Look Around You
This article possibly contains original research. (April 2024) |
Look Around You | |
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Genre | |
Created by | |
Written by |
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Directed by | Tim Kirkby |
Starring |
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Narrated by | Nigel Lambert (series 1) |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
No. of series | 2 |
No. of episodes | 15 |
Production | |
Editors | Chris Dickens (series 1) Paul Machliss (series 2) Jonathan Amos (series 2) |
Running time |
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Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | BBC Two |
Release | 10 October 2002 7 March 2005 | –
Look Around You is a comedic
Series one
In the first series, the episodes ("modules") satirise and pay homage to early 1980s educational films and school programmes such as ITV's "Experiment" series and BBC's "For Schools and Colleges". A different scientific subject is covered in each episode.
The modules were, in order of transmission:
- "Calcium" (pilot, double episode)
- "Maths"
- "Water"
- "Germs"
- "Ghosts"
- "Sulphur"
- "Music"
- "Iron"
- "The Brain"
The humour is derived from a combination of patent nonsense and faithful references and homages. For instance, fictional items that have a passing resemblance to everyday objects are shown and discussed. Such items include the "boîte diabolique", a box at the top of a piano scale which housed the "forbidden notes"; and "Garry gum", a performance-enhancing
The module subjects are distorted beyond recognition; for instance, germs are described as coming from Germany, and whisky is said to be made by combining water with nitrogen. The maths module features a distorted and inaccurate version of the ancient 'seven cats' puzzle by Ahmes. Additionally, subjects are mixed: for example, a chemistry experiment about eggs (in the episode "Water") turns into a French language lesson. Each episode follows a general format, beginning with an introduction to the subject, followed by a series of silly experiments performed by the hapless (and normally mute) scientists, played by Popper, Serafinowicz and Edgar Wright, among others.
The colour and overall look of the film was purposely altered to replicate 1980s television for schools, and passably authentic
A running gag throughout the series is the fastidious labelling of all items in
The series was commissioned based on a 20-minute pilot episode (twice the length of an episode in the first series, but otherwise identical) in which Calcium is described as an amorphous gel prepared by grinding discarded teeth in massive milling machines; this is included on the DVD release of Series 1 as an "advanced double-length module".
The DVD extras also include a music video for the song "Little Mouse" (as featured in the module on music), a selection of mock-Ceefax pages, and a creator's commentary. The joke is taken even further by presenting the DVD subtitles in exactly the same format as those broadcast via teletext.
At the end of each episode, reference is made to the "next module"—although these episodes were never actually made. The episodes that are promised, but never seen are:
- "Champagne"
- "Cosmetics"
- "Dynamite"
- "Flowers"
- "Hitchhiking"
- "Italians"
- "Reggae"
- "Romance"
On the DVD Ceefax pages there were also two unseen modules:
- "Blood"
- "Further Maths"
Series two
The second series is composed of six 30-minute episodes and is presented in the pop-science vein of programmes such as Tomorrow's World. The series was directed by Tim Kirkby, and Ash Atalla (producer of The Office) worked as executive producer. Running from 31 January to 7 March 2005 on BBC Two at 10 p.m., Series 2 comprised the following episodes:
- "Music 2000"
- "Health"
- "Sport"
- "Food"
- "Computers"
- "Live Inventor of the Year Final"
The DVD commentary confirms that this was not the intended order, explaining why some running gags appear to build inconsistently.
According to the audio commentary, the programme is set around 1980–1981. To reinforce the show's retro look, each episode's opening
Features such as the song contest in the "Music 2000" episode also ground the series in the 1980s. Contestants showcase the futuristic songs they believe we could expect to hear in the far-off year 2000. Runners-up "Machadaynu", performed by Tony Rudd (played by Kevin Eldon) and Anthony Carmichael's "The Rapping Song" are beaten in the contest by Toni Baxter's track, "Sexual Interface".
