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'The IT Crowd' UK Sit-com

Nigsy writes "The Register reports that "A new sitcom - set among IT workers in the dingy basement of a glamorous company - is due to arrive on the UK's Channel 4 next month. The IT Crowd, written by Graham Linehan (the scribe behind Father Ted, Black Books), will debut on the internet on 27 January, a week before its terrestrial broadcast on Friday, 3 February at 9.30pm."" Here's hoping that they have a consultant on the show to make it technically accurate.

219 comments

  1. BOFH by alanw · · Score: 5, Funny
    Here's hoping that they have a consultant on the show to make it technically accurate.
    Who else but Simon Travaglia
    1. Re:BOFH by i.r.id10t · · Score: 0

      But will there be a PFY and a few contract engineers?

      --
      Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos
    2. Re:BOFH by MsGeek · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yes indeed...Simon Travaglia really does need to be onboard. Although I still hope that one day there will be a BOFH movie.

      BTW among the "losers" in the basement is someone named Jen. So it seems there is a token geek grrl down there with the guys.

      --
      Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
    3. Re:BOFH by smalgin · · Score: 0, Redundant

      I second this.

    4. Re:BOFH by Minwee · · Score: 4, Funny

      Either that or one of the guys is Swedish.

    5. Re:BOFH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, a year ago someone called me up - a friend of a friend in London - and asked me if I would be interested in chatting to them for a little while about the IT industry, as they're doing a new series about it. For some reason I had the impression it was the actor from Father Ted and My Hero, and that it was for the BBC.

      When he found out I was between contracts he rapidly lost interest. Which is kind of funny because if I wasn't between contracts I wouldn't have been able to talk to him. :)

    6. Re:BOFH by Captain+Splendid · · Score: 1

      Or his parents were hippies.

      --
      Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
    7. Re:BOFH by Breakfast+Pants · · Score: 1

      Or he had a deadbeat dad who wanted him to grow up tuff. Though I guess in that case he'd be named Sue.

      --

      --

      WHO ATE MY BREAKFAST PANTS?
    8. Re:BOFH by hdparm · · Score: 1
      there is a token geek grrl down there

      She seems angry, too!

    9. Re:BOFH by yoz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      BTW among the "losers" in the basement is someone named Jen. So it seems there is a token geek grrl down there with the guys. ... except, as becomes apparent early on, she's not a geek. She's been put there to manage them. (And this is where a big chunk of the comedy comes from. You'll have to trust me on this one.)

  2. Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 4, Funny


    The high-rise towers of Renham Industries are full of go-getters, success stories, and winners... apart from in the basement. While their beautiful colleagues work upstairs in fantastic surroundings, the I.T. department - Jen, Roy and Moss - lurk below ground, scorned by their co-workers as geeky losers.

    "Geeky losers"? Oh dear...

    <clickety clickety>

    Let's just see how geeky you think the IT department is after I format your drive, toss the backup, and submit your 'candid holiday snaps' to a few dozen gay singles websites, along with your name, address, work number, and personal cell number, shall we?

    Oh, hold on...

    <clickety clickety>

    Now the Boss' home page has been set to one of the raunchier gay singles websites, proudly displaying your picture as 'twink of the week', and stating that your interests include latex, flash photography, and small mammals. That ought to spice up the water-cooler gossip.

    --
    ____

    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

  3. Basement? by winkydink · · Score: 1, Funny

    As in one of the characters' mom's basement?

    --

    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

    1. Re:Basement? by Rei · · Score: 1

      Of course. The glamorous company is, after all, Mom's Friendly Robot Company.

      --
      I just invaded Grammar Czechoslovakia and duped Grammar Neville Chamberlain; now it's on to Grammar Poland.
    2. Re:Basement? by thaerin · · Score: 1

      Yes, and the original plot called for them to sit around smoking weed all day, much akin to "That 70's Show". Due to budget constraints though, "The 70's IT Crowd" just didn't work because of the amount of production space needed to build a replica of a 1970's computer.

      --
      If big boobed women work at Hooters do one legged women work at IHOP?
  4. Black Books? Father Ted? HELLS YES by jb.hl.com · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Black Books and Father Ted are the funniest sitcoms in recent memory...dunno if BB has had any airings in the US yet but if not, go to your favourite torrent site^H^H online DVD store and watch some. I promise it will be the funniest thing you'll ever watch. Father Ted is equally funny.

    Hopefully this will be just as good.

    --
    By summer it was all gone...now shesmovedon. --
    1. Re:Black Books? Father Ted? HELLS YES by FatRatBastard · · Score: 2, Informative

      Black Books has been on BBC America and, at one point, Comedy Central (I believe). Loved the show, but it seems to have never gotten past season 1.

    2. Re:Black Books? Father Ted? HELLS YES by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well I haven't caught an episode of Black Books yet, but I may just grab a torrent. I have watched and loved Father Ted since I first saw it on BBCA 4 or so years ago. I recently grabbed the Best Of torrent and my gawd the episode there they got lost in the lingerie dept. made me laugh hysterically. I'll definately be checking this new series out, hopefully someone will post a torrent as BBCA seems to only air shows in their 2nd or latter season.

    3. Re:Black Books? Father Ted? HELLS YES by meccaneko · · Score: 1

      Father Ted was definitely the better of the two, but they were both very funny. If the writer can make good humour out of three priests living on a small island, or a book shop owner that hates customers, then I think he'll do just fine out of IT geeks working out of a basement.

    4. Re:Black Books? Father Ted? HELLS YES by rayde · · Score: 1

      i really do get a kick out of Father Ted. :) reminds me of the Aran Islands!

    5. Re:Black Books? Father Ted? HELLS YES by Cally · · Score: 3, Informative

      Black Books is absolutely totally fucking brilliant. The three main leads are awesome actors and comedians in their own rights and just fit the parts beautifully, and, well, the script... look, if you are the sort of person who generally likes British comedy you'll love this. Especially the Irish half.

      --
      "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." -- Goethe
    6. Re:Black Books? Father Ted? HELLS YES by speculatrix · · Score: 1

      Also go get "Is It Bill Bailey", his stand-up show with a few sketches. Sometimes he misses the mark but mostly is quite funny and sometimes trouser-wettingly funny.

  5. Likely dialogue to include: by Fallingcow · · Score: 2, Funny

    "There was a name we had for users... what was it again?"

    "A shower of bastards!"

  6. Don't Worry by faqmaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    If past performance is any indication, it should be spot on. Father Ted was the most accurate depiction to date of the priest's life.

    --
    Are you...Are you some kind of genius?
    No, ma'am, I'm just a regular Slashdot reader.
    1. Re:Don't Worry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      If past performance is any indication, it should be spot on. Father Ted was the most accurate depiction to date of the priest's life.

      How do you know this?

      Are you a priest? Or just celibate?

    2. Re:Don't Worry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also, Black Books was was the most accurate depiction to date of a misanthropic bookstore owner's life.

    3. Re:Don't Worry by BushCheney08 · · Score: 1

      You clearly have never seen the show...It's worth checking out.

      --
      Be a real patriot: Question authority. Think for yourself. Formulate your own conclusions.
    4. Re:Don't Worry by jb.hl.com · · Score: 1

      Fuck that, it's the most accurate description ever of my life. Hairstyle and all.

      --
      By summer it was all gone...now shesmovedon. --
    5. Re:Don't Worry by Nutria · · Score: 0

      Are you a priest? Or just celibate?

      Anglican or Roman? Since the show is based in England, my first thought was that it the show was about an Anglican priest.

      Rember, of the High Churches, only RC mandates celibacy.

