User Reviews

Julian - "Is This A Chris Morris Hoax?"

Is this another Chris Morris hoax like "cake"? Is the idea to foister a truely dire, poorly written, cliched program, full of one dimensional characters and pretend it is comedy?

Written by Julian, 26th Feb 2006

Lewis - "Dismal Effort"

Surely the Ch4 script editor would have seen funnier Javascripts than this dismal effort.

It could've been a series that expanded the guy in The Office who came to fix Tim's computer, remember his one upmanship with Gareth? Spot on. This show however is an undeveloped mess akin to the basement its set in, and as such will only raise a laugh if your sense of humour is equally unevolved. Which might explain why the 'real' IT people are seemingly rolling about on the floor, an internet error is comic fodder in that neck of the woods.

You've only got to hear the audiences reaction to tell they dont appreciate the writing/performances/low point of Chris Morris' career, when they could be down the pub. Which is the best place to be the next time ITs on.

Written by Lewis Freeth, 26th Feb 2006

Brian - "Brilliant in a Darkly True Way"

I've been working in exactly this kind of IT department, in many organisations, for the last 28 years, and I can confirm that this show is simply normal behaviour. The automatic help call answering system, the fiery screensaver and the social skills of the staff could have been modelled on any of the sites where I've worked. I'll buy this on DVD if I can't find it in some more obscure and geeky format.

In the I.T. business, you've either got to be weird or it'll make you that way itself. Keep up the good work C4!

Written by Brian, 25th Feb 2006

Daniel - "Side splitting"

This show is absolutely side splitting, jam packed with classic laugh out loud moments, I'd have to say that Jen is the funniest character in the show (in fact, I quite fancy her!). It can be predictable at times but nevertheless funny.

Written by Daniel O'Rourke, 25th Feb 2006

Sarah - "So Bad it's Good!"

So bad it's good! This does for sitcom what 'Showgirls' did for film.

Written by Sarah Monaghan, 24th Feb 2006

Hollie - "Brilliant"

I think The IT Crowd is brilliant. It is hilarious because its real! Comedies like Little Britain take their jokes from tactless remarks and smutty impersonations but the IT crowd is genuinely real-life funny!

Moss and Roy are brilliant and so funny, Jen is the least giggle-making of the three but still so catty and funny she's good! Chris O'Dowd (Roy) is sexy in a desk-rabbit, cereal-eating, have you tried turning it off and on again, sexy irish accent sort of way. Richard (Moss) is funny in a geeky dressed-by-his-mum lonely 30 something accident prone way and Jen is so like every woman out their in her shoes too small, that she's funny!! Oh, and what is behind the green door? - I hope it is another Richmond - love his looks!

Written by Hollie, 20th Feb 2006

Rob - "Well Done Channel 4"

In my humble opinion, anyone who thinks The IT Crowd is not funny should be sent to work in IT for a week. I just started my web design job when the first episode came out and the hilarious parodies between the dingy IT Crowd basement and the "cave" in which the IT guys I work with "dwell" in are truely uncanny.

The situations are masterfully magnified to the point that they are rib ticklingly funny without crossing into the realms of ludicracy!

Written by Rob Orwin, 20th Feb 2006

Rob - "Seems to be Getting Better"

After watching the first episode, I wasn't too impressed. It seemed to be more a show that mocked I.T. people rather than a funny show about I.T people. The gags were predictable, and aside from a couple of laughs there wasn't much to it. However, it seems to be getting better, the last couple of episodes I watched were far funnier.

Written by Rob P, 20th Feb 2006

Emma - "Hilarious"

The IT Crowd is just hilarious - I can't watch an episode without collapsing into laughter throughout. I record every episode so I can watch it again, and I LOVED the one with the goth on Friday. I think Denholm is hilarious and the episode where the official stamped on Jen's feet was amazingly inventive, especially with the beep button on the wall. I think each episode is really cleverly devised, using a wide variety of jokes - so in your face, people moaning and whining about it! if you don't like it, don't watch it. Leave it to the rest of us, who love it!