Unlike the first series, Series 2 contains dialogue between the four presenters and their guests, leaving behind both the narrated style of the first series and the anonymity given to the scientists. Serafinowicz plays Peter Packard, whilst Popper plays Jack Morgan, a character originally seen in series one as a musician performing the song "Little Mouse". There are also two additional presenters, Pam Bachelor and Pealy Maghti, played by
Several
Whereas the modules in Series 1 were distinct, there is a measure of continuity throughout the episodes of Series 2. Each week, inventors (played by a number of British comic actors) showcase their new products, culminating in the live final programme where a winning invention is chosen, supposedly by "HRH, Sir Prince Charles". To achieve this fake presentation, archive footage of
DVD extras
DVD extras include a quiz, mock pages from
Special guests
Each episode features several additional characters, many of whom were played by well-known British comedians.
Episode 1
- Kevin Eldon: "Tony Rudd", school teacher and "Music 2000" contestant who performs the song "Machadaynu".
- Kate Drew: "Toni Baxter", painfully shy "Music 2000" contestant who nonetheless performs the suggestive song "Sexual Interface" (the vocals were actually performed by Sarah Alexander).
- Christopher Obi: "Antony Carmichael", profiterole chef and "Music 2000" contestant who performs the song "The Rapping Song".
- Harry Enfield: "The Ghost of Tchaikovsky", judge of "Music 2000".
- Sanjeev Kohli: "Synthesizer Patel", synth enthusiast and programmer of the "Easitone 'Play-In-A-Day' 50".
- Michael Fenton Stevens: "Sir Alan Rees", the chairman of ROPRA (The "Royal Pop and Rock Association").
- Mark Heap: "Leonard Hatred", inventor of "Psilence" liquid-skin ear spray.
Episode 2
- Benedict Wong: "Dr Franklin Fu", plastic surgeon and co-worker of the medical robot Medibot. Wong also performs the voice of Medibot.
- Matt Lucas: the voice of "Dr Phillip Lavender", sufferer of "geodermic granititis" (also known as "cobbles") and inventor of its cure, the "anti-cobbling cream".
- Simon Pegg: man with bad teeth in the advertisement for "Jenny" toothpaste. In the list of invented toothpastes that follows the ad, one is called "Pegg," while another, for men, is called "Lenny."
- Paul Humpoletz: "Prof. Keith Craven", Professor at the "National Sleep Research Centre" at "St. St. Johns".
- Geoffrey McGivern: teacher in Prof. Keith Craven's recorded dream.
- Peter Baynham: volunteer at the National Sleep Research Centre who answers telephones whilst sleeping (uncredited).
Episode 3
- Sarah Alexander: "Ros Lamb, the Southport Sparrow", World 400,000-metre champion and world record Shepherd's Bush-to-Aberdeen sprinter, thanks to the ingestion of "di-tutetamine brohohibe", a type of rocket fuel for humans that allows her to run at 3,500 mph.
- Graham Linehan: Ron Lamb, Ros' coach and husband (uncredited).
- Lewis MacLeod: "Mario Abdullah-Levy", BBC Scotland reporter.
- Edgar Wright: "Eddie Yorque", Look Around You's chief technician (uncredited).
- Alex Woodhall – "Paul Alan", owner of the horse "Championess". The horse is the inventor of the "horse race predicting computer".
- Andrew Burt: "Sebastian Jackson" and two of his clones, "Provastian Jackson" and "Ninastian Jackson", designers of special footballs including "invisiball", "footcube", "meat-ball", "piggy ball" and "the world's roundest ball".
- Paul Birchard: "Scot Nolan", American inventor of the golf and tennis crossover game, "gonnis". Adding to the running list of portmanteau words, Nolan says he's working on another crossover game combining fencing and darts.
- Adam Buxton: Bunny Gnowles, gonnis umpire and boyfriend of Nolan.
Episode 4
- Paul Elliot: "Tony Parker, the Human Dustbin".
