That Mitchell and Webb Look
Encyclopedia
That Mitchell and Webb Look is a British television sketch show starring David Mitchell
and Robert Webb
. Shown on BBC Two
since 2006, its first two series were directed by David Kerr
, who also directed Mitchell and Webb's previous television sketch show The Mitchell and Webb Situation
, whereas series 3 and 4 are directed by Ben Gosling Fuller. As well as Mitchell and Webb
themselves, the writers include Jesse Armstrong
, James Bachman
, Sam Bain
, Mark Evans
, Olivia Colman
, Toby Davies, Chris Pell, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Joel Morris, Jason Hazeley, Simon Kane and John Finnemore
. It is produced by Gareth Edwards
. Other cast members include Olivia Colman
, James Bachman
, Mark Evans
, Abigail Burdess, Gus Brown
, Sarah Hadland
and Paterson Joseph
.
Many of its characters and sketches are first featured in the duo's radio show That Mitchell and Webb Sound
. First aired on 14 September 2006, a second series was commissioned later that same year and shown between 21 February 2008 and 27 March 2008. The third series began on 11 June 2009. Since series two, the production has also been broadcast on BBC HD
. The first series won a BAFTA
award in 2007.
The third series started airing on BBC America
on 14 April 2010. The fourth series premiered on BBC Two and BBC HD on 13 July 2010 with a total of 6 episodes commissioned by the BBC. In a November 2011 interview, Webb stated that there are "no plans sadly for another series of sketches".
, and is an extension of their Radio 4
sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound
. The show's producer Gareth Edwards commented that the show's pitch to the BBC "was the shortest pitch I've ever written", citing that the show "has worked on the radio, just like Little Britain
worked on the radio and Dead Ringers
worked on the radio, and they transferred successfully to TV, so why don't you [the BBC] transfer this one to TV as well?"
A pilot for the show was filmed on 27 January 2006 at BBC Television Centre
, with a full series being later commissioned. Preview nights for the show were held at The Drill Hall
in London on 11 January and 20 March 2006, and at Ginglik in Shepherd's Bush
in London on 14 and 21 May 2006. These took the form of a radio recording, with verbal prompting to the audience for any visual element that would be required. The series was shot on location in June 2006 and three audience recording sessions were held in Studio 4 at BBC Television Centre on 14, 21 and 28 July 2006.
Following the first series, the pair went on a tour of forty-four UK venues between October and December 2006, entitled The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb
, featuring many of the same sketches as That Mitchell and Webb Look.
A preview night for the second series was held on 18 May 2007 at The Drill Hall in London. This series was shot in high-definition
on location during June/July 2007 and three studio recordings with an audience were held at TC8 in Television Centre on 3 August, 10 August and 17 August 2007.
Two preview nights for series three were announced on 30 June 2008 on the BBC Tickets website; all tickets were booked in less than 24 hours. The first preview night took place on 13 July 2008 at The Drill Hall, with the second held there on 10 August 2008. Two audience recording sessions at Television Centre — with additional live sketches — were announced on 3 October 2008, and took place on 31 October and 7 November 2008, again in high-definition in studio TC8. A third recording session at the BBC Radio Theatre was announced on 10 October 2008, taking place on 18 November 2008.
A preview night for the fourth series was announced on 18 November 2009 on the BBC Tickets website; this was held on 26 November 2009 at The Drill Hall.
in 2006, in the categories of "Britain's Best New TV Comedy" and the "Highland Spring People's Choice"; it won neither of the awards. However, the show did go on to receive a BAFTA
in 2007, in the category "Best Comedy Programme or Series" and been named "Best British TV Sketch Show 2006" in The Comedy.co.uk Awards It was later nominated for another BAFTA
in 2009, in the same category.
The second series was released on DVD in the UK by Fremantle Media on 20 October 2008.
The third series was released on DVD in the UK by 2|entertain on 20 July 2009, meaning that the first three series have been released on different video labels.
The fourth series was released in the UK on 4 October 2010.
David Mitchell (actor)
David James Stuart Mitchell is a British actor, comedian and writer. He is half of the comedy duo Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb, whom he met at Cambridge University. There they were both part of the Cambridge Footlights, of which Mitchell became President. Together the duo star in the...
and Robert Webb
Robert Webb (actor)
Robert Webb is an English actor, comedian and writer, and one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside David Mitchell.-Early life:...
