# The IT Crowd - new series



## DJ Squelch (Nov 21, 2008)

Last series series started OK but went downhill rapidly so  I'm not expecting much from this but it's worth watching just to see Matt Berry.


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## idioteque (Nov 21, 2008)

I love the IT Crowd, you've just reminded me to watch it. Cheers!


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## Dravinian (Nov 21, 2008)

This really doesn't deserve a second series.

I compare this to "The Big Bang Theory."

TbbT is written by geeks for geeks.

The IT Crowd, is written by people who want to take the piss out of geeks.

Therefore, being a geek, I think TbbT is far superior.


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## dlx1 (Nov 21, 2008)

series 3

Go Moss


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## xenon (Nov 21, 2008)

Saw the first series, thought it was pretty poor. The geeky jokes aren't geeky enough. The characters unbelieveable and... Well it's just pish.


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## idioteque (Nov 21, 2008)

Not a fantastic episode, the canned laughter really grated with me. Will still watch it though.

I must say I disagree with you Dravinian, I think Big Bang Theory was really awful, and their portrayal of 'geeks' was utterly rubbish in comparison to the IT Crowd.


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## SpookyFrank (Nov 21, 2008)

Not at all funny. But the girl is kinda cute so that's OK.


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## Ranbay (Nov 21, 2008)

The.IT.Crowd.S03E01.WS.PDTV.XviD-RiVER

for anyone who missed it and it looking


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## zoooo (Nov 21, 2008)

It's not canned, it's real audience laughter.

I liked it!!


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## Dravinian (Nov 22, 2008)

idioteque said:


> Not a fantastic episode, the canned laughter really grated with me. Will still watch it though.
> 
> I must say I disagree with you Dravinian, I think Big Bang Theory was really awful, and their portrayal of 'geeks' was utterly rubbish in comparison to the IT Crowd.



Any show that makes the joke..

"Ohh saturn 3, excellent.."

"Ahh but I wanted to watch DS9."

"How is DS9 better?"

"Well mathetmatically, it is 6 better."

"Why don't you two compromise and watch Babylon 5."

Gets my vote.


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## idioteque (Nov 22, 2008)

It's half an hour of regurgitated and contrived jokes. I don't see the appeal, it's like a paint by numbers geek sitcom.


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## teuchter (Nov 22, 2008)

idioteque said:


> I must say I disagree with you Dravinian, I think Big Bang Theory was really awful, and their portrayal of 'geeks' was utterly rubbish in comparison to the IT Crowd.



This is what I thought too.


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## Greebo (Nov 22, 2008)

Having watched the double bill of big Bang Theory, and the IT crowd the next evening, IMHO the IT crowd wins hands down.


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## girasol (Nov 22, 2008)

Greebo said:


> Having watched the double bill of big Bang Theory, and the IT crowd the next evening, IMHO the IT crowd wins hands down.



really?  I thought the IT Crowd was lame - and enjoyed BBT.  

I'm probably way too old to be watching Big Bang Theory, but I've been a fan since the glowy fish episode, when Sheldon lost his job, and his mother came to visit


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## keithy (Nov 22, 2008)

Just saw an advert for next Friday's episode and the bloke in it has bought me a drink before 

Always mixin with t'stars I am


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## Dravinian (Nov 22, 2008)

keithy said:


> Just saw an advert for next Friday's episode and the bloke in it has bought me a drink before
> 
> Always mixin with t'stars I am



I don't dislike either of the main male actors in the IT Crowd, don't really care much for the female actor.

My problem is with the writing, tired old cliche jokes at the expensense of anyone who ever uses a PC.

The jokes in it, the whole feel of it, seem better suited to the 1990s when hardly anyone was actually using a PC outside of work.

Now most people are sitting there watching it either on a Laptop, or while having a laptop on their lap, so it seems a bit tired to be sitting there pointing a finger and laughing at the "computer geeks"

10 years too late.


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## ViolentPanda (Nov 22, 2008)

Dravinian said:


> This really doesn't deserve a second series.


It's the third.


> I compare this to "The Big Bang Theory."
> 
> TbbT is written by geeks for geeks.
> 
> ...


They're aimed at two entirely different viewer bases, so your comparison seems, at the very least, inapt.


