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That's Numberwang!
I tried playing Numberwang on the site and it still confuses me, much like understanding fully the space-time equation…I think you have it at one point and then it turns out you’re wrong or a bit right.
> BBC comedy
Wonderful!
Can’t remember the last time I could place those two together. Maybe when I was watching my Steptoe DVDs. No no no it was One Foot In The Grave, something I love more and more with every episode I see.
I’ve just got out my tapes of the last series of That Mitchell and Webb Sound on R4 - absolutely brilliant.
The Sky Sports sketch made me laugh until a little bit of wee came out.
Shame most of the rest of the episode was fairly lacklustre.
I’ve heard quite a few people say this, but I totally disagree - I think it was just as strong as the last series, and stronger than some episodes. Pretty much every sketch made me laugh (The Numberwang Code aside) - but the gardens sketch in particular struck me. I was bored by most of the ‘real-life- sketches last series, but that was really good - I’m looking forward to more of them now.
And it also had the best closer to a sketch show I can remember in a long time.
Do you mean the ‘negativity’ sketch? Like a few of the others I thought it was a good idea wasted. Throwing the typewriter at the end was such a desperate way to end it.
The whole episode wasn’t crap but it just stank of laziness IMO. Much like ending a sentence with ‘IMO’. The garden sketch was 5 minutes too long and they resorted to slagging off ‘Two Pints…’ to get a laugh. I yawned at around that point. Maybe they really HAVE become the male French & Saunders…
And have they been getting the Dead Ringers writers in or what? The Numberwang Code was like something out of that - lots of time making something elaborate but with zero laughs.
God, I’m a miserable cunt…
Do you mean the ‘negativity’ sketch? Like a few of the others I thought it was a good idea wasted. Throwing the typewriter at the end was such a desperate way to end it.
Oh, I totally disagree - it was done brilliantly. It sounded *really* painful, and then that quick cut to black… I loved it. It’s exactly what Linehan was trying - and in my opinion failed - to do in Moss and the German in The IT Crowd, where Roy slaps the policeman - apeing the end of the Fawlty Towers episode The Hotel Inspectors.
The whole episode wasn’t crap but it just stank of laziness IMO. Much like ending a sentence with ‘IMO’. The garden sketch was 5 minutes too long and they resorted to slagging off ‘Two Pints…’ to get a laugh.
The thing is, though - no comedy show on the BBC slags off Two Pints. We might do it all the time, but stick it into a mainstream BBC comedy show, and it’s very amusing. To me, at any rate. Especially the obvious contempt M&W have for it - and contempt is very funny.
There were so many nice touches in the show - the bawdy 70s-style hospital stuff is very amusing (and very well done) in itself, but when you name Robert Webb’s character “Doctor Askwith” - bringing to mind the differences between the Confessions and Carry On films… that just had me on the floor.
But like I say, lots of people seem to agree with you, though!
The 70s hospital was one of the things I liked. The music had me laughing. This is the kind of sketch they’re great at. What I didn’t like about the Two Pints thing or that whole sketch was the breaking of the fourth wall making them seem like BBC luvvies. French & Saunders annoy me in that way too. I always think ‘just get on with the fucking sketches!’
The only annoying thing for me was the ‘stone vs bronze’ sketch, which was originally done (a lot better, I think) on the radio show.
Right, I concede that I laughed at this -
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nGvH86wfrzk
Even though David’s voiceover is further example of the breaking of the fourth wall that just SHOULDN’T be present in this series.
This doesn’t do that, even though he’s looking straight down the lens. It works because he doesn’t break out of character to give a snide looking-off-to-the-side remark.
The Arse for a face sketch was very funny.
A similar idea was done before though. In an episode of Southpark I believe. (They had an entire family in that one.)
The documentary setting of this sketch though, poking fun at those of us fascinated by the Extraordinary People documentaries, gave it something original though.
Even though David’s voiceover is further example of the breaking of the fourth wall that just SHOULDN’T be present in this series.
Surely breaking the fourth wall is one of the things TM&WL does best?