. Shown on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
since 2006, its first two series were directed by David Kerr
David Kerr (director)
David Kerr is a British television director. He is best known for his work in comedy, which includes Fresh Meat, Beautiful People and Whites....
, who also directed Mitchell and Webb's previous television sketch show The Mitchell and Webb Situation
The Mitchell and Webb Situation
The Mitchell and Webb Situation was a British television sketch show shown on Play UK in 2001. Written by and starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, it lasted for one series of six episodes and was released on region 2 DVD in 2006 by Eureka Video...
, whereas series 3 and 4 are directed by Ben Gosling Fuller. As well as Mitchell and Webb
Mitchell and Webb
Mitchell and Webb are a British comedy double act, comprising David Mitchell and Robert Webb . They are best known for starring in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show....
themselves, the writers include Jesse Armstrong
Jesse Armstrong
Jesse Armstrong is one of the co-creators of Channel 4's Peep Show, along with Sam Bain. He also co-wrote the BBC Four comedy The Thick of It and was one of the writers on series 1 and 2 of the BBC Radio 4 sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound and the BBC Two sketch show That Mitchell and Webb...
, James Bachman
James Bachman
James Bachman is an English comedian, actor and writer.He has written for many U.K. radio and television programmes, including That Mitchell and Webb Look , That Mitchell and Webb Sound , Popetown , and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway...
, Sam Bain
Sam Bain
Sam Bain is one of the co-creators of Channel 4's Peep Show, which won a BAFTA for best Situation Comedy in 2008. He was also one of the writers of two series of the BBC Radio 4 sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound and the BBC Two sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Look...
, Mark Evans
Mark Evans (comedian/writer)
Mark Evans is a Welsh comedian, actor, and writer.He has written for many U.K. radio and television programmes, including That Mitchell and Webb Look , The Late Edition , That Mitchell and Webb Sound , Popetown , and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway...
, Olivia Colman
Olivia Colman
Olivia Colman is an English actress, best known for her supporting roles in various comedy shows, such as Sophie Chapman in Peep Show and Harriet Schulenburg in Green Wing. She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and has appeared in radio, television and theatre.-Personal life:Colman...
, Toby Davies, Chris Pell, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Joel Morris, Jason Hazeley, Simon Kane and John Finnemore
John Finnemore (writer)
John David Finnemore is a comedy writer and actor best known as a frequent guest on The Now Show and for the radio sitcom Cabin Pressure.-Education:...
. It is produced by Gareth Edwards
Gareth Edwards (producer)
Gareth Edwards is a radio and television producer and writer. He is the great-grandson of Hollywood pioneer Albert E. Smith, founder of Vitagraph Studios.TV and Radio Career...
. Other cast members include Olivia Colman
Olivia Colman
Olivia Colman is an English actress, best known for her supporting roles in various comedy shows, such as Sophie Chapman in Peep Show and Harriet Schulenburg in Green Wing. She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and has appeared in radio, television and theatre.-Personal life:Colman...
, James Bachman
James Bachman
James Bachman is an English comedian, actor and writer.He has written for many U.K. radio and television programmes, including That Mitchell and Webb Look , That Mitchell and Webb Sound , Popetown , and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway...
, Mark Evans
Mark Evans (comedian/writer)
Mark Evans is a Welsh comedian, actor, and writer.He has written for many U.K. radio and television programmes, including That Mitchell and Webb Look , The Late Edition , That Mitchell and Webb Sound , Popetown , and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway...
, Abigail Burdess, Gus Brown
Gus Brown
Gus Brown is an English actor and comedian.He is half of the double act Laurence & Gus, alongside fellow comedian and writer Laurence Howarth...
, Sarah Hadland
Sarah Hadland
Sarah Hadland is an English actress who has a career spanning theatre, film, and television and as a voice-over artist.-Early life and education:...
and Paterson Joseph
Paterson Joseph
-Career:Born in London. Attended Cardinal Hinsley R.C High School in North West London. Joseph first trained at the Studio '68 of Theatre Arts, London – 1983–85 with Robert Henderson, then at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art . In recent years he has had a high number of roles in...
.
Many of its characters and sketches are first featured in the duo's radio show That Mitchell and Webb Sound
That Mitchell and Webb Sound
That Mitchell and Webb Sound is a comedy sketch show on BBC Radio 4 which started on 28 August 2003. A second series was broadcast in 2005 with a third starting on 24 May 2007. The series became adapted for television as That Mitchell and Webb Look in 2006. The series is seen in some ways a...