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## Augie March (Nov 22, 2008)

Well, it was a pretty good start to the series. I see they're shifting a bit more focus on Matt Berry now which is no bad thing as he's hilarious. The problem with that though is that Moss seems rapidly becoming a side-character and I'm hoping that he at leasts get an episode to himself this year. 

Incidentally, I hated the Bing Bang Theory when I first watched it, but every now and again I keep catching episodes and it's grown on me. Enough so, that I'm actually quite looking forward to the new series.


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## DotCommunist (Nov 22, 2008)

Shit. Laughter track fail, and generally unfunny


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## Augie March (Nov 22, 2008)

I really don't think they use a laughter track. They didn't with previous series anyway.


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## zoooo (Nov 22, 2008)

It's not a fucking laughter track!

Audiences laugh a lot at those shows, they're all whipped up by the warm-up guy, and they are there to have a good time.
Just ignore it if it annoys you so much. 


Anyway, I love the IT Crowd now, at first in series 1 I wasn't sure about it, but it really grows on you.


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## girasol (Nov 22, 2008)

zoooo said:


> Anyway, I love the IT Crowd now, at first in series 1 I wasn't sure about it, but it really grows on you.



I went the other way, I liked the first series and last night I just thought it was really really meh...


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## DotCommunist (Nov 22, 2008)

zoooo said:


> It's not a fucking laughter track!
> 
> Audiences laugh a lot at those shows, they're all whipped up by the warm-up guy, and they are there to have a good time.
> Just ignore it if it annoys you so much.
> ...



It just really fucking grates tbh.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Nov 22, 2008)

DJ Squelch said:


> Last series series started OK but went downhill rapidly so  I'm not expecting much from this but it's worth watching just to see Matt Berry.



He stole a sex tape off me. Grrr.


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## tar1984 (Nov 22, 2008)

i watched this for the first time last night.  i enjoyed it!


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## girasol (Nov 22, 2008)

The episode where one of them has a date with a cannibal serial killer - that was amusing 

and when they went to the theatre...  (I think it was first episode of 2nd series?)


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## stavros (Nov 22, 2008)

I'll watch it on the C4 iPlayer thingy tomorrow, but whilst it's OK, I reckon Linehan should've written it under a pseudonym and without an Irish lead, because everyone will conciously or not compare it unfavourably to Father Ted.


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## dodgepot (Nov 22, 2008)

B0B2oo9 said:


> The.IT.Crowd.S03E01.WS.PDTV.XviD-RiVER
> 
> for anyone who missed it and it looking



thanks 

when i first saw the IT crowd i thought it was lame, but i gave it another chance and now love it


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## zoooo (Nov 22, 2008)

The theatre one's great!

"I'm a disabled!"

tee hee.


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## zoooo (Nov 22, 2008)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> He stole a sex tape off me. Grrr.



I do love your occasional Matt Berry stories. 

Give me more...

(What kiiind of sex tape?)


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 22, 2008)

Dravinian said:


> I don't dislike either of the main male actors in the IT Crowd, don't really care much for the female actor.


this has been bugging me- does anyone else think she looks like Georgina Baillie of Russell Brand infamy?






Katherine Parkinson (Jen from the IT crowd)






Georgina Baillie


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## Structaural (Nov 22, 2008)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> He stole a sex tape off me. Grrr.



Don't do heroin or buy a cat.


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## Silva (Nov 22, 2008)

Matt Berry stole the show 
_
A GUN!

I wonder if it's loaded
*aims at mouth*
*clicks*
No
*checks drawer*
Aaaah! Here we go!_


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## gentlegreen (Nov 22, 2008)

idioteque said:


> the canned laughter really grated with me.


Holy feck - is that for the yank market ?


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## zoooo (Nov 22, 2008)

Nooo, the yanks have their own version of the show (still with the same Moss). Yikes.



ebay sex moomin said:


> this has been bugging me- does anyone else think she looks like Georgina Baillie of Russell Brand infamy?



Christ no. Katherine's attractive.