      --
      "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
    6. Re:Don't Worry by PGillingwater · · Score: 1

      It's not based in England, it's based in Ireland, and the priests are certainly Catholic. It's absolutely hilarious -- my favourite episode is when he loses a bet with another priest, and as a forfeit, has to kick the Bishop in the crown jewels....

      --
      Paul Gillingwater
      MBA, CISSP, CISM
    7. Re:Don't Worry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Anglican or Roman? Since the show is based in England, my first thought was that it the show was about an Anglican priest.

      The show is actually based in Ireland, and many of the jokes specifically relate to the RC church.

      So it's safe to say that Ted was a Catholic, albeit a rather reluctant one.

  7. IT via Father Ted by gowen · · Score: 4, Funny

    Drink! Feck! Arse! Girls... sorry, no girls allowed.

    --
    Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
  8. Accurate? by flanksteak · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Here's hoping that they have a consultant on the show to make it technically accurate.

    Why does it have to be techically accurate? If that's their only goal, it probably won't be very funny. I'd rather that it have accurate insights into the way the two distinct mindsets (tech and non-tech) perceive and interact with one another in the workplace. Now that's a potential comedy goldmine.

    1. Re:Accurate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Yeah, I found that comment to be kind of depressing, too. It's like people who read sci-fi just to point out the science errors.

    2. Re:Accurate? by surefooted1 · · Score: 1

      Why does it have to be techically accurate? If that's their only goal, it probably won't be very funny. I'd rather that it have accurate insights into the way the two distinct mindsets (tech and non-tech) perceive and interact with one another in the workplace. Now that's a potential comedy goldmine.

      Well, if it was technically accurate, they couldn't have management in the show, and we all know that's where the real comedy is.

    3. Re:Accurate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      It doesn't have to be perfectly technically accurate, but I don't want to see any "Hey, I know this. This is UNIX!" moments. It kind of kills the moment.

    4. Re:Accurate? by krgallagher · · Score: 1
      "Why does it have to be techically accurate?"

      I don't know if it does per say, but if it is blantantly innaccurate, I won't be able to watch it. Let me give youu a non-IT example I saw on TV the other day.

      A father and daughter were having a heart to heart while the father worked on the car. He asked her to hand him a half inch wrench. She asked "Crescent or socket?" He replied "Socket." She handed him a box end wrench. At that moment I wondered if every mechanic in America was changing channels just like me.

      For one thing, a crescent wrench (spanner for you Brits) is adjustable, so a half inch wrench would never be a crescent. Second she did not give hime what he asked for. Third, it was a modern car so it would have been metric.

      Maybe I am too picky, but I am a geek not a mechanic and even I knew it was wrong

      --

      Insert Generic Sig Here:

    5. Re:Accurate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      That reminds me of that time in that movie where they were defusing the nuclear bomb, and they cut the blue wire instead of the green one. I hate it when they make obvious mistakes like that...

    6. Re:Accurate? by gedhrel · · Score: 1

      An _adjustable_ spanner is adjustable. A spanner isn't.

    7. Re:Accurate? by jaseparlo · · Score: 1

      Called a shifter in Australia

      --
      All available data suggest that regardless of any of this, the sun will still come up tomorrow.
    8. Re:Accurate? by Brewskibrew · · Score: 2, Funny
      > It's like people who read sci-fi just to point out the science errors.

      It's like people who post on /. to point out the trolls.

      --
      For sale: Signature. One owner. Low miles. Always garaged. New punctuation, just installed!
    9. Re:Accurate? by fabs64 · · Score: 1

      Amen to sensible names ;-)

      "If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and acts like a duck; it's probably a duck"

    10. Re:Accurate? by blackpaw · · Score: 1

      Presume you're refering to Jurrasic Park.

      There actually was a version of unix from Apple that ran on macs - it was called AUX (Maybe it was related to AIX ?)

    11. Re:Accurate? by ijdod · · Score: 1

      Cant help but wonder if they even manage to include the 2 general techie mindsets: those that understand and appreciate BOFH humour, and those who dont...

  9. Beauty and the Geek by johncadengo · · Score: 1

    This sounds a lot like Beauty and the Geek just without women.

    --
    My page.
    1. Re:Beauty and the Geek by MsGeek · · Score: 1

      Unless Jen is a Chinese guy, the name suggests that this character is female. Good that they thought to put a geek grrl in the show.

      --
      Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
    2. Re:Beauty and the Geek by AdamWeeden · · Score: 1

      Does that qualify this for reality TV then?

      --
      I was quoted out of context in my autobiography...
    3. Re:Beauty and the Geek by quantax · · Score: 2, Funny

      If they're going to make the show 'politically correct' by including a girl on the IT staff, wheres the jive-talking, good natured black guy?!

      --
      "What can a thoughtful man hope for mankind on Earth, given the experience of the past million years? Nothing." -Bokonon
    4. Re:Beauty and the Geek by jawtheshark · · Score: 1

      Politically correct isn't required in the UK (and in most of Europe). Thing is, one needs a sexy female to attract male viewers. Why do you think that X-Files did so well with the non-geek viewers? Reason one was Scully, and reason two was Mulder. Both top of the line geeks, but with a clearly physical advantages.

      --
      Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
    5. Re:Beauty and the Geek by daikokatana · · Score: 1

      Scully was meant to be sexy??? Good Lord!

      --
      http://jcsnippets.atspace.com/ - a collection of Java & C# snippets
    6. Re:Beauty and the Geek by jawtheshark · · Score: 2, Funny

      Check out that cleavage, man! Don't you like boobies? Tsssss....

      --
      Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
  10. Stay tuned for next weeks episode by dr_dank · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's a recipe for wackyness when a linux vs. bsd flamewar breaks out and the flamboyantly gay sidekick has a date with two men on the same night at the same time! Bronson Pinchot guest stars.

    --
    Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
    1. Re:Stay tuned for next weeks episode by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's a recipe for wackyness when a linux vs. bsd flamewar breaks out

      Down with the sort of thing.

    2. Re:Stay tuned for next weeks episode by turgid · · Score: 1

      Does he get his lad out, Father?

    3. Re:Stay tuned for next weeks episode by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Careful now!

    4. Re:Stay tuned for next weeks episode by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Steady now...

  11. Or not... by gowen · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Here's hoping that they have a consultant on the show to make it technically accurate.
    Hmm, a program that gets humour out of the common conception and this twat is only interested in whether its technically accurate. The irony is almost overpowering.

    Just out of interest, did you complain that Father Ted didn't accurately reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church?
    --
    Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
    1. Re:Or not... by Spad · · Score: 3, Funny

      Just out of interest, did you complain that Father Ted didn't accurately reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church?

      You mean it didn't?!

    2. Re:Or not... by Brian+the+Bold · · Score: 1

      But that was never the point, the point was that the behaviour of the priests was realistic *and* that it didn't fit in with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Like Father Jake, anyone that does follow the Catholic ideal of a priest's life ends up as a sad, embittered, drink-sodden old lecher.

      As for the IT mob, I really hope that it is technically accurate *and* shows how the lusers are looked down upon by those that have the power to obliterate their work at the tap of a few keys.

      I'll have to wear my El Reg "Practical Unix Terrorism" O'Really t-shirt while I watch it.

      Bwaaahahahaha!

      --
      -- BtB
    3. Re:Or not... by Minwee · · Score: 1

      Maybe he's talking about a different Catholic Church than the one we know.

    4. Re:Or not... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When Father Ted was on my mother (> 70 years old, been a Catholic all her life with no sign of slipping) used to watch it and found it extremely funny. Whether she was just missing half the jokes I'm not sure...