Only just seen the first episode. I liked The Numberwang Code and the Sky Sports sketch a lot, most of the rest of it was acceptable, but the Helivets and Padlock Origami sketches were rubbish. A bit lacklustre overall, and a tad disappointing.
Wasn’t the Extreme Negative Feedback sketch a rip-off from Absolutely?
Padlock origami wasn’t rubbish, it just went on too long.
Also, I didn’t like The Numberwang Code - give me normal(?) Numberwang anyday.
The Numberwang Code I didn’t laugh at at all - but I’m presuming that’s because I don’t know much about The Da Vinci Code. Helivets seems to have been disliked by pretty much everyone, but I enjoyed it a lot - if only for the music. Maybe it would have been better received as a quickie sketch in the middle of the show - it perhaps wasn’t a suitable series opener.
Padlockgami I enjoyed a lot, though - it reminded me of a Rutland Weekend Television sketch. Specifically, the one 1:52 into this YouTube clip.
Not seen last night’s episode yet.
> Padlockgami I enjoyed a lot, though
Me too!
> Not seen last night’s episode yet.
Me too!
>I don’t know much about The Da Vinci Code.
You’re strongly advised to keep it that way.
The Arse for a face sketch was very funny.
A similar idea was done before though. In an episode of Southpark I believe. (They had an entire family in that one.)
It wasn’t original when South Park did it, though, either. The comic Preacher did it before them - and they may not even have been the first.
It was the faintest of faint raspberries that emerged from arseface boy that made me lose control for the rest of the sketch.
> the faintest of faint raspberries
Which is also how South Park had handled it…
The identical imagery didn’t bother me, though, after it became clear that the sketch’s target - ‘freak’ documentaries - wasn’t the same as SP’s.
>it became clear that the sketch’s target - ‘freak’ documentaries - wasn’t the same as SP’s.
Well, exactly. Again, this is something that people decrying it as an SP ripoff have failed to grasp.
‘Twas also reminiscent in many ways of the “Bum Eyes” episode of Weebl and Bob.
Let me get one thing clear - Mitchell and Webb are brilliantly funny, and very clever.
Which is why it’s a bit of a shock when you only find yourself smiling at the show.
The Pantomime sketch aside (which was sublime), last night’s show was only…alright.
And at least we’re getting closer to proper Numberwang.
Wasn’t the Extreme Negative Feedback sketch a rip-off from Absolutely?
Oooh, it’s very, VERY similar, isn’t it? Still, I doubt it was a conscious lift - it’s such an obvious idea for a sketch that they were almost certainly developed independently.
The Absolutely sketch is better - but M&W has a better punchline.
Hooray for the Absolutely boxset out soon, anyway!
> but M&W has a better punchline
The interviewee in the Absolutely sketch still has the plaster on his head from being hit with the typewriter from the M&W one.
They made the same mistake (or, rather, bit of laziness) we did, of having 1471 instantly call back the previous number ;-)
I always assumed Doug pressed 3 immediately after, but didn’t bother to say it.
I actually did hit an extra key, but I couldn’t remember which one it was, so it probably wasn’t 3.
Webb definitely only pressed four keys, though. I think.
Watched episode 2. Perhaps not as good as the first ep, but still loads to enjoy.
“No, Timmy. Cos that would be *shit*.”
One problem I have though, is that there are far too few sketches done in front of the audience in the studio. These are often the highlight - the negotiator/writer sketches, for instance - and there arne’t enough of them. The first one last night was nine minutes in! Which, as much as anything else, means the change in tone feels slightly jarring when they *do* arrive…
I thought tonight’s episode was excellent. Back to Life Back To Reality was caused huge shrieks in my house.
And did I also spy a long and extended piss-take of Dave Gorman?
Only two criticisms really - the film scriptwriters piece went on far too long. I think they would have been better off editing the piece to the pace of what an actual trailer would have been like. And yet again, I want more studio sketches - it’s one thing I think the series is badly missing, and if you have too few of them, it starts to feel odd when they *do* pop up, like in the advertising execs sketch. (Note: to solve this, I want *more* studio sketches - not them got rid of completely…)
But apart from that, great stuff. It’s nice to have a sketch show that consistently makes me laugh again.