. First aired on 14 September 2006, a second series was commissioned later that same year and shown between 21 February 2008 and 27 March 2008. The third series began on 11 June 2009. Since series two, the production has also been broadcast on BBC HD
BBC HD
BBC HD is a high-definition television network provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007...
. The first series won a BAFTA
British Academy Television Awards
The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:...
award in 2007.
The third series started airing on BBC America
BBC America
BBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and...
on 14 April 2010. The fourth series premiered on BBC Two and BBC HD on 13 July 2010 with a total of 6 episodes commissioned by the BBC. In a November 2011 interview, Webb stated that there are "no plans sadly for another series of sketches".
Recurring sketches
- Numberwang: a deliberately nonsensical and supposedly long-running game show, starring Robert Webb as the ebullient presenter, and two seemingly permanent contestants, Simon and Julie (Paterson JosephPaterson Joseph-Career:Born in London. Attended Cardinal Hinsley R.C High School in North West London. Joseph first trained at the Studio '68 of Theatre Arts, London – 1983–85 with Robert Henderson, then at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art . In recent years he has had a high number of roles in...
and Olivia ColmanOlivia ColmanOlivia Colman is an English actress, best known for her supporting roles in various comedy shows, such as Sophie Chapman in Peep Show and Harriet Schulenburg in Green Wing. She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and has appeared in radio, television and theatre.-Personal life:Colman...
) who keep to mostly one-word answers throughout the show. The game itself involves calling out numbers in various rounds and formats until the host declares "That's Numberwang!", although what constitutes a Numberwang or how it is achieved is never fully explained. Each game is always concluded with the "Wangernumb" round, which is preceded by the rotating of the board the contestants are seated on, briefly revealing a non sequitur scene on the other side.
- Other Numberwang-related sketches have also been seen in later episodes, including Wordwang (a spin-off using words), Nümberwang (a GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
version with David Mitchell), a documentary on the history of the programme, an advertisement for a home game version, and a trailer for "The Numberwang Code" (a parody of The Da Vinci CodeThe Da Vinci CodeThe Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery-detective novel written by Dan Brown. It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu as they investigate a murder in Paris's Louvre Museum and discover a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus having been married to...
)- Ted and Peter: a pair of alcoholic, chain-smoking snookerSnookerSnooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
commentators, known for their absurd banter and dishevelled appearances. Ted Wilkes is played by David Mitchell and Peter DeCoursey by Robert Webb. They seem more interested in swapping anecdoteAnecdoteAn anecdote is a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person. It may be as brief as the setting and provocation of a bon mot. An anecdote is always presented as based on a real incident involving actual persons, whether famous or not, usually in an identifiable place...
s about the players than covering the game at hand, and these exchanges are sometimes laced with homoerotic overtones. In a later episode, Peter comes outComing outComing out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as gay, a decision he discusses with Ted, who admits to having been homophobicHomophobiaHomophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
before meeting his colleague. Peter bears a strong physical resemblance to Ronny Cox's character Drew in DeliveranceDeliveranceDeliverance is a 1972 American thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman. Principal cast members include Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty in his film debut. The film is based on a 1970 novel of the same name by American author James Dickey, who has a small role in the...
. A recurring line in these sketches is "oh, and that's a bad miss", which is in fact the only comment they seem to make on the game at hand. In the fourth series, it was revealed that the two of them were forced to comment on "dog poker" after Ted had tried to "finger Hazel", and Peter had made an inappropriate comment about Kelly HolmesKelly HolmesDame Kelly Holmes, DBE, MBE is a retired British middle distance athlete. She specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens...
. - Mitchell and Webb: a supposedly "behind-the-scenes" look at how the show is produced, starring Mitchell and Webb as themselves. Although ostensibly involved in the production of the programme, the pair are frequently drawn into furious arguments with one another, usually over trivial matters such as how the "skin" is formed on Edam cheese (Mitchell: "I don't know how they put the fucking skin on!"). Recurring points of humour include the sketches themselves (one or more of the pair are often shown still wearing a costume from another sketch), as well as Mitchell's pessimistic nature and ongoing bachelorhood.