Written by Emma, 20th Feb 2006

Julie - "So Well Thought-Out"

I think its fantastic they have finally made a program about the IT department. It is one of the funnist shows I've seen. 'Moss' is brilliant :) and the things that happen throughtout the episodes are so well thought out. A phase from the last episode had me laughing for a while 'we dont need no education' 'yes you do because you just used a doube negative'. I just totally love this show. Cant wait for it to come out on DVD!

Written by Julie, 19th Feb 2006

Becky - "Frightfully Un-funny"

In my opinion the IT crowd is one of the most dissapointing sitcoms to have hit screens in a while. Now The Mighty Boosh is over I wanted something genuinely funny and innovative to fill the ginormous void left by Vince and Howard. However, I couldn't even bring myself to watch the whole episode. Each week I hope it'll get better but if anything it's less and less funny. The Irish guy is basically trying to be Dylan Moran, but comes across as a watered down Bernard Black. And the woman in it is the most anoying thing on TV in a long time!

I watched the episode featuring Noel Fielding in anticipation, as he is one of my favourite British comedy actors, and although he was the best thing in it, it was still fantastically below par and failed to raise the smallest chuckle.

In short, the IT crowd is frightfully un-funny and very, very annoying! Please, Noel, dedicate your time to more worthy projects! And don't let C4 commision another series!

Written by Becky, 18th Feb 2006

Steve - "The Girl is Ace!"

I'm really enjoying this show. I'm English but based in Ireland - people here are receptive to it because of Graham Linehan and most people I've spoken to seem to be enjoying it.

However, I was a very dissapointed with channel 4 for ending our access to the online episodes! Yes, that's right! People of Britain, you probably didn't even know this but Channel 4 have taken away our access to the shows! Why?? Why do they hate us? Many people here get C4 so it's as good a way as any to promote the shows. We will study the adverts in between the programme as carefully as everyone else does! What is wrong with our money? I know it comes in Euros, but you can convert it! It is doubly painful considering the Irish connections in the show. Oh Channel 4, relent and let us back in! Please!

Oh I also like all the references to retro computers that are lying around the office - there is a zx spectrum, a commodore PET and a poster for a commodore 64. And I disagree with the earlier comment - I think the girl is ace!

Written by Steve Riddett, 17th Feb 2006

Daniel - "So Funny"

This show is so funny. Its got a very Father Ted feel to it (because the show is made by Graham Lineham) but its very different.

The only thing I could criticse it for, is the fact that there's only 6 episodes. Get the next lot into production Channel 4!

Written by Daniel, 14th Feb 2006

Jodonna - "I'm Loving It"

At first when I saw it advertise I wasn't saw whether to watch it or not. It looked a bit silly but when I heard it was from the makers of Black Books I thought this comedy could be funny... and it is. Especially as I love watching Black Books. And now I'm really glad I did decide to watch it! I'm also glad I decided to watch it cause I think Richard Ayoade who plays Moss is very very cute!!! I'm loving it!

Written by Jodonna, 14th Feb 2006

Tim - "Really Good"

Thought it was really good. Upset to hear so many bad reviews but looking forward to the rest of the series.

Written by Tim Smith, 12th Feb 2006

Adam - "So Funny"

This show is so funny, I have seen the first 3 episodes so far, and I havn't stopped laughing throughout. Every few minutes since it started I've been saying "have you tried turning it off and on again!"

It's just good simple humor and the characters are stupidly funny. I'd say it's far better than The Office because there's allways a lot of stuff going on in it and it's actually got some jokes, even though some of them are a bit old. The IT Crowd is definitely one of the best shows on at the moment.

Written by Adam, 12th Feb 2006

Graham - "Fantastic!"

It's a laugh a minute sitcom which stars 3 unused actors/actress. Roy and Moss have the potential to be a deadly partnership (although not quite on the scale of Del Boy and Rodney). The stress machine bit was hilarious and I've never laughed so much. Katherine Parkinson (who I had never heard off before this) looks the part and she really is a star for the future.

I'd give this 10/10.....looking forward to tonight's episode!

Written by Graham Watters, 10th Feb 2006

Danny - "I Laughed My Head Off"

I never liked the Office, but I like this. Moss and Roy are perfect bankable, contrasting characters. The geek and the geek that wants to be popular. Jen is the little black sheep that the humour will most likely be centred around. Denom, the boss, is a very funny character and should stay like that as long as he is not over used.