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 23, 2008)

ok, it's just me, I'll drop it 

I read earlier on wiki (the font of all reliable knowledge) that the first series was filmed in front of a live studio audience, and series 2 and 3 were filmed at Pinewood studios. I'm guessing they didn't have a live a live audience for that... 

that's gonna bug me now. I hate canned laughter- I won't be able to watch it if I find out they used it


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## zoooo (Nov 23, 2008)

I'm 99% sure someone I know went to be in the audience for this series...


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## fee (Nov 23, 2008)

crap...but look out for Free Agents in january on c4...new sit com with S horner..gonna be tops! (black books)


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## zoooo (Nov 23, 2008)

Ooh, the one with Stephen Mangan?
The pilot was brilliant.


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## fee (Nov 23, 2008)

thats the one! will be the talk of tv...!


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## zoooo (Nov 23, 2008)

Ha!
I actually thought it was a whole series, but I must have been thinking of that one he did playing an alcoholic.


Anyway. I just checked, and this series of IT Crowd DEFINITELY had a live studio audience. So, make of that what you will.


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 23, 2008)

thanks for checking 

I mean, it's never struck me as false, whereas in the new series of 'little britain US' (which I tried to watch for research purposes only) it was glaringly obvious that there was a laugh-track, and I didn't get past the second sketch of the first episode of the first show (notwithstanding that it was also crap)

I went to the HBO website to check it out, and on the Little Britain forum, everyone's moaning about the laugh-track.


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 23, 2008)

having not seen BBT, I'd personally liken 'IT crowd' to Chris Addison's 'lab rats'- enjoyable silliness without any groundbreaking aspect.


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## zoooo (Nov 23, 2008)

Yeah, they do have the same feel.
But, even though I didn't hate Lab Rats or anything, I find IT Crowd muuuuuch funnier.


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## Chz (Nov 23, 2008)

Add me to the list for finding BBT funnier (partly because Sheldon *is* an amalgram of a few grad students I used to know), but the IT Crowd is perfectly enjoyable. It's just not as funny as BBT is for me.


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## gentlegreen (Nov 23, 2008)

zoooo said:


> Ha!
> Anyway. I just checked, and this series of IT Crowd DEFINITELY had a live studio audience. So, make of that what you will.


I suppose it isn't that surprising that they could find an audience that would laugh at anything (cue cards ?) - you only have to consider "The Now Show" on Radio 4 (Punt and Dennis) ...


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Nov 23, 2008)

zoooo said:


> I do love your occasional Matt Berry stories.
> 
> Give me more...
> 
> (What kiiind of sex tape?)



It was called 'War and Sex' It had a loose sort of story about occupied France. 
Not much to tell apart from the fact that I had it when he came round and it was gone when he left. 
He denied taking it but about six months later his flat mate told me about this ace video Matt had called 'War and Sex'. 

Matt said my girlfriend gave it to him.


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## fractionMan (Nov 23, 2008)

Dravinian said:


> Any show that makes the joke..
> 
> "Ohh saturn 3, excellent.."
> 
> ...


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## Miss Potter (Nov 23, 2008)

does anybody know what was on Roy's t-shirt in Friday night's episode? It was a venn diagram, one circle said something like "music I like" and the other said "music you like" but I couldn't read the middle bit!


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## Augie March (Nov 23, 2008)




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## zoooo (Nov 23, 2008)

It is an ace t shirt.



ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> It was called 'War and Sex' It had a loose sort of story about occupied France.
> Not much to tell apart from the fact that I had it when he came round and it was gone when he left.
> He denied taking it but about six months later his flat mate told me about this ace video Matt had called 'War and Sex'.
> 
> Matt said my girlfriend gave it to him.



Haha. Excellent.


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## Lazy Llama (Nov 23, 2008)

It's not canned, it's filmed in front of a live audience.

Graham Linehan, who writes The IT Crowd, even has a blog entry about it.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Nov 24, 2008)

zoooo said:


> It is an ace t shirt.
> 
> 
> 
> Haha. Excellent.



I prefer my story where he wanks onto someones bed to avenge a friend.


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## zoooo (Nov 24, 2008)

Lazy Llama said:


> It's not canned, it's filmed in front of a live audience.
> 
> Graham Linehan, who writes The IT Crowd, even has a blog entry about it.



It doesn't matter how many times we tell them!


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## zoooo (Nov 24, 2008)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> I prefer my story where he wanks onto someones bed to avenge a friend.