  12. The Office by TheDoctorWho · · Score: 1

    I was gonna say something about The Office but they already did. Chris Morris, the well-known satirist, makes a rare acting appearance as the trio's dour Scottish boss, a character more akin to 70s corporate fantasist Reggie Perrin than The Office's David Brent, according to Linehan. The series is produced by Ash Atalla, whose previous credits include The Office. ® For the USA folks, bit torrent will be the only way to see this. So I will try it.

  13. dont make me laugth by dreaddan · · Score: 1
    Here's hoping that they have a consultant on the show to make it technically accurate.


    We all know it will be the typical "let's laugth at the nerds" jokes.
    All the kool people will be out having fun while the nerds are stuck in a bacement..
    1. Re:dont make me laugth by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We all know it will be the typical "let's laugth at the nerds" jokes.
      All the kool people will be out having fun while the nerds are stuck in a bacement.


      So yes, it will be technically accurate.

    2. Re:dont make me laugth by CoderBob · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Isn't that fairly accurate? It seems that way from behind this keyboard...

    3. Re:dont make me laugth by dreaddan · · Score: 1

      Not all of us are that geaky! It would be nice to see something thats not whats seen the norm.. I know it will never happen but I can dream..

    4. Re:dont make me laugth by BenjyD · · Score: 1

      All the kool people will be out having fun while the nerds are stuck in a bacement..

      That's actually one of the scenes being used in trailers for the show on TV at the moment.

    5. Re:dont make me laugth by dreaddan · · Score: 1

      I know I've seen the ad, unluckerly.
      I'm just hoping that it's not all like that.

    6. Re:dont make me laugth by Cally · · Score: 1
      Not all of us are that geaky!
      That statement is so incorrect it hurts my eyes to look at it.
      --
      "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." -- Goethe
    7. Re:dont make me laugth by Gleng · · Score: 1
      We all know it will be the typical "let's laugth at the nerds" jokes.

      I doubt it, to be honest. If it's anything like Graham Linehan's other work, it'll just be completely and utterly surreal.

      Tech support will just be a vehicle for totally bizarre jokes.

      --
      "Proudly Posting Without Reading The Article"
  14. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by SydBarrett · · Score: 5, Funny
    Let's just see how geeky you think the IT department is after I format your drive, toss the backup, and submit your 'candid holiday snaps' to a few dozen gay singles websites, along with your name, address, work number, and personal cell number, shall we?

    I think you got "geeky" confused with "fired".

  15. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0



    Now you're fired.
    Enjoy the unemployment line, geek

  16. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    No offence man, but that post you just wrote is the geekiest thing ever. I mean I feel embarrassed for you and I don't even know you.

    How you think that post reverses the 'geek' stereoype in any form whatsoever is beyond my scope.

  17. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by CoderBob · · Score: 1

    Ahhh...the modern-day BoFH. I've seen a few places that need one of them in their IT department.

  18. Lazy Marketing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... because putting "geeks" on TV will surely capture the sought-after young male demographic that simply doesn't watch the tube.

  19. technically accurate? by meccaneko · · Score: 1

    Why let technical accuracy get in the way of a good poke fun at the nerd joke?

    1. Re:Technically Accurate? by ampathee · · Score: 1

      No-one is saying technical accuracy is funny.
      It is just that Lack of technical accuracy detracts from the funniness of a comedy.
      If there is no technical content, then fine - but if there is, it should be accurate. We don't want to be too busy groaning to laugh.

    2. Re:Technically Accurate? by dbIII · · Score: 1
      I find the technical accuracy of Dilbert hilarious.
      I found it quite bizzare that the local newspapers printing of the Dilbert strip at one point mirrored week to week changes in a dysfunctional "corporatized" government owned company I worked for. People were almost convinced Scott Adams was working there. The strips were well over a year old before they appeared in the local paper.

      As for this series - the Moorlocks in the basement VS the beautiful clueless people upstairs is very close to the truth in a lot of organisations and gives a lot of opportunities for humour.

  20. Glamourous companies... by digitaldc · · Score: 1

    ...with IT teams in dingy basements (statistically speaking) have 10-15% greater incidences of PC failure due to the volatile combination of environmental hazards and embittered technical support.

    --
    He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
  21. Suggestion by Billosaur · · Score: 4, Funny

    Show nothing but the tops of the character's heads as they sit in their cubicles. That would be technically accurate.

    --
    GetOuttaMySpace - The Anti-Social Network
    1. Re:Suggestion by Hieronymus+Howard · · Score: 1

      It's a British show. We mostly don't have cubicles here.

  22. Never in the US, thanks to the FCC by potus98 · · Score: 1

    Too bad we'll never see such a show in the US. As soon as the IT basement geeks start surfing pr0n *BAM* FCC fine: $1,000,000... *BAM* FCC fine: 2,000,000...

    --
    This one gang kept wanting me to join cause I'm pretty good with a bo staff.
    1. Re:Never in the US, thanks to the FCC by decipher_saint · · Score: 1
      As soon as the IT basement geeks start surfing pr0n

      Start surfing pr0n!?
      --
      crazy dynamite monkey
    2. Re:Never in the US, thanks to the FCC by Peter+Simpson · · Score: 1

      Ahhh...but the FCC hasn't yet managed to control the Bittorrent networks.

      Methinks US viewers with a clue (and that appears to be the intended audience) will be able to watch soon after the UK air time.

    3. Re:Never in the US, thanks to the FCC by fritz1968 · · Score: 1

      IT basement geeks start surfing pr0n *BAM* FCC fine: $1,000,000... *BAM* FCC fine: 2,000,000...

      Dude, you need to get out and stop watching so much Emeril Lagasse. http://www.dialmformax.com/archives/2002/05/ban_th e_bam.html

      --
      It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.
    4. Re:Never in the US, thanks to the FCC by Life2Short · · Score: 1

      We can only hope. American translations of Brit sitcoms seem to suffer in comparison. Anybody catch both versions of "Men Behaving Badly?" The British version was brilliant and the American version was dreadful. They did a better job translating "The Office," but it still suffers when compared to the British version. Can you imagine the result if someone in Hollywood decided to try to do an Yank version of "Absolutely Fabulous?" I have his horrible image of Sybil Sheppard attempting to pull off Joanna Lumley's performance... Groan.

    5. Re:Never in the US, thanks to the FCC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Can you imagine the result if someone in Hollywood decided to try to do an Yank version of "Absolutely Fabulous?" I have his horrible image of Sybil Sheppard attempting to pull off Joanna Lumley's performance... Groan. "

      Roseanne Barr almost did. She wanted to do an amercanized version. Good thing it never happaned.

    6. Re:Never in the US, thanks to the FCC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      And that's just the opening theme!

    7. Re:Never in the US, thanks to the FCC by Rhiado207 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      They did, it was mind bogglingly bad, and made about half a season.

  23. Yay! Another comedic-stereotype... by decipher_saint · · Score: 1

    The Boss sez: "You're fired!."

    The Constable sez: "What's all this then."

    The Geek sez: Stay Tuned!

    --
    crazy dynamite monkey
  24. There are three series... by blorg · · Score: 1

    ...all of which are out on DVD. (You may know this an mean that it never got past season 1 on TV in America, it wasn't clear.)

    1. Re:There are three series... by FatRatBastard · · Score: 1

      Ah, this is good news. For whatever reason I see the same 6 episodes on BBC America when they run it. Would be nice if they showed season 2 & 3.

  25. ...and without by blorg · · Score: 1

    ...the whole REALITY TV-SHOW thing! It's a sitcom.

  26. Other interesting media by eneville · · Score: 1

    It's not realated to the OP but if you like UK comedy that's related to technology, check out LUGRadio, they have a really amusing linux-focused show at lugradio. Let me know if you have any others like that.