The humour was good. I laughed my head off at alot of it. Infact, I watched it on Friday, and then the repeat of it on Saturday. This is good ol' Britcom back again

Written by Danny Walker, 8th Feb 2006

Tommyboy - "Surprisingly Funny"

I started watching the IT crowd simply because there was nothing else on, and having been unimpressed by the trailer and the ads I didn't expect much from it. But you shouldn't really judge a book by its cover, or a new sitcom by its ads, and this is a perfect example.

Some of the characters and aspects of the show seemed a little amateur at times, especially the boss, but overall the show was surprisingly funny. Granted, it's not the funniest thing on TV at the moment, but even so, I feel it will become an essential part of Channel 4s Friday comedy night.

As for my favourite part of the double bill that aired, has to be disguising the fire as a screensaver, and it will be very interesting to see how the rest of the series plays out, and the reactions it gets.

Written by Tommyboy, 8th Feb 2006

Art - "Laughed so Hard"

Maybe this may have a small audience... but we loved it! We're a small IT crowd in Toronto and saw the first two episodes of the web. Laughed so hard we had tears in our eyes. I suppose it may be because most of the gags are true... just taken to the ridiculous extreme.

For us, it was funny when they made reference to the old ZX81 and I pulled one out of one of the cabinets! The second episode was lighter on the IT jokes, but just as funny. I don't see how they can keep this up for long as they're bound to run out of situations, but I wish we could find out. Too bad it's not aired here.

Written by Art Skibicki, 6th Feb 2006

Hamish - "Anything Could Happen"

I can't believe any of you are considering not watching the whole first series. And even if it is rubbish you still have to think about Blackadder II, anything could happen! Personally I thought that, considering the amount the traditional sitcom has to cram in to the first few episodes, it was alright.

Written by Hamish, 5th Feb 2006

Stephen - "Dead Duck"

As a fan of The Office and Father Ted, I tuned into the first episode with great interest. This show was touted as a "traditional sitcom" - and like a lot of people, I believe this format to be dead. Could it be revived, I asked myself?

Within minutes it was apparent to me that this show is a dead duck. One of the problems is that the surreal humour cannot work because the setting is itself naturalistic. You cannot have it both ways. Ted worked worked because the entire setting was surreal.

Much of the humour was so predictable - for example, the female character's phone and PC not being plugged in. Hands up who didn't see those 2 gags coming? The overstated violence of one of the IT guy's beating was glaringly out of place and unfunny; the attempt at instant catchphrasing(have you tried turning it off and back on?) was blatent - and how much mileage can you get from a character who knows nothing about computers? Very little.

Not one of the characters are engaging comic creations - not one, really. And traditional sitcoms - 'situational comedy' - are actually character driven rather than situation driven. Think Del Boy, Blackadder. They were real characters but the IT crowd are just a bunch of caricatures. And steriotypical ones at that. But the IT field has opened up a lot since the 70s and 80s and is no longer the preserve of geeks with the social skills of amoeba.

The result is forced and unfunny. I couldn't bring myself to watch the second episode. Shame.

Written by Stephen Venables, 5th Feb 2006

Gary - "Pretty Good"

Just seen the first 2 eps, and I thought it was pretty good, some classic Graham Linehan comedy, though not quite up to the standard of Father Ted or Black Books just yet. Chris Morris steals the show as the boss of the company, without him it wouldn't be half as funny IMO.

All the IT jokes get used up in the first episode, the 2nd then gets going developing the characters. The IT guys are horribly stereotyped, but I have worked with people like this. I'm just waiting for the irish guy to have a t-shirt which says "There's 10 types of people, those who understand binary and those who don't"!

Looking forward to next friday already...

Written by Gary Davison, 5th Feb 2006

Agnabeya - "Loved IT"

I never found The Office funny at all - I didn't get it. This I get. I know these characters - in fact - I work with these people every day. It's maybe a taste thing - but I also loved 'Father Ted' and 'Black Books'. There were so many 'in-jokes' around the place too - but maybe you have to be in IT to get them. (RTFM? - haven't seen that in years - where DID he get that T-shirt??). I'm looking forward to the rest.