Oooooh.

You should compile a short book on the subject.


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## 5t3IIa (Nov 24, 2008)

I found the LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE LAUGHTER totally loud and grating and couldn't physically watch more than 5 minutes.


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## Augie March (Nov 24, 2008)

I seem to remember hearing Linehan on a commentary discussing the problems of having a live studio audience on a show with such a following like this one. Apparently, because the people in the audience are such fans, they'll inevitably wind up laughing at everything more so than anyone else. I think they actually have to edit their laughter sometimes because it's too much and ruins the scene.


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## zoooo (Nov 24, 2008)

5t3IIa said:


> I found the LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE LAUGHTER totally loud and grating and couldn't physically watch more than 5 minutes.



Hee!
That's better. 



Augie March said:


> I seem to remember hearing Linehan on a commentary discussing the problems of having a live studio audience on a show with such a following like this one. Apparently, because the people in the audience are such fans, they'll inevitably wind up laughing at everything more so than anyone else. I think they actually have to edit their laughter sometimes because it's too much and ruins the scene.



Yes. I can imagine that would be annoying. And a bit embarrassing.


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## stavros (Nov 24, 2008)

To be honest, and I'm a gargantuan fan of Father Ted and liked Black Books and Big Train too, The IT Crowd isn't really rocking my boat. It hasn't got that surrealism in normality that FT had, and Moss is the only really good character for me.


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 25, 2008)

Augie March said:


> I seem to remember hearing Linehan on a commentary discussing the problems of having a live studio audience on a show with such a following like this one. Apparently, because the people in the audience are such fans, they'll inevitably wind up laughing at everything more so than anyone else. I think they actually have to edit their laughter sometimes because it's too much and ruins the scene.


aye, I can see that happening. he's a canny man that Linehan (I didn't mean that to rhyme ) It's one of the problems I have watching 'ponderland'- the laughter, tho genuine, just sounds a bit sucky to me, a bit sycophantic, like everyone's just waiting to laugh at anything Russell says. still, in the general scheme of things, it's probably not that important 

I guess there's also a big difference between being in an audience, having been 'warmed up' and taking part in the general atmosphere, as opposed to watching the show on telly on your own, full of gin and regret, whilst eating cold beans out of a can with a spatula. er, I mean that just as an example, obviously


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## Gingerman (Nov 25, 2008)

stavros said:


> To be honest, and I'm a gargantuan fan of Father Ted and liked Black Books and Big Train too, The IT Crowd isn't really rocking my boat. It hasn't got that surrealism in normality that FT had, and Moss is the only really good character for me.


Feel the same way meself,wanted to like it because of Linehan but find it a bit meh.


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## fogbat (Nov 25, 2008)

I think the IT Crowd needs some time to get into. I didn't think Father Ted was good when I first saw it, but it's now one of my favourite ever sitcoms.

Big Bang Theory, on the other hand, would be improved if the television just sprayed raw sewage straight into your face for half an hour.


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## stavros (Nov 25, 2008)

fogbat said:


> I think the IT Crowd needs some time to get into. I didn't think Father Ted was good when I first saw it, but it's now one of my favourite ever sitcoms.



FT got me within the first scene; Dougal walks in with shaving foam all over his face.
Ted: "Dougal, you've got some foam just there."
Dougal: "What, just here?"
Ted: "Yes, and behind.... and there.... God Dougal, it's all over your face."
(Dougal looks in the mirror)
Dougal: "God how did that get there? I didn't even shave this morning."


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## Jorum (Nov 25, 2008)

I liked the line about the role play "well it certainly helped me learn to buy sandwiches". I like lines in comedy that just allude to unseen jokes.
The near death experience scene tickled me as well "was that hitler?". "that looked exactly like hitler". That said I like Matt Berry. His voice alone makes me smile.


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## zoooo (Nov 26, 2008)

and become moist.


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## idioteque (Nov 28, 2008)

Well I thought that was a pretty good episode.


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## Talkie Toaster (Nov 28, 2008)

That was pretty funny.


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## DJ Squelch (Nov 28, 2008)

I hate football so I quite enjoyed tonights episode.

 I think I might go to the sport forum to try some of those lines.