    1. Re:Other interesting media by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Arrgh, I've tried to listen to LugRadio in the past but I find it really awful. The factual content wasn't so bad but the presenters were like a bunch of immature 13 year olds - dreadful.

      A while ago another long running webcast called The Linux Show shut down (may well be coming back) and a news article was posted on a Linux site. Some of the comments were along the lines of "I couldn't listen to it because of all the bad language !", since I listened to The Linux Show regularly and didn't recall any swearing, I was a bit perplexed. It only dawned on me later that they must have been listening to LugRadio and got confused ... Thanks LugRadio.

    2. Re:Other interesting media by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tut. American prude.

    3. Re:Other interesting media by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, I'm a British "prude" who likes his content without a side order of adolescent behaviour.

    4. Re:Other interesting media by eneville · · Score: 1

      Some of their shows may have been like that, but they had a real big turn out at their Lug Radio Live event last year. I didn't go, but I wish I had.

      Some of the content is quite amusing, I find it a fresh approach to what other's might consider a dry OS.

      Still, each to their own. There was a good show a which has sadly come to a close, DHBiT, Does Humour Belong in Technology.

  27. Blue Screen by michelcultivo · · Score: 1

    Is there any blue screen on the espisodes?

    1. Re:Blue Screen by Dria+Rain · · Score: 1

      Picture actors doing a stunt (server rack tipping over?) in front of a giant BSOD...

  28. Great Premise by Phoenix666 · · Score: 1

    With the natural quirkiness of geeks, the vast world of technology, and a good mix of pop culture a good writer could put together a very entertaining show. I hope we'll get to see it here in the States.

    --
    Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
  29. Re:Nerd Joke by DRAGONWEEZEL · · Score: 1

    I think it will be more geard towards "normal" jokes.

    Like

    Q: How many normal people does it take to screw in a light bulb?

    A: 1. They simply call Handy Man express and pay $70 for a lightbulb.

    --
    How much is your data worth? Back it up now.
  30. Could be good! by codeTurtle · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Father Ted is a classic. Black Books is a classic.

    Neither really conform to stereotypes of what priests or bookshop workers are like; in fact, the character's job is often a little bit at odds with what they're like. If this is carried over to this show, maybe we'll get a comedy that features some highly eccentric geeks whose actual paid work is secondary to their real love. This is kinda true for many geeks I know; their off-duty coding is far more important to them than their on-duty coding.

    1. Re:Could be good! by smittyoneeach · · Score: 1

      Right, but will it be on BBC America immediately? I can foresee myself actually arranging my schedule around a show for the first time in...wait, I don't care to make myself feel that old...

      --
      Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
    2. Re:Could be good! by Goose+In+Orbit · · Score: 1

      I doubt it somehow, as it isn't a BBC show (it's on Channel 4) - sorry.

    3. Re:Could be good! by Dan-DAFC · · Score: 1

      Father Ted was also a Channel 4 show but shown on BBC America.

      --
      Suck figs.
    4. Re:Could be good! by Goose+In+Orbit · · Score: 1

      Fair enough :^D

  31. I agree. by mmell · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just like the movie "Hackers". Oh, wait . . .

    1. Re:I agree. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hope this new sitcom will accurately depict the computer geeks love for roller blading, wearing out-of-this-world cyber punk clothing, drinking copious amounts of jolt cola and our never ending quest to find the right handle

    2. Re:I agree. by boy_afraid · · Score: 0

      HACKERS??!! WTF? The first time I saw the moview when it first came out, my first thought was, "WOW! Who the hell is that hot babe? I'm in love!" My second thought was: "How can anyone watch this cow turd of a movie?" Years and years and years later that hot babe in crappy computer movie turned out to be Angelina Jolie, my baby's mama!

  32. My guess by NitsujTPU · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If it's accurate, it probably won't be funny to the vast majority of people, and it will tank. We'll see. Perhaps it'll be great, and accurate.

    On a side note, at my old company, the IT-ish guys were treated pretty well, and were the "social elite." Of course, we are comparing IT guys vs programmers here.

    1. Re:My guess by pipingguy · · Score: 1


      I'd watch it (if I could get it here in Canada). I think many other, non-IT people would find it interesting as well.

      Why? Because the IT universe is somewhat alien to most people, and getting an inside look will likely amuse and (hopefully subtly) educate average people.

      If it's done well there'll be 4 American clones for the 2007 TV season. This could be the next "All in the Family".

    2. Re:My guess by shut_up_man · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I agree, this concept doesn't really fill my trousers with steam. Accurate portrayal of an IT shop sounds like really terrible television, and the way they are marketing it ("geeky losers") sounds about as compelling as watching paint dry. The BOFH had it right - I want to see beautiful, arrogant, clueless managers come downstairs and treat the IT people like crap, and the IT people to destroy their lives utterly. I want to see forged emails, lost project files, kiddie porn, corrupt backups, missing laptops, exploding power supplies, changing flights, recut keys, burst pipes, planted drugs, reprogrammed phones, obscene ringtones, ruined drycleaning, dangerous airconditioning, revoked security cards, hacked drug test results, changed resumes and crazed GPS units. Revenge is a great generator of humour, particularly when it's the little guy getting his own back.

    3. Re:My guess by greginnj · · Score: 1

      I agree ... my trousers filled with steam when I read your post. It sounds like you're describing a remake of the US series 'The Shield', but set in the business/IT world, rather than among the LA police. All the same nastiness/politics/pranks/vindictiveness, though.

      --
      Read the best of all of Slash: seenonslash.com
    4. Re:My guess by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      May I quote you on that one? "I want to see... kiddie porn..."

    5. Re:My guess by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hate to break it to you and Cmdr Taco but this is most likely a comedy series about geeks, not for geeks. If the BBC ever did a TV series about Trekkies, and you were a Trekkie, you probably wouldn't want to watch it if you were easily offended.

      In any case, the mere involvement of Chris Morris indicates that, whatever the precept communicates, this show is going to be fantastic.

  33. A show about runnning an IT dept in a basement? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    50 bucks says their servers run Linux

  34. Didn't CBS try this somewhat? by British · · Score: 1

    I remember a CBS sitcom with a bunch of geeks in an office. They wren't IT people, but they were geeks by far. I think a few has-beens were on it. Anyone know what show I was thinking of? They had transitions between scenes consisting of a computer's desktop.

    The less-popular half of Bosom Buddies was on it, and I think maybe Patrick Dempsey.

    1. Re:Didn't CBS try this somewhat? by no_pets · · Score: 2, Informative

      Perhaps you're referring to Dweebs.

      --
      "A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." - Shepard Book Quoting Malcolm Reynolds
    2. Re:Didn't CBS try this somewhat? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      hmmm, "Dweebs" maybe?

    3. Re:Didn't CBS try this somewhat? by GimmeZeroZero · · Score: 1

      I think I know the one you mean. A bunch of computer programmers. Was it Dweebs?

  35. mmm... catchphrase... by scaryjohn · · Score: 1
    Here's hoping that they have a consultant on the show to make it technically accurate.

    I don't know. Do drunken help desk techs routinely tell senior executives who can't find the Any Key to "Feck Off!"? Because Father Ted feckin' rocks, but I don't suppose it's representative of how a real church... on a desert island... operates.

    --
    One might ask the same about birds. What ARE birds? We just don't know.
  36. Obligatory Nerd Jokes!!! by DRAGONWEEZEL · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sign on a nuclear containment building:
    WARNING: Radiation area. Prefaded genes only.

    Said the sweet young lady, "Oh, I see how astronomers figure out the distance of the stars and their sizes and temperatures and all that. What really gets me is how they find out what their names are."