- The Surprising Adventures of Sir Digby Chicken Caesar: a drunken, drug-addled psychotic trampTrampA tramp is a long term homeless person who travels from place to place as a vagrant, traditionally walking or hiking all year round. In British English meanwhile a tramp simply refers to a homeless person, usually not a travelling one....
played by Robert Webb, who seems to be under the delusion that he is a brilliant and intrepid secret agent, in the style of Dick BartonDick BartonDick Barton - Special Agent was a popular radio programme on the BBC Light Programme. Between 1946 to 1951 it aired at 6.45 each weekday evening and at its peak it had an audience of 15 million listeners. Despite popular belief, it was not actually the BBC's first daily serial...
. He and his companion Ginger, another derelict, played by David Mitchell, who serves as his Snowy, commit various crimes (usually either theft or petty assault) whilst supposedly engaging in battle against the henchmen of their so-called "nemesis", a vague and undefined entity described simply as "some bastard who is presumably responsible". The sketch often ends with the pair being chased by somebody they've fleeced to the tune of "Devil's Galop", usually combined with the use of SnorriCamSnorriCamA SnorriCam is a camera device used in filmmaking that is rigged to the body of the actor, facing the actor directly, so when they walk, they do not appear to move, but everything around them does...
shots to humorous effect.
- Ted and Peter: a pair of alcoholic, chain-smoking snooker
- Although Sir Digby's past remains a complete mystery, Ginger is provided with a certain amount of back-story. In one episode, he alludes to having been sexually abusedSexual abuseSexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
and repeatedly asphyxiatedErotic asphyxiationErotic asphyxiation or breath control play is the intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal. The sexual preference for that behavior is variously called asphyxiophilia, autoerotic asphyxia, hypoxyphilia. Colloquially, a person engaging in the activity is sometimes called a...
by his father. In the third episode of the third season, it is revealed that Ginger's name is Guy Reilly, and that he once had a wife and 12-year-old daughter whom he lost (and has since seemingly forgotten about) as a result of his severe alcoholism. In the same episode he is shown to have recovered temporarily from alcoholism and settled in a comparatively stable life as a convenience store clerk, only to be re-enticed into accompliceship with Digby when tricked into drinking an ale.- Big Talk: a debate show in the same vein as Question TimeQuestion Time (TV series)Question Time is a topical debate BBC television programme in the United Kingdom, based on Any Questions?. The show typically features politicians from at least the three major political parties as well as other public figures who answer questions put to them by the audience...
or HARDtalkHARDtalkHardtalk is a flagship BBC television programme, consisting of in-depth half-hour one-on-one interviews.It is broadcast four days a week on BBC World News and the BBC News channel. Launched in 1997, much of its worldwide fame is due to its global reach via BBC World...
and hosted by the confrontational Raymond Terrific (Robert Webb), who loudly bullies his panel of so-called "boffins" into giving yes or no answers to huge social and philosophical questions (e.g. "is there a God?"). The bemused panel then try and reason with him by starting a sensible discussion, but never to any avail. The show is given an epic and aggressive atmosphere, what with the theme tune being "Ode to JoyOde to Joy"Ode to Joy" is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet, playwright and historian Friedrich Schiller, enthusiastically celebrating the brotherhood and unity of all mankind...
" and Terrific's worked-up behaviour.
- Big Talk: a debate show in the same vein as Question Time
- In one episode Big Talk underwent a format experiment whereby, instead of the usual boffins, mindless 'celebrities' were brought on to discuss laughably small matters (e.g. "how's your day been?"); this new version was appropriately called Small Talk, and the embittered Raymond Terrific frequently voiced his disapproval of the change being foisted upon him throughout.
- The Quiz Broadcast: a post-apocalypticApocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fictionApocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
television quiz show transmitted from by the British Emergency Broadcasting System "between 600 and 750 days" after "the Event", an unexplained event in the year 2013. Participants on the show are often survivors "trying to enjoy themselves" whilst avoiding any traumatic memories of the Event; Peter was blinded by raiders after the Event, Sheila, who worships TescoTescoTesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, and Unknown Male 282, who is suffering from shockPost-traumatic stress disorderPosttraumaticstress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity,...
.
- The Quiz Broadcast: a post-apocalyptic
- The show contains numerous reminders for viewers to "REMAIN INDOORS", echoed by on-screen messages and by the host. As most of civilisation had been destroyed by the Event, many of the questions asked either have lost answers, or have a "correct" answer that is completely wrong. Rounds have included trivia, identifying "pre-Event" people from photographs, the Film Round (where contestants must try to identify what happened next in a clip claimed to be the only surviving footage from before the Event), the Conveyor Belt Round (a parody of the bonus game of the BBC game show The Generation GameThe Generation GameThe Generation Game was a British gameshow produced by the BBC in which four teams of two competed to win prizes...
