Season 2, Episode 5: "The Man Show"

A night with the guys

Mark attempts to become Jeff’s friend in an effort to get closer to Sophie.

- This one focuses a lot on the Mark/Sophie plotline. It’s amusing that, in light of how it eventually turns out for them, I very much do not want them to get acquainted in this episode. I want Mark’s plan to fail. By contrast, during my initial viewing of these ones, I really wanted things to work out for Mark and Sophie.

- It’s mentioned that “Super Hans is back on the rig,” implying that, at times, Super Hans actually works rather hard and has a decent job.

- Mark and Jeff play pool at the Loop Pool bar, which is a real bar in their neighbourhood of Croydon. This show is consistent about finding local places for them to hang in.

- The Jez and Jeff combination is a pretty amusing dynamic.

- Mark really goes off the deep end by cutting himself for Sophie’s attention. It’s rather amusing, and in the same vein as his pissing all over Barbara’s stuff in the first season. Mark isn’t very good at coping with stress, it would seem.

- The Oval Tavern is another Croydon location they use. This isn’t its only appearance.

- Mark buying condoms for Jeff (or “rubber Johnnies,” if you prefer) is one of the show’s better moments. Too thin, and he’ll get off quickly, but will enjoy himself more. Too thick, and he’ll give it to Soph all night. What’s Mark to do?

- A scene begins with Jez telling Mark that he was “going to twat this geezer, but it turns out they’re both Polish!” This is in reference to a rather amusing deleted scene in which Jez and Jeff were about to start a fight with these guys at the Oval Tavern. Unaware of the custom of reserving a pool table with a coin, two Polish gentlemen had jumped ahead of Jez and Jeff.

- Another deleted scene has Jeff telling Johnson that Mark and Sophie never made their tandem jump for charity.

- This is the first of many appearances of crying Sophie.

- Jeff’s burly mate at the poker game and the two lads at the tandem jump are even more examples of the great job this show does in casting working-class sorts of people.

This is definitely a good idea

Good Lines:

- Mark, trying to be one of the guys: “So, FHM have only gone and done a bloody sex issue! You see that?”

- Jeremy, on his poker skills: “I’m hot… like Pol Pot.”

- Jeremy, revealing his awful hand (which he thinks is great because it’s made up of “all the reds”): “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight.”

- Jeff, in response to Mark’s pretending to be gay and thus non-threatening: “Gay or not, there’s no threat from you. You could have your cock in her and you still wouldn’t have the balls to fuck.” Probably Jeff’s best line.

War References:

- Mark is showing Sophie “Das Boot,” because it’s both a War movie, and incredibly long.

- Mark says that “Hitler promised not to invade Czechoslovakia, Jeremy!” in explaining why he violated Jez’ trust.

UK Stuff:

- Jez mentions an MP’s wanking death. This would be Stephen Milligan, a Conservative member who died of autoerotic asphyxiation in 1994. Consider that a cautionary tale, kids.

- Alcopops: As I understand it, it’s sort of another term for coolers.

- A bottle: Person who is prone to unexpected failure.

Misc:

- This isn’t the best place to mention this, but as it recently came to my attention, it’ll have to do. In a second season episode of That Mitchell and Webb Look, during one of those scenes where David Mitchell (Mark) and Robert Webb (Jeremy) play “themselves,” it’s mentioned that Mitchell is to host a documentary on Stalingrad, because he’s read the book “Stalingrad” and played a character on a TV show who read the book “Stalingrad.” That book really has some legs.