    Make it possible for programmers to write programs in English, and you will find that programmers cannot write in English.

    The First Rule of System Programing:

    Never test for an error condition you don't know how to handle.
    --- Courtesy of http://www.randomjoke.com/topic/nerd.php?13492 ---

    Who could forget this one?
    Nerd Season
    A truck driver, hauling a tractor-trailer load of computers, stops for a beer. As he approaches the bar, he sees a big sign on the door that says, "COMPUTER NERDS NOT ALLOWED - ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!" He enters and sits down.

    The bartender comes over to him, sniffs, and says that he smells kind of nerdy. He then asks him what he does for a living. The truck driver explains to him that he drives a truck, and the smell is just from the computers he is hauling. The bartender serves him a beer and says, "OK, truck drivers aren't nerds."

    As he is sipping his beer, a skinny guy walks in wearing a pair of glasses with tape around the middle, a pocket protector with twelve kinds of pens and pencils, and a belt that is at least a foot too long. The bartender, without saying a word, pulls out a shotgun and blows the guy away. The truck driver asks him why he did that.

    The bartender replied, "Don't worry. The computer nerds are in season because they are overpopulating Silicon Valley. You don't even need a license."

    So the truck driver finishes his beer, gets back in his truck, and heads for the freeway. Suddenly, he veers to avoid an accident, and the load shifts. The back door breaks open and computers spill out all over the road. He jumps out and sees a crowd already forming, snatching up all of the computers. The scavengers are comprised of engineers, accountants and programmers - computer geeks. Each of them wearing the nerdiest clothes he has ever seen.

    He can't let them steal his whole load. So remembering what happened in the bar, he pulls out his gun and starts blasting away, killing several of them instantly. A highway patrol officer comes zooming up and jumps out of the car screaming at him to stop.

    The truck driver said, "What's wrong? I thought computer nerds were in season."
    "Well, sure," says the patrolman, "But you can't bait 'em!"

    I was in the VIP lounge last week en route to Seattle. Whilst in the lounge, I noticed Bill Gates sitting on the chesterfield enjoying a cognac.I was meeting with a very important client who was also flying to Seattle with me but she was running a bit late. Being a forward type of guy, I approached Mr Gates and introduced myself. I explained to him that I was conducting some very important business and how I would appreciate it if he could throw a quick "Hello Phil" at me when I was with my client. He agreed. Ten minutes later while I was conversing with my client, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Bill Gates. I turned around and looked up at him. He said, "Hi Phil, what's happening?" To which I replied "Bug off Gates, I'm in a meeting"

    --
    How much is your data worth? Back it up now.
  37. Wonder Whatever Became of Me Dept by DannyO152 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I remember how WKRP in Cincinnati was a favorite tv sit-com in the late 70s and early 80s among those of us working in radio because it had good characters and funny situations. We could overlook that none of the djs ever used headphones, their casual approach to cueing up the next record, the unrealistic l'aissez faire style of the program director, the occasional lack of music director, an AM station looking to rock music as a viable format change (pop music's move to FM was well established at that point), the station's too much wattage for its position on the dial, there never being any powering down and up at sunset and sunrise, that the news announcer and dj shared the same microphone and studio, that full-time operation of the station was possible with an air staff of two, that Les Nessman wasn't jettisoned along with the elevator music recordings, and other compromises of authenticity or verisimilitude.

    1. Re:Wonder Whatever Became of Me Dept by airship · · Score: 1

      Me too. I worked at a small-town radio station in the early 70's and we had more staff and better equipment (except for Jennifer...) than WKRP. But I still loved it. Characters and their interactions always sell the show.

      I hope this show will have two geeks just like the ones Matthew Broderick consulted with in Wargames. The geeky glasses-wearing social outcast and bearded t-shirted fat guy with a beard are ubiquitous in IT. They nailed it.

      --
      Serving your airship needs since 1995.
  38. There's more info on the Cook'd and Bomb'd forums by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Possible spoilers in this thread... http://chilled.cream.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=94 35 Seen a few ads on Channel 4 - should be good.

  39. Isn't that like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    that whacky comedy about waste water treatment workers? After all, being a sysape is just a half step above janitor...

  40. Season 2 starts tonight! by antdude · · Score: 1

    ... on WB station at 9:00 PM after Smallville I believe. I saw the casting episode last night. It looks funny. Season 1 was hilarious especially with Richard. :)

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  41. "technically accurate" by Dystopian+Rebel · · Score: 4, Funny
    Here's hoping that they have a consultant on the show to make it technically accurate.


    If technically accurate, the characters will be males reading Slashdot, downloading pr0n, virus-scanning Windows boxes, eating pizza, and quarrelling intensely about Perl and Python.

    I predict low ratings.
    --
    Rich And Stupid is not so bad as Working For Rich And Stupid.
    1. Re:"technically accurate" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But high bittorrent rates.

    2. Re:"technically accurate" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      reading Slashdot, downloading pr0n, virus-scanning Windows boxes, eating pizza, and quarrelling intensely about Perl and Python


      You forgot goatse! The cornerstone of the interweb!

      Seriously, I want to see at least one person get goatse'd per week. That joke just never gets old...
    3. Re:"technically accurate" by gnovos · · Score: 1

      If technically accurate, the characters will be males reading Slashdot, downloading pr0n, virus-scanning Windows boxes, eating pizza, and quarrelling intensely about Perl and Python.

      RUBY!

      --
      "Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons!"
  42. Re: Like a Nerd ever needs THEESE.... by DRAGONWEEZEL · · Score: 2, Funny

    I found theese here:
    http://ma.tthew-cox.us/jokes/top_geek_breakup.php

    Top 11 Geek Breakup Lines
    11.
    (A)bort, (R)etry, (F)ail?
    (A)bort, (R)etry, (F)ail? R
    (A)bort, (R)etry, (F)ail? F
    Relationship failed.

    10. Now that Half Life 2 is out, I need to refocus my priorities.

    09. You have been unsubscribed from my dating list. Please click this link to confirm.

    08. I need a lover who understands that 20 hours a day on the Internet is normal.

    07. I don't think we should date any more, but we can still be on each other's buddy lists.

    06. I'd like a true beauty so I don't have to spend so much time photoshopping your ugly face out of our photos.

    05. It's like in X-Men number 135, where Cyclops and Jean Grey (as The Phoenix)...

    04. Let's face it. You love Intel, and I'm an AMD man. It's not going to work out.

    03. What do you mean your EULA says that once I've removed the shrink wrap I can't return it?

    02. After you e-mailed me your full-body shot, I realized I was looking for someone more feminine.

    01. So long and thanks for all the fish.

    --
    How much is your data worth? Back it up now.
  43. Technically Accurate? by Canonical+AC · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yes, because technical accuracy is what makes comedy funny. I find the technical accuracy of Dilbert hilarious. Oh wait, there is nothing technical in Dilbert at all, and yet it's still funny. I wonder how he manages that?

    --
    Canonical Anonymous Coward

    Can a sig be more clever than it's creator?
  44. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Heembo · · Score: 1

    Sweet. You got it, you can toss us "geeks" to the basement - but we mostly make more $ than those upstairs, are infinitely more intelligent, find spelling a boore, and have more power than most mortals can even conceive of. BWA HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!

    --
    Horns are really just a broken halo.
  45. I'd be angry... by chivo243 · · Score: 1

    If I was Simon T! Sounds like a "lifting of Story" to me, isn't BOFH copyrighted?

    --
    Sig Hansen?
  46. And another one too by mustafap · · Score: 1

    aired last night: Hyperspace.

    Trying to be a new 'Red Dwarf'.

    Painfully funny, and very geeky.