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## Talkie Toaster (Nov 28, 2008)

What WAS Wenger thinking? 

I'm so going to try that in the office next week and see who bites ...


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## Augie March (Nov 29, 2008)

It was a pretty funny episode, I love the escalation of the surreality in the show, from them just trying to fit in with blokes, to becoming involved in a bank job. The snog at the end with the never-ending police cars was brilliant too, reminded me of the bit in Black Books with Bernard's accountant. 

Only downsides were that there was no Matt Berry (weird, considering it seemed like he was getting a bigger part this series) and also the Jen/Magician storyline was a bit slight and not very funny either.


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## girasol (Nov 29, 2008)

Good episode indeed, although my favourite bit wasn't the football stuff - funny though that was - it was the boyfriend who looked like a magician 

something for everyone on it last night


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## dlx1 (Nov 29, 2008)

Jen dated a magician & a Peterfile


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## DJ Squelch (Nov 29, 2008)

It seems to work best when they take the characters out of the office ie last night & the theatre episode.


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## dweller (Nov 29, 2008)

I like the IT crowd as its done by the same people as Father Ted 
 and you can feel that same ridiculous humour coming thru. 
I sort of cross my eyes and get some good F Ted type laughs out of it.
Only seen a couple of episodes though.


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## Orang Utan (Dec 5, 2008)

Tonight's episode is hilarious - they've really hit their stride with this series. Was not impressed with the first series at all, but maybe that's just because it wasn't Father Ted. Took a while to get used to the characters too.


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## Augie March (Dec 5, 2008)

The second series was always meant to be an improved version of the first series (a la Evil Dead 2) which is why plotlines weren't resolved from the cliffhangers. As is what happened with this series too it seems.

How'd you get to see the new episode already LTC?


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## Orang Utan (Dec 5, 2008)

Augie March said:


> How'd you get to see the new episode already LTC?


I had to watch it for work


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## Augie March (Dec 5, 2008)

They make you watch new episodes of the IT Crowd _and_ then pay you for it? The bastards.


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## Orang Utan (Dec 5, 2008)

I sometimes have to watch Desperate Housewives and Everybody Loves Raymond though. And shite like Grand Designs and Location x 3


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## Talkie Toaster (Dec 5, 2008)

(((LTC)))


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## Augie March (Dec 5, 2008)

'Fuck off!'


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## dlx1 (Dec 6, 2008)

> And shite like Grand Designs


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## DJ Squelch (Dec 19, 2008)

lol Friendface

great episode


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## ChrisFilter (Dec 19, 2008)

Left Turn Clyde said:


> I sometimes have to watch Desperate Housewives and Everybody Loves Raymond though. And shite like Grand Designs and Location x 3



I enjoy watching all of those things.

I'm an everyman.


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## scifisam (Dec 19, 2008)

Does anyone have any links to watch the new series online? I can't seem to find it. Youtube search seems to have turned into shit, and Google only brings up clips.


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## zoooo (Dec 19, 2008)

http://www.friendface.co.uk/

(sorry, unfortunately that's not a reply to you scifisam!)


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## Dillinger4 (Dec 19, 2008)

That was so unfunny that I think I frowned with disgust


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## 8ball (Dec 19, 2008)

I laughed and laughed and laughed. 

I may be a bit drunk.


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## Orang Utan (Dec 20, 2008)

scifisam said:


> Does anyone have any links to watch the new series online? I can't seem to find it. Youtube search seems to have turned into shit, and Google only brings up clips.



4OD? Catch up on digital? They're the reason I have to watch these programmes, so people better be using them


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## scifisam (Dec 20, 2008)

Left Turn Clyde said:


> 4OD? Catch up on digital? They're the reason I have to watch these programmes, so people better be using them



Ah. 4OD doesn't work on this computer for some reason.


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## Awesome Wells (Dec 20, 2008)

Jen is hot. Lovely tight skirt.

I love comedy.


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## joustmaster (Dec 20, 2008)

scifisam said:


> Ah. 4OD doesn't work on this computer for some reason.


try using the catch up thing instead.


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## ChrisC (Dec 21, 2008)

You can get them on www.mininova.org if you missed an episode.

PS MODS Is it OK to post that site, if not remove it and I'll PM anyone who wants it?


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