), and Sudden Death, during which Unknown Male 282 suddenly dies. - As of Series Four, Unknown Male 282's former place is wrapped in bubble wrap and biohazard tape; his spot was taken by a "professor", who was shot because he said he was "infected". In the penultimate sketch, the broadcast ended prematurely, after an unknown contestant turned out to be one of "them" (a zombieZombieZombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
-like race of mutants), and proceeded to eat Sheila, followed by a swarm of "them" invading the studio. In the (presumably) final sketch of the quiz broadcast, it is revealed that all of "Them" died suddenly, leaving Peter and the host as the only survivors. The sketch ends on a sombre note as the host suggests that he and Peter "stand together", holding hands in silence as the transmission cuts out. The Quiz Broadcast may have been inspired by the real (albeit unused) Wartime Broadcasting ServiceWartime Broadcasting ServiceThe Wartime Broadcasting Service was a service of the BBC that was intended to broadcast in the United Kingdom either after a nuclear attack or if conventional bombing destroyed regular BBC facilities in a conventional war ....
, which would have broadcast for 100 days after a nuclear attack on the United Kingdom, or if conventional bombing destroyed regular facilities.- Friends Of...: a couple, played by Mitchell and Webb, discussing who to invite to their next party. The list usually comprises either historical figures or fictional characters, such as in one episode when they decide to ask MoneypennyMiss MoneypennyJane Moneypenny, better known as Miss Moneypenny, is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and films. She is secretary to M, who is Bond's boss and head of the British Secret Service...
along, but then worry that she may bring James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
with her. The humour is derived from the way they sneer at the prospective guest's behaviour at previous parties; for instance, whilst deciding whether or not to invite the Scooby-DooScooby-DooScooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
gang, they deride Shaggy RogersShaggy RogersNorville "Shaggy" Rogers is a fictional character from the American animated television series Scooby-Doo, about the adventures of four crime-solving teenagers and Shaggy's pet great dane, Scooby-Doo. Shaggy is a cowardly slacker more interested in eating than solving mysteries. He is the only...
' excessive eating habits and general cowardliness. - The British Broadcasting Corporation: an old-fashioned black-and-white broadcast, in which characters talk about the wonders of the new medium of television, and how it enables people to see them talking to each other, or if it works like a telephone, but as 4 of the 5 televisions were in use at the centre, they were not sure if they were hearing through television or an open door. Programmes shown include a short guest appearance of George VI, a host and a guest describing a vase, a talk show called 'The Mrs Patricia Wilberforce Programme' and two hosts giving an inaccurate explanation about how television works.
- Barry Crisp: Crisp (Mitchell) runs a range of attractions which are all unsafe, including charging £2 to jump off a cliff, or offering the chance to swim with a great white sharkGreat white sharkThe great white shark, scientific name Carcharodon carcharias, also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a large lamniform shark found in coastal surface waters in all major oceans. It is known for its size, with the largest individuals known to have approached...
but with the shark inside the cage along with the diver. His middle-class customer (Webb) assumes everything is "fine" because Barry has a sign, so it must be legitimate, and is seemingly oblivious to the obvious danger, always eventually agreeing to take part, much to Barry's surprise. - The Honeymoon's Over: Mitchell plays a rude, mean, condescending, and posh man who takes a variety of different jobs, in all of which he does his best to demean his customers (Webb and Colman) and make them feel uncomfortable and inferior. When Webb and Colman ask about the nice people they had seen in a previous visit, Mitchell replies "She/he's gone, sir. They've all gone, and we're back!" Jobs have included being a vicarVicarIn the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
, a waiterWaiterWaiting staff, wait staff, or waitstaff are those who work at a restaurant or a bar attending customers — supplying them with food and drink as requested. Traditionally, a male waiting tables is called a "waiter" and a female a "waitress" with the gender-neutral version being a "server"...
, and a tailorTailorA tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
. - Get Me Hennimore!: a parody of 1970s sitcoms, each episode featuring Hennimore (Webb) being given an important task by his boss (Mitchell) which always ends in disaster due to Hennimore's often understandable confusion as the items and rooms he must not mix up actually look identical. For example, in one episode he is told that a group of Korean chefs in Room 1 should not come into contact with a group of dog lovers in Room I, but the room signs get mixed up. Another episode had Hennimore showing an antique golf caddy to an ex-alcoholic, but Hennimore accidentally showed him a drinks cabinet, which looked exactly like the golf caddy. This is often brought on by his boss who unintentionally makes things difficult, like printing identical signs for Murder In The Dark (MITD) and Nervous Incontinents Tasting Day (NITD) on a printing press that confused Ns with Ms. In the fourth series, all the sketches are Christmas themed as an in-joke – a Christmas edition of the series features Hennimore being placed in charge of "Go Home Day," which includes participants dressing as ghosts by donning white sheets, and accidentally crossing this event with a visit from men from the fictional African nation of Nigereria.