    After accidentlly re-booting the ship and setting it back to defaults, they cut to a guy trying to get into the toilet

    "Please enter the 3rd, 5th, and 87th letters of your password" says the door. Nice.

    Rather english though, probably wont travel well.

    --
    Open Source Drum Kit, LPLC deve board - mjhdesigns.com
    1. Re:And another one too by ettlz · · Score: 1

      And not forgetting the EULA on the gun.

    2. Re:And another one too by mustafap · · Score: 1

      >"The gun is good. The penis is evil. Go forth... and kill!"

      Wow! I missed that line! :o)

      --
      Open Source Drum Kit, LPLC deve board - mjhdesigns.com
    3. Re:And another one too by ettlz · · Score: 1
      Wow! I missed that line! :o)

      Well aside from Charlotte Rampling's tits, you didn't miss much else!

    4. Re:And another one too by edson+at+lies.cl · · Score: 0

      URL of the show?
      seems interesting!

      --
      i have found, you can find,happiness in slavery!
    5. Re:And another one too by Some+Bitch · · Score: 1

      Don't get too excited, it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. It had all the subtlety of a slap in the face with a wet mullet, it had some good lines but the delivery was so appalling it was painful (EULA on the gun was a prime example). I was really looking forward to it but I doubt I'll be watching the second episode.

    6. Re:And another one too by NetNifty · · Score: 1

      Apparently it's called Hyperdrive explains why I couldn't find Hyperspace in the listings.

  47. tv should be paying me overtime by QAChaos · · Score: 1

    why are there so many fucking shows about work?! If I actually watched TV it should be paying me overtime as a lawyer,CSI agent and now an IT worker - plus TV should be paying for my flights between Las Vegas and Miami for my CSI gig

    1. Re:tv should be paying me overtime by GrahamCox · · Score: 1

      why are there so many fucking shows about work?

      I guess it's because we all do little else these days. Sitcoms sort of reflect real life.

  48. Because otherwise I'll puke. by Russ+Nelson · · Score: 1

    If I see one more 9 track tape in a movie involving computers, I'm gonna puke.
    -russ

    --
    Don't piss off The Angry Economist
    1. Re:Because otherwise I'll puke. by Detritus · · Score: 1
      I don't mind the 9-track tape. What bugs me is when they show a tape transport with a pair of spinning, empty reels. No tape!

      Then there is the mandatory oscilloscope with a Lissajous pattern.

      --
      Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat
  49. I'll be totally disappointed if by Sir_Eptishous · · Score: 1

    There isn't at least one W98 desktop and/or Quake 2 deathmatch in the background...

    --
    We play the game with the bravery of being out of range
  50. Technical accuracy CAN be funny to non-techies too by TheDarkener · · Score: 1

    Just don't get too deep. A lot of people think that technical accuracy means explaining every detail as so it could have actually happened. What the show needs to do is remember that assumptions make the joke simple enough to be funny to regular people too. Mix company politics in it, and then everyone's laughing.

    Just don't try to emulate Nick Burns (Your company's computer guy). That was just horrible. I mean, *I* thought it was funny, but I'm pretty sure most people would just be irritated by a joke like "AOL is fine, besides the fact that IT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND JAVASCRIPT!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" ... I mean, seriously. Who's gonna get that besides us.

    --
    It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
  51. forget accuracy by gotvim · · Score: 1

    I think it'd be funnier to see non-technical writers writing what they think is technical. It'd be interresting to see how stereotypical we actually are or not. If I want technical accuracy, I can just go to lunch with a co-worker.... boring.

  52. Raunchy? by Brit_in_the_USA · · Score: 2, Funny

    Channel 4 ? - Check !
    Broadcast after 9pm ? - Check !

    Full Frontal Nudidy probability = 97.34132%

    1. Re:Raunchy? by DaveInAZ · · Score: 0
      Full Frontal Nudidy probability = 97.34132%
      Average Interest in Seeing Full Frontal Geek Nudity = 0.0000000%

      "Gyaaaaaaah! I'm blind! My eyes! ...the horror...the horror..."

      Doctor: What was the last thing you remember seeing?
      Patient: I'm not sure. There was this flourescent white, bony-looking thing. It kind of looked like a cadaver that had died from having it's chest crushed in while it had the measles. And it was standing next to this enormous, wobbling mound of hair that smelled like pizza and unwashed socks.

  53. Next Monday, on a very special IT Crowd.... by NewmanBlur · · Score: 1

    "Larry is troubled by shocking discovery that his favourite anti-spyware app has been running a rootkit on his PC since he downloaded it. Feeling betrayed, he formats his Windows partition, swearing himself forever to OpenDarwin. But he's in for another surprise when Darwine turns up a few bugs of it's own."

    --
    Per ardua ad astra.
  54. From the writer of Father Ted by ettlz · · Score: 4, Funny

    grep! as! link! perl!

    1. Re:From the writer of Father Ted by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      now that's funny

  55. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by vertinox · · Score: 1

    "Let's just see how geeky you think the IT department is after I ... submit your 'candid holiday snaps' to a few dozen gay singles websites, along with your name, address, work number, and personal cell number, shall we?"

    I think you got "geeky" confused with "fired".


    I think you've got "fired" confused with "promoted".

    However, the grandparent is very confused about a wink his supervisor gave him at an office meeting.

    --
    "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
    -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
  56. Arse, not crown jewels by pjt33 · · Score: 1

    Not quite true, or the episode wouldn't be titled "Kicking Bishop Brennan up the Arse".

    1. Re:Arse, not crown jewels by PGillingwater · · Score: 1

      True, that particular detail had escaped me. :-)

      The episode where all the Priests were lost in the lingerie section was also fantastic.

      --
      Paul Gillingwater
      MBA, CISSP, CISM
    2. Re:Arse, not crown jewels by Fallingcow · · Score: 1

      That was the Christmas special, I believe.

  57. I think you have my stapler. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    _end of message_

  58. Sexy??! by pjt33 · · Score: 1

    Please tell me you missed the reference to Father Ted in the summary, rather than that you find Mrs Doyle sexy.

    1. Re:Sexy??! by jawtheshark · · Score: 1

      Uhm, Father Ted never aired in the county that I live. So, well, no... Sorry... I have no idea who are Father Ted and Mrs Doyle. We don't get much English humour around here. When I was a student abroad I enjoyed English humour, but can't do much about the fact that we don't get it here :-(

      --
      Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
    2. Re:Sexy??! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Can you imagine, Father? Your husband standing over you with his lad in his hand, wanting you to degrade yourself. I want you to get a good clear picture ...

  59. "Office Space" is emotionally accurate by peter303 · · Score: 1

    You dont need to make it as technically accurate as emotionally accurate. The movie Office Space was about some software developers with problems about their jobs and love lives. Though they did banter around tech and biz jargon, it wasnt precisely accurate. However, their emotional travials were.

  60. Great for the US by AlienGoods · · Score: 1

    If its a hit, only 15 months until we get a crappy, watered-down version of our own! And the peasants rejoice.

    --
    Lighten up. Its only a post.
  61. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0



    No, you're the one who's fired! Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha! Hee hee! Giggle!

  62. Does the show get sent to India in case of low... by OneInEveryCrowd · · Score: 2, Funny

    ratings ?

    Just curious ;-)

  63. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by The+One+and+Only · · Score: 2, Informative

    I think he was playing into the stereotype.

    --
    In Repressive Burma, it's not just your connection that dies. slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=314547&cid=20819199
  64. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Barrakketh · · Score: 1

    I think you got "geeky" confused with "fired".

    I think you need to acquaint yourself with The Bastard Operator from Hell.