I liked the madness of the line ‘coal doesn’t turn around and suddenly tell you “Dick and Dom aren’t very BBC Three”’.
I actually liked the writers/cricket sequence. I nearly pissed my sides when Mitchell’s character said ‘I used to coach the Manchester United team, the year they won the European Cricket Cup.’ His delivery rules, unlike Webb who plays the same character in most sketches…
The only thing I would have added to that spoof was someone coming up to Webb’s character and saying ‘by the way, we’ve just heard, your brother’s died…and you’ve got a disabled son…and your wife’s spending every other scene in bed with your best mate…’ ‘oh, so I suppose it’s time for me to collapse on the floor and cry like a baby ‘cause me life’s gone to pot?’ ‘That’s right. Now get on the floor, you stereotypical northern hardman with a heart!’
I agree that there should be more studio sketches. After a couple of opening pre-records it should then go to the studio, so in this one it would be the coal sketch followed by the (crap) Helivets, then a studio sketch, then alternate between roughly 2-3 pre-records and one studio.
I nodded off before the end. That Cricket sketch was waaay too long.
I actually thought that it was the weakest episode so far this series. Too many sketches went on far too long and the one with the robot was the worst offender.
WEBB: Hi David. Is it time for another of our sketches where the characters are just us sitting around in between filming of the series?
MITCHELL: Yes, Robert. I believe it is. Even though we went as far as we could with this gag last series and it’s all painfully reminiscent of French and Saunders, we do have 28 minutes to fill.
WEBB: Couldn’t we just do a call-back to an earlier sketch?
MITCHELL: That’s all we’ve done so far. This whole episode is just a constant rotation of 4 sketches artificially stretched to breaking point.
WEBB: We’d better do something surreal. Maybe do a telly in-joke. Or reference another comedy show that’s only marginally worse than what this has become.
MITCHELL: I can’t think of anything.
WEBB: We could just sit here and wait for the sketch to end with no punchline.
MITCHELL: That’s how most of them end.
WEBB: Good point. I guess being likeable comedians isn’t enough to sustain a sketch show with only two or three decent jokes. Did we learn nothing from Peter Serafinowicz?
MITCHELL: Apparently not. Oh well, shall we go and do another series of Peep Show and tarnish that now? Or should we make another illogical Mac advert? Or should we make another rotten British movie?
WEBB: Let’s do them all!
MITCHELL: Ok, Peep Show Series 5 then…
WEBB: That’s Numberwang!
MITCHELL: Oh fuck off.
>Wasn’t the Extreme Negative Feedback sketch a rip-off from Absolutely?
It was originally performed in The Bodgers, the radio series predating Absolutely, consisting of the Scottish contigent of the Absolutely team. They later teamed up with Morwenna and John for Bodgers, Banks and Sparkes, and the rest is history. Well, the bit before was as well, but I’ll stop being a smug comedy fan now.
Oh god, don’t remind me of the ‘cheese/petrol’ sketch. Truly, utterly horrible. Why exactly are the audience still laughing for the millionth time it says ‘cheeeese’? Really really weak.
I really liked the Cheesoid sketches - not least because what started as a vaguely sensible sketch that I thought looked slightly boring ended with a robot covered in stringy cheese and saying “Petril”. The change in tone was unexpected and amusing.
Also: “cheese status”.
I had the same reaction - not taken with it at the start, loving it as it became dafter.
I missed the show and had to watch it on the iPlayer - which is a lot less annoying now I’ve hooked a line from my Mac up to the TV.
The Mirror’s TV critic called it ‘clever, not funny’, and as the weeks go by, I’m inclined to agree. They’re just not as funny as they can be.
I found a tape this week, which had episode one of series one, and I laughed more at that than I have done at three weeks of the new series, which makes me smile mostly, but nothing more.
Where have the snooker commentators gone (easily one of the funniest sets of characters)? Why do we still have Sir Digby Chicken Caesar, who I never liked?
Come on boys, you can do much better.
Where have the snooker commentators gone (easily one of the funniest sets of characters)?
I’m glad they’ve gone - I was getting tired of them by the end of the last series, cumulating in ‘Table of Reds’, which I thought was pretty dire (although loads of other people seem to love it).