As for the criticism the characters are one dimensional - what? Were Father Ted et al - or Bernard Black et al anything else? No - but they were hilarious. It's comedy I want - not Kafka! I think this has the potential to be every bit as good...

Written by Agnabeya, 4th Feb 2006

Scott - "Squandered Promise"

Much has been made about The IT Crowd marking a return to traditional sitcom values. But, on the basis of the first episode, Graham Linehan's latest works best when it's disregarding conventions and pushing the silly and surreal angle. Traditional sitcoms are defined by their characters rather than the situation. However, in true Channel Four fashion, this show is all about the situation, serving up characters - Roy (slob), Moss (geek) and Jen (career woman with delusions of grandeur) - who are not particularly engaging. Perhaps they will be developed in forthcoming episodes, but, from what I've seen thus far, they are so one-dimensional that it's hard to see where Linehan can go with them.

Still, there was enough to like in the first episode to make me return for the second. The Amsterdam/prostitutes gag was inspired stuff as was Chris Morris's nutjob of a boss ranting about teamwork. On the downside, Chris O'Dowd tried too hard to make an impression and his frantic mugging threatened to derail the episode at one point. I'll reserve judgement on Katherine Parkinson as she wasn't given all that much to do (she was there to make the blokes look funny) and I wasn't sure what to make of Richard Ayoade as Moss - he's a ridiculous stereotype and, more importantly, downright creepy. Creepy doesn't equal funny in my book, but, again, perhaps the rest of the series will prove that there is more to him than 'brainy, socially inept loser who has all the makings of a serial killer'.

NB: Just finished watching the second episode and I fail to see how this has the potential to be as good as Father Ted et al. The first episode, whilst hit and miss, showed some promise, but this latest offering squandered it. The vast majority of the episode just wasn't funny and why was there so much shouting, particularly from Katherine Parkinson? V. irritating. I also want comedy and not Kafka, but consistently funny comedy that doesn't grate would be nice. A couple of mildly amusing moments aside, The IT Crowd doesn't deliver. Perhaps it is a taste thing. Maybe you have to work in IT to get this (which narrows the target audience somewhat), but I won't be returning for the third episode.

Written by Scott Thompson, 30th Jan 2006. Updated: 5th Feb.

Aaron - "At Least Fairly Amusing"

I haven't watched the first episode yet, but did go to the first night recording at Teddington Studios. The episode I saw, which I believe will be broadcast as #5, was quite amusing, I thought. The series isn't really any work of huge, innovative, ground-breaking comedy genius, but if one just watches it without any particular expectations, and doesn't over-analyse (something which happens way too much these days), it will be very entertaining, and at least fairly amusing.

Written by Aaron, 29th Jan 2006

Rob - "Uninspired"

I really wanted to like The IT Crowd but it's massively uninspired considering the comedy calibre of the people involved. Jokes about people being crap with computers wont stretch to a whole series I'm afraid. I think in Sitcom land the characters should always be more interesting than the situation but here they've decided the situation is just hilarious. But it isn't. I'll definitely give it another go however as I loved Father Ted and think that if they push the surreal angle that bit further it'll actually be a lot funnier (in a cultish kind of way). The girl is RUBBISH however. It's like she got lost on the way to the ' According to Bex' set and has somehow ended up doing prime time BBC1 acting in a late night C4 show (she SHOUTS a lot and gurns after each line - diabolical!).

Written by Rob Evans, 28th Jan 2006

Ben - "Must-see TV"

I just watched The IT Crowd online, via Channel 4's site. Quite simply, this was one of the funniest shows that I have seen in a long time. I do admit that I work in the area of IT, and a lot of the jokes are probably going to be found funnier by people who do - but at the same time, it's very much about your average user's perception of how IT functions (their perception is wrong, but the overall commentary on it is still quite accurate). I would definitely consider taking the time to watch this programme whoever you are, but if you are working or have a worked in an IT role, or even know a bit about our "mysterious world", this is must-see TV at it's finest!

Written by Ben Sherwood, 28th Jan 2006