  65. It's already been done by The Register.. by Channard · · Score: 1

    In the form of "Salmon Days" an online comedy show set in an IT department. Though I didn't think it really took off.

  66. Wrong writer by Ithika · · Score: 1

    Black Books was written by Dylan Moran (ie, the book shop owner from the series).

    1. Re:Wrong writer by Tim+the+Gecko · · Score: 1

      Graham Linehan co-wrote the first series of Black Books with Dylan Moran (the sole writer for most of the second and third series)

    2. Re:Wrong writer by Plug · · Score: 1

      And the first series was actually funny. It lost a lot without Linehan.

  67. Thanks to you we have a new Accronym by DRAGONWEEZEL · · Score: 1

    FFNP: 1 the probability of Full Frontal Nudity. 2. The same probability that your husband will want to watch the show. 3. Same number also the probability that the show will NOT get aired. 5.Foxy Fingers Nail Polish 6.Fire Fighter Name Plaque. 7. Free Formed Nano Particles. 8. fluoro furanyl norprogesterone 9. FOUR FREAKY NUDE PEOPLE. 10. Five Freakin Nude People. 11. First Four No Protection. 12. For Funny New Post.

    This document too long for slashdot...

    --
    How much is your data worth? Back it up now.
  68. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by SydBarrett · · Score: 0, Troll

    I think you need to acquaint yourself with The Bastard Operator from Hell

    I think you need to acquaint yourself with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny because UMMMM OH WAIT YOU CAN'T LOL

  69. Teaser by JJC · · Score: 1

    In the teaser trailer that's currently on TV one of the characters is wearing the great 256th Level of Pac Man T-Shirt from errorwear, which I think bodes well for the show.

  70. To quote Ted... by Gleng · · Score: 3, Funny
    Just out of interest, did you complain that Father Ted didn't accurately reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church?

    "That's the great thing about Catholicism. It's so vague and nobody really knows what it's all about."

    --
    "Proudly Posting Without Reading The Article"
  71. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by jimmypw · · Score: 0

    It takes one to know one!

  72. Revenge of the nerds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think we can trust that the nerds will get their revenge at the workers higher up in the building once in a while.

  73. The Green Pig episode by RacerZero · · Score: 1

    This will be an easy show to wright. Just read /. for a few days and you could wright shows titled "Green Pigs", "Google AI", "AAs (Another Apple story)"

  74. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I see the Humor bypass you just had is healing up nicely

  75. "Dirty!" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The BB episode "The Grapes of Wrath" has probably the perfect ending of any comedyshow I've ever seen.

    Bernard Black, the proprietor of BB is having his breakfast, he doesnt like his toast, so he throws it to the ceiling. The last night he was housesitting with Manny, his hired help, at someones who was to present a bottle of special wine to the pope. It just so happens that Bernard and Manny drink that very bottle, and forged it with... talent.

    Finishing his breakfast, Bernard turns to reading the newspaper, and shortly says:"Oh my god!". He turns the paper to Manny and on the first page it reads:"Pope killed because of inferior wine - man Held." Then Bernard points to the date on the newspaper and says with a smile:"It's my birthday!". Manny's jaw drops and so does the toast from the ceiling, right on Manny's head.

    Absolutely brilliant.

  76. Super by turgid · · Score: 0, Troll

    So, it's clever, original, political, thought-provoking, and side-splittingly hilarious, in the same way as those great British comedy classics Birds of a Feather, the Jimmy Cricket Show and the Vicar of Dibley.

    I can't wait.

    1. Re:Super by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful
      So, it's clever, original, political, thought-provoking, and side-splittingly hilarious, in the same way as those great British comedy classics Birds of a Feather, the Jimmy Cricket Show and the Vicar of Dibley.

      From the UK I do have to thank you on behalf of the producers of those programmes.
      I'd alsolike to say that I did enjoy the first series of Friends, for a while.

  77. MIght not work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But what if the boss was flaming? Being "Twink of the Week" might be a dream of his.

  78. Yes, they had consultants. I was one of them. by yoz · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I first got a mail from Graham Linehan back in August of last year (he'd been given my details by Cory Doctorow - okay, not much more namedropping, I promise) and I jumped at the chance to help out - Father Ted and Big Train are two of my favourite-ever TV comedies.

    He sent the scripts and I eventually sent a couple of notes back with a couple of minor corrections, but I really didn't need to do much at all; the humour in the show comes from really good character comedy, and the IT aspect is (quite rightly, IMHO) just a sideline thing. Roy and Moss bear slightly more resemblance to real-world sysadmins than Ted and Dougal do to real-world priests, but only slightly. As with Ted, the joy is in exggerating the silliness of the situations.

    It was in building the set that the fun really started, and I need to get Sean to participate in the thread here as I recommended him for the job of gathering as much fun techie crap as possible as well as looking after the on-set PCs. Having visited the set once, I can tell you he did a fantastic job. There are so many wonderful little references and rare bits of kit lurking in the messes (British geeks in particular are in for a treat). Plus, thanks to Danny, there are EFF stickers everywhere.

    Make sure to tape/TiVo/torrent it - it's a great show, fun and silly, with lots of easter-egg treats for geeks.

    1. Re:Yes, they had consultants. I was one of them. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hope you remembered to ensure that the characters are constantly worried about their jobs, made redundant and then illegally replaced with contractors. Then it'll be close to the truth.

  79. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Fulcrum+of+Evil · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think you got "geeky" confused with "fired".

    I dare you to find an evidence trail leading to him. Who do you think built the systems that log everything?

    --
    "We returned the General to El Salvador, or maybe Guatemala, it's difficult to tell from 10,000 feet"
  80. Travaglia wasn't involved, but I was by yoz · · Score: 2, Funny

    As I explain down here.

    (Karma whore? Me? But of course.)

  81. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Xugumad · · Score: 2, Funny

    > and stating that your interests include latex...
    My first thought was "What's wrong with LaTeX?". That's bad, isn't it...

  82. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Brewskibrew · · Score: 1

    Whatever you're smoking, quit. Crack = Bad. It's obviously altering your sense of importance and might be making you think that you're actually funny. You shouldn't be operating heavy machinery.

    --
    For sale: Signature. One owner. Low miles. Always garaged. New punctuation, just installed!
  83. Jens not Jen, Jan not Jen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sorry - Jen is not a Swedish name. It would have to be Jens or Jan.

    1. Re:Jens not Jen, Jan not Jen by Minwee · · Score: 1
      You're assuming that an article linked from Slashdot discussing a television program which has not yet been produced is going to get silly things like names and spellings right.

      You must be new here.

  84. Sounds like its recognizing IT as under-credited.. by Zantetsuken · · Score: 1

    and smart - its saying that all the other idiots in a company that havent got a clue in hell as to what makes their computer work, or that, for the f'ing love of God, dont disable the damn anti-spyware and anti-virus, dont download anonymous e-mail attachments, ect (I'm sure theres WORLDS more). This show seems to be saying that for all the work IT does for a company, nobody gives a damn about em - to the rest of the company, they are just the geeks in the basement with no lives that occaisonally come up to help them with making something bold in M$ Word.

  85. They're ok, but... by wdavies · · Score: 1

    Fawlty Towers, The Office (UK version) and Blackadder >>> Father Ted and Black Books... :)

    personally I think an IT version of The Office would be far better...