- The Helivets: a sketch parodying TV shows following the Emergency Services, the Helivets are a pair of heroes clad in pink jumpsuits who claim they can rescue any pet in peril. In every instance of this sketch, the featured animal(s) are already dead when the vets arrive and, whilst Robert Webb's character is reassuring the owner that their pet will soon be OK, David Mitchell's character just keeps repeating "it's dead".
- Lazy Writers: in a parody of film and TV genres, two script writers, John Gibson (Webb) and Andrew Turner (Mitchell), can never be bothered to be original for their next project. Instead, they pick a genre, take its signature aspects, and put them together to create something that is clearly a cheap cash-in. This included writing an "underdog" sport film about cricket despite knowing nothing about the sport, a TV medical drama with no knowledge of medicine, and on the live show, a sci-fi series based on Star Trek called 'Space Trek and Wars'.
- Colin and Ray: Webb and Mitchell are co-workers in the same office, who have different jobs which tend to involve extraordinary plots. Colin works as a hostage negotiator, while Ray writes the plots to pornographic films.
- Food Advertisements: a series of parodies of some already heavily over-advertised foodstuffs (these aired in series 3). For example, a parody of LucozadeLucozadeLucozade is an umbrella name for a 6 series of energy and sports drinks, produced by GlaxoSmithKline in Gloucestershire. The former company became part of Beecham and, after the mergers of SmithKline and Beecham in 2000, GlaxoSmithKline....
shows a runner drinking a bottle of 'Glucozade Port', the world's first alcoholic, isotonic drink or CresspsPotato chipPotato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...
, which taste terrible despite the slogan Once you cressp you can't splesspPringlesPringles is a brand of potato and wheat based snacks originally developed by Procter & Gamble. Pringles are sold in more than 140 countries and have yearly sales of more than...
whereas another advertises 'Mar-mitts' MarmiteMarmiteMarmite is the name given to two similar food spreads: the original British version, first produced in the United Kingdom and later South Africa, and a version produced in New Zealand...
flavoured gloves that are 'completely unsuitable for human consumption' and finishes with Webb collapsing and Bachman announcing "I think he's dead!" - Arguing Couple: a couple who talk to their baby daughter in cutesy voices about the problems in their relationship, breaking off to snarl "Up yours!" at each other and make violent hand gestures. The couple and their daughter are played by Robert Webb and his real life wife and baby daughter.
- Small Office: set in a workplace, where employees are called into the boss's office, the problem being it is tiny and therefore is extremely cramped. This often leads to awkward situations such as an instance where the boss (Mitchell) burps in his employee's face.
- Didldidi: a series of adverts, promoting bargains at a fictional supermarket, Didldidi (a parody of LidlLidlLidl is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that operates over 7,200 stores across Europe. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG...
and AldiALDIALDI Einkauf GmbH & Co. oHG, doing business as ', short for "Albrecht Discount", is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany...
) which include 12 litres of value water and bacon octopus shapes covered with glitter. In one episode of series 4, it is shown that the Didldidi adverts take place before "The Event" as the remains of a wrapper is present as one of the prizes. - A Prayer and a Pint – A show hosted by Donny Cosy (Mitchell), where he and a guest talk about the ever-changing, usually non-Christian, set. The show was set in Tokyo, Tehran and the Hadron Collider in Switzerland. Cosy usually makes politically incorrect statements (such as referring to Japan as 'pixie land'). The show always ends with the usual request song 'All I want to do, all I want to do, all I want to do, is praise Him'. The hymn is sung by written request of the same couple, Phil and Meg McQueen, in every episode. In the final episode of the series, Cosy reveals that he had been misreading the autocue and that this couple live in Sussex and not, as he had previously thought, in "Bumsex".
- Wacky History – A wacky historian (Webb) tries to make history exciting through absurd, often unrelated props.
