here. This week's episode could have been written by any jobbing comedy writer in my view - which perhaps explains its popularity.
Because different people have different views? It wasn't this series strongest in my opinion, but it was full of good stuff.
We've been down this road Matt over another show. I'm not saying for effect - I'm just surprised. I'm also assuming a consensus on what is funny, based on the fact that we've all got more than a passive interest in 'comedy'. I'm also coming from the position f**king loving the first series of the IT crowd and willing to die for it man...
Quote: Godot Taxis @ December 15 2008, 11:28 AM GMTI'm also assuming a consensus on what is funny, based on the fact that we've all got more than a passive interest in 'comedy'.
The last place I'd expect to see any comedic consensus is a forum populated by wannabe comedy writers/ enthusiasts. For me, it was one of the best episodes. And the Iran/ man 'joke' was essential to drive the plot. A tenuous/ absurd misunderstanding is precisely what made it so funny. To me.
I should have said 'quality' rather than 'funny', afterall what people laugh at has no consensus whatsoever.
I also think the Iran/man misunderstanding was a bit weak but I don't care. The fact that Douglas didn't care anyway - "It's just your thing" - more than made up for it.
Just to add to the chorus - I thought Friday's episode was definitely the best of the series. Probably second best overall in fact (only beaten by last season's musical theatre trip). I can't quite place my finger on why I liked this more than previous ones though.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ December 15 2008, 12:42 PM GMTI should have said 'quality' rather than 'funny', afterall what people laugh at has no consensus whatsoever.
So what you're really trying to say is how come we see quality in something that simply isn't quality?
Putting aside all the "my taste is superior" debate possibilities, I'd say people react instinctively to comedy. This isn't a drama with socio-political metaphors somewhere between the lines, a thing you have to turn over in your head to make up whether you agree with its message or ideas or whether you find them good. It's just, "is it funny? yes or no".
Of course, people do change opinions. A rewatch can reveal an episode to be quite messy in terms of plot, a random collection of gags rather than a clever sitcom episode. I've had this sort of change of mind happen to me on a few shows (most recently the Green Wing Christmas special). In that way an opinion is never 'final'.
Should clearly have thought she was from Oman not Iran