    1. Re:They're ok, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fucking hell, that's an awful idea; The Office is dragging British comedy down because every fucker wants to make a single-camera shitfest with "realistic" dialogue which makes a virtue of lazy, underwritten scripts by putting a few "umm"s and "ahh"s as if to say "People don't trade snappy quips like in Seinfeld, here's how they really speak! Isn't that great?". What happens then? You get turgid, unfunny bollocks like Nighty Night, Green Wing, Nathan Barley etc. etc. WHERE ARE THE FUCKING JOKES? REMEMBER THOSE? Linehan is bang on the money with his "back to the oldskool" stance on this (studio audience) and thank fuck for that. If only he'd done this a few years ago, we wouldn't have to put up with Gervais making his "ironic" jokes about ethnics and spazzes ad nauseum.

  86. Jive talking ... by pbhj · · Score: 1

    And don't forget the guitar playing singing nun, no IT department should be missing one ... I can't wait to see this episode, a homage to Airplane (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080339/); cool.

  87. Just what we need: by Hosiah · · Score: 1
    Next, it goes Hollywood. BOFH's to get the "Harry Potter" treatment. "Eugene Strand and the Magic IDE Cable", "Phildon Poindexter and the Hard Drive of Secrets", "Wyeth Goldfarb and the Rootkit of Fire".

    "Mummy! I wanna LART for Christmas!" "OK, here y'go!" *WHACK!*

  88. accuracy? fuck accuracy! black books is hilarious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    must download new shows!

  89. Earlier British sitcom/drama about people in IT! by dronkert · · Score: 1

    Few years ago. I'm desperately trying to remember (and google) the series name. It was set in a web developers firm, small office really, looking for big investors. One of the managers (the other was a woman, they got it on of course) may have been Jack Davenport, I'm not sure. One actor I do remember: Jason Lance, but it's not on his imdb sheet, is it? I'm sure he was in it because I later recognized him in Absolute Power as sort of the same character: always ready to fcuk over a friend (if woman friend then literally, too).

  90. Debbie Aldridge by Col.+Bloodnok · · Score: 1

    Trouble is, Debbie Aldridge doesn't look like that, at least not on my radio.

    1. Re:Debbie Aldridge by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but Debbie Aldrige is a whingey cow anyway, and probably dog-rough to boot -- nothing like the fragrant Miss Greig, of course.

  91. A Few Ideas by MrSteveSD · · Score: 1

    I can think of a few good storylines based on my own experiences in development over the years. For example, once I spent a week working on an RFP for a potentially big IT contract. It was a huge document, lots of people were working on it, filling out different sections and no-one had time to proof read each others work. A few days after we submited it I was typing a document and I noticed that every time I typed "project" it came out as "Prostitute". As I typed, I noticed more and more words were comming out stupidly, e.g Document was coming out as Dogbiscuit etc. I new who must be responsible and when I asked him about it, he was giggling and said he did it "weeks ago". Well, we never did get the contract and I really just dont have the courage to go back and read the RFP now. Or how about this. My Boss spends most of the day looking up Porn. He is so blatant that one day he was using the communal internet machine and he forgot to properly shut down the browser. When we looked at the machine he was still logged into his profile page on a pervy dating site. There was a big picture of him posing in some swimming trunks. Needless to say everyone has seen the picture. Then there was the time we were supporting a customer using PC Anywhere. The customer's desktop was on the screen, and it was quite a fast connection, so it was quite responsive. The customers were present at the other end watching what we were doing. Suddenly the technical people (me included) were called to deal with another crisis and we left the machine for a few minutes. When we came back my boss was sitting at the machine, just finishing off a Hotmail email (probably to some other pervy site or friend). We just stood there in fear as he nonchalantly got up and went back to his office. Sure enough he had using the customer's machine to send his personal email while they were all gathered aound watching at the other end.

  92. Typical cast. by ncurtain · · Score: 0

    I take it they are going to go the whole hog and have only one consultant then. And get the rest of their info by such researchers.

    There are no end of researchers in the bowels of the BBC. They only promote losers so it looks like another classic on the way.

    Any decent company would get several consultants for such a project. 1 to get the wrong end of the stick; 1 to know how to do it with Microsoft and ten to disagree with both and schism into Linux/M$ factions.

  93. Re:Earlier British sitcom/drama about people in IT by Tim+Browse · · Score: 2, Informative
    You're probably thinking of Attachments, which was more of a comedy drama.

    The web/internet side of it all was usually painfully inaccurate or pantomimed (and timeless romantic dialogue like "Thanks for showing me how to rocket jump - I really owned that level" didn't help), but there were some genuinely good moments in there too. There was a memorable scene where they all arrive in dribs and drabs the morning after the office party, only to find that they've all got an email with a video attachment from the office cctv camera that shows two of the characters having sex the previous night. The sequence of shots around the office as people logged in, reacted to what they saw, then carefully looked around at the others to see if they'd seen it yet was a wonderful piece of acting and directing, and had me cringing and giggling at the same time (rather like The Office).

    And I don't think James Lance was in it - possibly you're confusing him with David Walliams, who was, and did play a similar slimy character to the one in Absolute Power (although probably much less of a moral sewer).

  94. OOH! A neck spurt by ncurtain · · Score: 0

    Isn't American Fine and Metric pretty much the same thing for an half inch wrench?

    http://www.reliantownersclub.co.uk/body_tgoct20021 .html

  95. Re:Earlier British sitcom/drama about people in IT by joyrider · · Score: 1

    I think BBC's "Attachments" is the show you're looking for. The Attachments web site is still up...

  96. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by SavvyPlayer · · Score: 1

    ...stating that your interests include latex, flash photography, and small mammals. Chances are slim these beautiful colleagues working upstairs in fantastic surroundings engage in kinky private escapades involving LaTeX. Keep dreaming.

  97. Re:And another one too, and another one too by igb · · Score: 1
    I'll give it a go, then. The trailers looked _dreadful_, and a program having a five minute taster the previous week stank of desperation.

    Not quite SF, but `Life on Mars' was very good (although it spent a lot of time feeling like that Comic Strip Presents thing `The Seventies Detectives').

    ian

  98. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Actually, grandparent made me laugh quite a bit. But never mind.

    On a more serious note, I do actually know of one sysadmin who managed to get himself fired because he wasn't able to distinguish fact from fiction when it came to the BOFH and decided to pull a (much milder) version of one of those user-abuse stunts. Deleted some data belonging to a particularly whiny user, then found out that his employer cared more about the whiny employee in question than it did about him. I shared a house with him at the time. He came home grinning and bragging on the day he pulled his stunt - 48 hours later he was suspended. He's now flipping burgers (well... pouring coffees), with no realistic hope of getting back into his old line of work with that on his employment history. Simon's stories are funny, but they're just stories. Fiction. Anybody planning to emulate them in real life needs to think twice.

  99. Re:Sounds like its recognizing IT as under-credite by ErroneousBee · · Score: 1

    or that, for the f'ing love of God, dont disable the damn anti-spyware and anti-virus

    Being an IT guru isn't about knowing not to disable the security, but knowing when to disable the security.

    --
    **TODO** Steal someone elses sig.
  100. Pet peeves by Flambergius · · Score: 1

    Here's hoping that they have a consultant on the show to make it technically accurate.

    Yeah, that's pretty much my pet peeve too. Still, I'd prefer it to be sociologically accurate ... and have crisp timing.

    --
    Computers are useless. They can only give you answers - Pablo Picasso
  101. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by jabuzz · · Score: 1

    Or make sure they cover their tracks properly :-)

  102. Consultant: Charles Stross by borroff · · Score: 1
    Maybe they'll get Charles Stross, author of The Atrocity Archives

    Granted, his IT workers are slightly atypical...

  103. Re: What I meant was... by Zantetsuken · · Score: 1

    that the people of the office disable it, making the jobs of IT harder.

  104. Re:Simon won't like this. Not one bit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Let's just see how geeky you think the IT department is after I format your drive..." etc etc

    Yep, that's about as geeky as you can get.