- Sensitive Freak-shows – A Lifetime-like look on unfortunate people with funny deformities. Its seemingly depressing, but it often states that the only reason the viewer is watching is to see the deformities. Hosted by Mitchell, The segment has included such stories like: "The Boy With an Arse for a Face," "The Man Who Had so Many Penises He Was Worth Making a Television Programme About," and "The Woman With the Second Head that Won't Stop Calling Her a Bitch."
- Unexplained Gestures – Various directors dealing with actors who cannot stop themselves doing something such as saying "Now we know!" during sex, or waving their hands uncontrollably. This results in many takes with the gestures growing more prominent each time.
- Arch-Villain PSA – Mitchell plays a villain who runs into the real-life problems with his dastardly plans.
- Angel Summoner and BMX Bandit - Two super-heroes, one (Mitchell) can summon angels, the other (Webb) rides a BMX. The latter becomes increasingly upset by the fact that he is superfluous, as Angel Summoner invariably solves every problem they encounter by summoning his angels, usually after BMX bandit comes up with a complex BMX-based plan.
- Friends Of...: a couple, played by Mitchell and Webb, discussing who to invite to their next party. The list usually comprises either historical figures or fictional characters, such as in one episode when they decide to ask Moneypenny
Production
The show follows on from the duo's earlier TV series The Mitchell and Webb SituationThe Mitchell and Webb Situation
The Mitchell and Webb Situation was a British television sketch show shown on Play UK in 2001. Written by and starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, it lasted for one series of six episodes and was released on region 2 DVD in 2006 by Eureka Video...
, and is an extension of their Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound
That Mitchell and Webb Sound
That Mitchell and Webb Sound is a comedy sketch show on BBC Radio 4 which started on 28 August 2003. A second series was broadcast in 2005 with a third starting on 24 May 2007. The series became adapted for television as That Mitchell and Webb Look in 2006. The series is seen in some ways a...
. The show's producer Gareth Edwards commented that the show's pitch to the BBC "was the shortest pitch I've ever written", citing that the show "has worked on the radio, just like Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
worked on the radio and Dead Ringers
Dead Ringers (comedy)
Dead Ringers is a UK radio and television comedy impressions broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and later BBC Two. The programme was devised by producer Bill Dare and developed with Jon Holmes, Andy Hurst and Simon Blackwell. It starred Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Phil Cornwell, Kevin Connelly and Mark Perry...
worked on the radio, and they transferred successfully to TV, so why don't you [the BBC] transfer this one to TV as well?"
A pilot for the show was filmed on 27 January 2006 at BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre at White City in West London is the headquarters of BBC Television. Officially opened on 29 June 1960, it remains one of the largest to this day; having featured over the years as backdrop to many BBC programmes, it is one of the most readily recognisable such facilities...
, with a full series being later commissioned. Preview nights for the show were held at The Drill Hall
The Drill Hall
The Drill Hall is a theatrical venue in Bloomsbury in the London Borough of Camden, just to the east of Tottenham Court Road. It contains rehearsal rooms and meeting rooms, and two small theatres - the 200-seat Drill Hall 1 and a 50-seat studio space, known as Drill Hall 2. Its name derives from...
in London on 11 January and 20 March 2006, and at Ginglik in Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
in London on 14 and 21 May 2006. These took the form of a radio recording, with verbal prompting to the audience for any visual element that would be required. The series was shot on location in June 2006 and three audience recording sessions were held in Studio 4 at BBC Television Centre on 14, 21 and 28 July 2006.
Following the first series, the pair went on a tour of forty-four UK venues between October and December 2006, entitled The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb
The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb
The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb was a live stage tour undertaken by the comedy team of David Mitchell and Robert Webb, accompanied by their frequent collaborators James Bachman and Abigail Burdess, who played supporting roles.-Overview:...
, featuring many of the same sketches as That Mitchell and Webb Look.
A preview night for the second series was held on 18 May 2007 at The Drill Hall in London. This series was shot in high-definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
on location during June/July 2007 and three studio recordings with an audience were held at TC8 in Television Centre on 3 August, 10 August and 17 August 2007.
Two preview nights for series three were announced on 30 June 2008 on the BBC Tickets website; all tickets were booked in less than 24 hours. The first preview night took place on 13 July 2008 at The Drill Hall, with the second held there on 10 August 2008. Two audience recording sessions at Television Centre — with additional live sketches — were announced on 3 October 2008, and took place on 31 October and 7 November 2008, again in high-definition in studio TC8. A third recording session at the BBC Radio Theatre was announced on 10 October 2008, taking place on 18 November 2008.