Why do we still have Sir Digby Chicken Caesar, who I never liked?
He’s one of the best characters! But they might be wise to stop him after this series.
I was worried about the Five documentary spoof this week, as it seemed to just be the same joke for the third week running, but not done as well - and then the mop and bucket gag at the end made it all worthwhile.
Come on boys, you can do much better.
This seems to be the general reaction from pretty much everyone online - which I’m totally bemused by. I’d be interested to see know how the general audience is taking it, but unfortunately I don’t know any normal people.
Sir Digby Chicken Caesar just reinds me how much I liked Armstrong & Miller’s Detective-with-imaginary-friend-called-Chuffy sketches
> Why do we still have Sir Digby Chicken Caesar, who I never liked?
It seems like they’ve completely run out of ideas for him and this weeks sketch was desperately unfunny.
It seems like they’ve completely run out of ideas for him and this weeks sketch was desperately unfunny.
I’ve just rewatched it now… and if anything, I’d take back what I said before about maybe giving it up after Series 2!
“This is just the birth certificate of her estranged daughter. WHAT A WASTED DAY.”
Pete, I couldn’t disagree more about the “sitting around” sketches. I thought the cheese discussion this week was the funniest bit of the episode.
I think they’ve hugely improved since the last series. As I think I’ve said, I found most of them dull then (Christmas letter aside), but I really like most of them this series.
I wonder whether I’ll find Series 1’s funnier when I get the DVD, mind.
Where have the snooker commentators gone (easily one of the funniest sets of characters)? Why do we still have Sir Digby Chicken Caesar, who I never liked?
Ah, now I never found the snooker commentators funny. But I was surprised they’d dropped so many recurring characters for the second series.
Why can’t we have these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWWAAMju8fY and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC_QSEvpmyA (if that one loads) back?
First series was much better all round. *cough*green clarinet*cough*
> Where have the snooker commentators gone (easily one of the funniest sets of characters)?
I think they’d run their course, frankly.
> Why do we still have Sir Digby Chicken Caesar, who I never liked?
Because you don’t get to choose? And because you are wrong. :-)
The first series, while not a masterpiece, was far better. Am glad to see the back of the Snooker commentators but still don’t get the idea of Sir Digby Chicken Caesar. The surreal stuff in the first series worked because, well, it was funnier. I will continue to watch it for the next few weeks simply because I really like these guys, but they don’t deserve a third series of this.
The only “sitting around” sketch I liked was the one where they showed it up as the sham it was in surreal fashion (noting that it was all scripted). It reminded me of something Stewart Lee did in one of his stand-up-shows with stuff written on his hand. I didn’t think they could continue with them after that. I was wrong.
I don’t think there’s anything complex about Sir Digby; homeless bum imagining a more exciting existence for himself is a fairly one-joke idea. It’s just that I laugh heartily at that one joke every time it appears. I think it’s the expression Robert Webb pulls to camera which makes it for me every time.
If they were gonna bring anything back from series 1 it would be Sir Digby. You could probably have countless Digby sketches and still do something different each time. The snooker commentators needed to be put to bed (I just accidentally typed ‘put to the death’ without realising what I was doing). It’s already time for the Helivets to go.
Would it be wrong to say that this series feels like 3 episodes worth of material stretched over 6?
I think it’s the expression Robert Webb pulls to camera which makes it for me every time.
And that tune they play as they dash around the streets, Didlee didlee didlee dee etc.
Silly but comical.
As for the snooker commentators, I didn’t find them all that funny, but I liked the ‘table of reds’ finale. I’m probably just easily pleased though.
As for the bumface reference I made earlier, I was just pointing out that Southpark had done the same idea before them, although I agree that it was different enough to work. I wasn’t suggesting it was a rip-off.
As for Preacher, I’ve only read one of those comics (the first I beleive.) I’m somewhat surprised they did the bumface gag there as it didn’t come across as that kind of comic. (The book with the supernatural comic with the rather unpreacherlike, er, preacher, the lady and the Irish vampire right? Or am I getting mixed up with something else?) No doubt I need to read the scene in context though.