- Ross Lee: "Andy Gough", Slimmer of the Year and the face of "Slimby" diet milkshake.
- Paul Putner: "Clive Pounds", manager of "Big 'C'—The Casserole People", an automated fast food outlet. Clive Pounds is the brother of Len Pounds (also played by Putner) from the Series 1 episode "Sulphur".
- Richard Leaf: astronaut in the black and white film "Scenes From the World of Tomorrow".
- Nicola Cunningham: wife of the astronaut in "Scenes From the World of Tomorrow".
- John Owens: "Teddy Clarke", inventor of the "Vegetable Orchestra System".
Episode 5
- Simon Pegg: King Henry.
- David Walliams: the voice of "Bournemouth", Britain's most technologically advanced computer.
- Paul Jerricho: "Computer Jones", inventor of Bournemouth.
- Alex Lowe: "Lee Grithiffths", owner of "Grithiffths Game Megamart".
- Belinda Stewart-Wilson: "Patricia " (surname is silent), inventor of the first computer for women, "Petticoat 5".
- In this episode Edgar Wright also returns as "Eddie Yorque", Look Around You's chief technician.
Episode 6
As this episode revolves around the Invention of the Year award, the inventors from previous episodes return—Leonard Hatred, Dr Phillip Lavender, Teddy Clarke, Paul Alan with Championess and Computer Jones. The episode also sees the return of Synthesizer Patel and Eddie Yorque and includes several further characters:
- David Mitchell: "Pat Taylor", inventor of the sex-change machine, "Sexmachange".
- Ryan Cartwright: "Sam Macnamara", associate of Pat Taylor and veteran 'volunteer' of 50–60 sex-changes.
- Cavan Clerkin: "Adam Sandwich", the British counting backwards champion.
- Nick Frost: carrier of "HOT JON" placard, whose explanation of its meaning is rendered inaudible due to technical problems.
- James Serafinowicz: "Cobalt", the blue man.
Production
- A blast doors (similar to those from Get Smart). However, these were filmed against a bluescreenwhich gave an inferior effect, and the creators stated, on the DVD commentary, that they did not like the joke but felt they were "stuck with it".
- Leonard Hatred's funny walk was not scripted—it was improvised by Heap. His encounter with Championess in the finale of the second series was also improvised.[2]
- The "Computers" episode featured clips of fake 1980s computer games created by members of b3ta.[3] Games included "Diarrhea Dan".
Broadcast
When aired on BBC America in 2006, episodes were edited to fit within a 30-minute time slot with adverts. This triggered a continuity error with the series: Leonard Hatred's initial segment was cut from the first episode, causing him to appear without explanation in the series finale.[citation needed]
The series began running on Adult Swim on 18 January 2009.[4]
Robert Popper reprised the role of his Look Around You character, Jack Morgan, for an appearance in the music video of the Frankie & The Heartstrings song "Hunger" (2011). Jack is seen hosting a Blue Peter-type programme, and introduces the song.
In 2023, both series were made permanently available on BBC iPlayer.[5]
Reception
The series was praised for its attention to detail. The Simpsons' creator Matt Groening called it "one of the funniest shows I've ever seen".[6]
On 13 January 2012 Look Around You had its 10th anniversary celebrated by a showing of all episodes of the first series at the BFI Southbank in London. Peter Serafinowicz also released a new short clip entitled "Intermission".[7]
References
- ^ "Slimby Slimming Picture". BBC. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz (2006). Look Around You 2, commentary track (DVD). Talkback Thames/BBC.
- ^ "b3ta computer games competition".
- ^ "Entertainment Weekly, 16 January 2009". 7 January 2009. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
- ^ "Look Around You".
- ^ Daniel Bettridge (2 July 2012). "Six to watch: TV shows about TV shows". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ^ "Boing Boing, 13 January 2012". 13 January 2012.
External links
- Look Around You at BBC Online
- Look Around You at BBC Online
- Look Around You at IMDb