A preview night for the fourth series was announced on 18 November 2009 on the BBC Tickets website; this was held on 26 November 2009 at The Drill Hall.
Reception
The show was nominated for two British Comedy AwardsBritish Comedy Awards
The British Comedy Awards is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year.-History:...
in 2006, in the categories of "Britain's Best New TV Comedy" and the "Highland Spring People's Choice"; it won neither of the awards. However, the show did go on to receive a BAFTA
British Academy Television Awards 2007
The 2007 British Academy Television Awards were held on Sunday 20 May at the London Palladium Theatre in London. They were broadcast live on BBC One in the UK...
in 2007, in the category "Best Comedy Programme or Series" and been named "Best British TV Sketch Show 2006" in The Comedy.co.uk Awards It was later nominated for another BAFTA
British Academy Television Awards 2009
The 2009 British Academy Television Awards were held on 26 April at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The event was broadcast live on BBC One and was hosted by Graham Norton. The nominations were announced on 24 March...
in 2009, in the same category.
DVD release
The first series was released on DVD in the UK by Contender Home Video on 29 October 2007. Extras include Outtakes, Behind the Scenes footage and a Mitchell & Webb documentary.The second series was released on DVD in the UK by Fremantle Media on 20 October 2008.
The third series was released on DVD in the UK by 2|entertain on 20 July 2009, meaning that the first three series have been released on different video labels.
The fourth series was released in the UK on 4 October 2010.
Worldwide broadcast
| Region | Channel |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom United Kingdom |
BBC2 / BBC HD BBC HD BBC HD is a high-definition television network provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007... / Dave |
 New Zealand |
UKTV UKTV UKTV is a digital cable and satellite television network, formed through a joint venture between BBC Worldwide, a commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and Scripps Networks Interactive, spun off from The E.W Scripps Company in 2008... |
 Israel |
Yes stars Comedy Yes Stars Comedy Yes Comedy is an Israeli television channel carried by the Israeli satellite television provider - yes, which broadcasts American and British TV shows of the sitcom, dramedy and comedy genres... |
 Australia Australia |
ABC1 ABC1 ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on... / ABC2 ABC2 ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia... / UKTV UKTV UKTV is a digital cable and satellite television network, formed through a joint venture between BBC Worldwide, a commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and Scripps Networks Interactive, spun off from The E.W Scripps Company in 2008... |
 Arab League |
ShowComedy Showtime Arabia Showtime Arabia, as it was called to distinguish itself from its U.S. counterpart , was a subscription television service in the Middle East and North Africa. It was a joint venture between KIPCO and CBS Corporation , CBS Corp being a minor partner... |
 Canada Canada |
bold / Netflix Netflix Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California... |
 Sweden |
TV4 Komedi TV4 Komedi TV4 Komedi is a sister subchannel of Swedish TV4, owned by TV4 AB. The channel focuses on comedy only with sitcoms, comedy shows and talk shows... |
 Norway |
NRK 3 |
 Singapore |
StarHub Cable Vision |
 Finland |
Sub Sub (TV channel) Sub is a Finnish TV channel owned by Bonnier. The previous owner Alma Media sold Sub and its sister channels to Swedish Bonnier and Proventus in 2005.-Programs and audience:... |
 Denmark |
DR2 DR2 DR2 is a Danish television station. It is part of Danmarks Radio, the public service broadcasting company of Denmark.It was launched in 1996 as a satellite-/cable-only channel. This was highly controversial at the time, as it was considered close to a breach of public service principles that the... |
 United States United States |
BBC America BBC America BBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and... |
 Netherlands |
Nederland 3 Nederland 3 Nederland 3 is the third and youngest of the terrestrial television channels operated by the Dutch public-broadcasting organization NPO in the Netherlands and carries programs provided by member-based non-profit broadcasting associations. It is oriented towards children, youth and innovative... |
 South Africa |
BBC Entertainment BBC Entertainment BBC Entertainment is an international television channel showcasing comedy, drama, light entertainment and children's programming from the BBC and other UK production houses... |
 Argentina |
Film&Arts/i-Sat |
 Colombia |
Film&Arts |
 Iceland |
Stöð 2 Stöð 2 Stöð 2 is an Icelandic television channel, owned and operated by 365. Founded in 1986, It was the first privately owned television station in Iceland following the lifting of the state monopoly on television broadcasting... |
 India |
BBC Entertainment |