> I think it’s the expression Robert Webb pulls to camera which makes it for me every time.
It’s also, for me, a rare occasion for Webb to be genuinely endearing, which is generally not how he’s used…
As for Preacher, I’ve only read one of those comics (the first I beleive.) I’m somewhat surprised they did the bumface gag there as it didn’t come across as that kind of comic. (The book with the supernatural comic with the rather unpreacherlike, er, preacher, the lady and the Irish vampire right? Or am I getting mixed up with something else?) No doubt I need to read the scene in context though.
No, no, you’re right about the book, but Preacher’s Arseface doesn’t literally have an… well, arseface. ;)
There is an issue, though, called “Arseface World”, where Arseface has this vision of a world full of people who have arses for faces. And they look EXACTLY like both the characters from South Park, and the one from Mitchell and Webb…
In fact… here you go.
(for those who’ve not read Preacher, Arseface was a teenage kid who shot himself in the face in an attempt to emulate Kurt Cobain; but survived and had his face horrifically stitched up. Upon first seeing him, Irish vampire Cassidy said “That fella’s got a face like an arse”, and although not knowing what an arse was, he decided to call himself Arseface from then on)
Well…it’s an arse in place of a face. They’re gonna look similar, aren’t they?
Actually seeing that arseface kid in the comic (that is disturbing by the way isn’t it?) that rings a bell. Also Cassidy’s comment. Completely skipped my mind that did. In my defence I read that book a long time ago.
Actually seeing that arseface kid in the comic (that is disturbing by the way isn’t it?) that rings a bell. Also Cassidy’s comment. Completely skipped my mind that did. In my defence I read that book a long time ago.
That’s my defence too, should have remembered Arseface World when I have the issue.
Latest episode was great, as usual. They’re getting *very* good at ending shows. And the working from home/wanking sketch hit rather too close to home…
Also: “Are you somewhat uncouth?”
I actually thought it was pretty poor in comparison with the rest of the series. A typical mid-series dip in quality I guess but it’s a shame as I thought the first couple of eps of this series were excellent.
Now *that* was more like it!
Absolutely fantastic last night - the working from home and the ‘everything’s fine’ sketches peticularly funny, as was the wedding/cancer sketch and dull-woman-in-library, which both were fab on the radio as well.
Keep it up!
Better every week. Although there was a lot of stuff I’d already heard (the destruction of Earth works better on the radio), which doesn’t make it less funnier. The Myth Child sketch was a particularly good one, though.
Lots of lovely stuff, although not my favourite this series. The best sketches were clearly the ‘Have Your Say’ SATIRES, yes. And again with the great ending to the show - they put a lot of care into that, which just shows up how little a lot of other sketch shows seem to think about it.
Yeah, I thought that this ep was stronger than the last couple of weeks. One or two duff sketches but a good success rate nevertheless.
Missed it tonight, but will catch up tomorrow.
One thing I didn’t realise until recently is that the show is also broadcast in HD! Excellent. I can’t wait to watch it when I get a proper setup - it’ll probably be the first comedy show I really love that I’ll see in high definition…
Will it benefit from HD?
I remember the continuity announcer suggesting I might like to watch Jam & Jerusalem in HD. Doctor Who isn’t in HD, but Jam & Jerusalem is. That isn’t necessarily a criticism just an observation. I don’t have HD so I really don’t know what the fuss is about.
I keep passing a load of HD tellies (actually set up properly for once!) in my local Tesco… and am absolutely blown away every time. In fact, I have to be dragged away…
It’s fucking gorgeous. And benefits anything. Strictly Come Dancing looked amazing.
As for the fact that Jam and Jerusalem being in HD but Doctor Who isn’t, the reason given is that Doctor Who is a much harder show to make, with a lot more effects work. Which is sensible, considering that they already find the effects work tough to do, let alone rendering it in HD - but I think they should be *shooting* it in HD, to give them a chance to upgrade the effects and do a proper HD version later. I suppose their argument there would be that then the sets would also have to be upgraded, mind, which would be another production hassle.
Speaking of high definition… Webb seems to have dyed his pubic hair since Confetti.
But that was great when you lost to us when your faces melted, it really was.
I watched the first couple of episodes in HD (have more or less given up on the show but I have the other episodes on Sky+).
It’s obviously a step-up from the BBC2 SD signal, but I don’t think the programme is “filmic” enough to see a huge benefit. Torchwood looks better, Lost, Prison Break and 24 look awesome, Mitchell and Webb less so.
I don’t really think a show needs to look ‘filmic’ to look stunning in HD. In fact, in an odd way, shows like Strictly Come Dancing impress me more - because I’m used to seeing filmic stuff in HD at the cinema, but I’m not used to seeing multi-camera shows in HD…
The Numberwang night was fine (especially Robert Robinson), but the pay-off was awful.
I thought that went on far too long, actually - it felt like the entire second half of the show! Compare it with how concisely Attitudes Night was done, and it looked so weak by comparison.
Still enjoyed the series, despite the fact that its main problem was that of sketches going on far too long. At times it was very funny - the rest of the time, well, someone from NOTBBC summed it up quite well: even though it wasn’t always making you laugh loads, something about it was very likeable. Aside from the odd instance of something going WAY past its natural end point (and the repeated overuse of the Helivets), it never felt a chore to watch, even when it wasn’t the funniest.
Finally got round to watching it. I loved it - a slightly uneven start, but it warmed up quickly. I loved Numberwang night too, and didn’t think it went on too long - the number of good jokes justifed the running length, unlike some of the longer sketches this series. (And it was really more a series of connected sketches, rather than one long one.) I even liked the pay-off!
And I was very amused by Robert Webb not doing a Robert Robinson impression, but by doing an impression of Fry and Laurie doing a Robert Robinson impression…
The very amusing film director stuff was clearly a reference to Webb’s experiences on Confetti, wasn’t it?
One thing I didn’t realise until recently is that the show is also broadcast in HD! Excellent. I can’t wait to watch it when I get a proper setup - it’ll probably be the first comedy show I really love that I’ll see in high definition…
I now have a proper HD setup in the form of a 40” Bravia. And tonight I caught Mitchell & Webb for the first time in HD.
Jesus Christ, it was stunning.
> I now have a proper HD setup in the form of a 40” Bravia
Yep, it’s 3:10am and I’m gonna enquire about the model number. So, John, which model did you get?
Please tell me no one was actually surprised by the punchline of that sketch.
The hit and miss sketch was the best thing they’ve done in ages. The rest was, well, um…
Ahem. Anyway, I’m not sure I’ve ever found every sketch in any favourite sketch shows of mine hilarious; it’s in the nature of them that some grab you more than others. Hence the ‘hit and miss’ sketch pointing out that writers don’t plan these things, it’s just a case of one person finding some sketches funnier than others. Overall, I like this series, although some episodes are stronger than others for me.
>I’m not sure I’ve ever found every sketch in any favourite sketch shows of mine hilarious; it’s in the nature of them that some grab you more than others.
Well, quite. It’s just that some sketch shows have better “hits” than others. That said, I think this is a definite improvement on Series 2. It’s not quite as good as Series 1, but there’s been a lot of good stuff.
I thought this episode was particularly good and very funny. I think my favourite was Mr. Suave and the casino.
The sketch in episodes 2 about adverts for women vs adverts for men was brilliant.
I had NO idea a third series was currently airing! I’m usually a fan of these guys too.
Went to a live show in Cardiff about 18 months ago which was pretty poor, though.
I had no idea either, all of the current series is on iplayer so I watched it earlier today.
I thought ep 3 was pretty good throughout, and nice nod to Ben Goldacre with the ‘Homopathic Doctors’ sketch. Really loved the butler sketch, and the ‘Remain Indoors’ game show is still beautifully disturbing. We also cheer at the Get Me Hennimore! slide.
They can quote Blackadder in the episode but it was Rowley Birkin, no?
James / Fri, 2008-02-15 23:08
New Series of that Mitchell and Webb Look soon!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thatmitchellandwebbsite/
And I can’t wait for Peep Show! Returns in May
BBC comedy
Wonderful!