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The Armando Iannucci Shows

The Armando Iannucci Shows

S1 · E1

IMDB:

8.1
The Armando Iannucci Shows

Released

8/30/2001

Duration

0h 24m

Genre

Comedy

Country

United States

Cast

Armando Iannucci, Stephen Mangan, Alan Ford

Overview

The Armando Iannucci Shows is a series of eight programmes focused on specific themes relating to human nature and existentialism, around which Iannucci would weave a series of surreal sketches and monologues. Recurring themes in the episodes are the superficiality of modern culture, our problems communicating with each other, the mundane nature of working life and feelings of personal inadequacy and social awkwardness. Several characters also make repeat appearances in the shows, including the East End thug, who solves every problem with threats of violence; Hugh, an old man who delivers surreal monologues about what things were like in the old days; and Iannucci's barber, who is full of nonsensical anecdotes.

Episodes

TwatsEP 1Available

Twats

24m0.0

Armando worries about looking like a twat in front of other people. He worries about what other people think about him, judging him by his appearance, what he thinks and his lack of football knowledge. He even worries about a man known for telling brilliant jokes, who is appearing at his next dinner party and in front of whom he may appear foolish.

WorkEP 2Available

Work

24m0.0

Armando claims that almost everyone made a wrong decision around eight years ago, which explains why they end up with terrible jobs. From clowns becoming teachers, to sniffer dogs deciding to go to Bangkok on an impulse, it appears the only person Armando knows who truly likes their job is his barber.

CommunicationEP 3Available

Communication

24m0.0

Armando realises that most people do not talk to each other, hence why people end up going to landfills after nailing themselves into DIY cupboards. More problems arise in the form of racist police horses, and even a bride using a racist accent during her marriage to her Indian husband.

ImaginationEP 4Available

Imagination

24m0.0

Armando believes that the imagination is a wonderful thing, allowing us to come up with any image, such as the cast of Cats being shot at dawn. Everyone attempts to try to become more imaginative, such as profane gardening and improving suicide notes. However, the greatest worry is people starving to death due to there being too many golf sales. This episode was originally aired last in the series, providing a surprisingly fitting conclusion in which Armando, by taunting animals with various human inventions, seems to have accidentally taught them how to take over the world.

Time PassingEP 5Available

Time Passing

24m0.0

With time passing ever more quickly, Armando worries about growing older. He admires Hugh for keeping the past alive, but panics about turning into one of the old men with bushy eyebrows that gave him nightmares as a child. Only one man can save children in later life - "Armando - The Great Adult!"

NeighboursEP 6Available

Neighbours

24m0.0

Armando wants to know what his neighbours are really like. He discovers what they think of each other, their prejudices, and one woman's experience with her stolen dresses, now being worn by people like Eddie Izzard. Even neighbours from outer space can be very rude.

MoralityEP 7Available

Morality

24m0.0

Armando is worried about people's morality. Whilst one priest inspires his congregation so much they will not leave him alone, another shows pornographic masses. Armando starts to wonder if there is anything we do which is not evil, as he discovers when some protesters attack him for putting something in someone else's bin.

RealityEP 8Available

Reality

24m0.0

Armando has trouble sleeping, from his fridge making a sound of a trumpet, being beaten up by an intruder, and his recurring nightmare involving his most dreaded expression, "Except for those viewers in Scotland, who have their own programming."

Cast

Armando Iannucci

Himself

Armando Iannucci

Stephen Mangan

Television Executive #4

Stephen Mangan

Alan Ford

Alan The East End Thug

Alan Ford

Tony Gardner

Television Executive #1

Tony Gardner

Darren Higham

Television Executive #2

Darren Higham

Melanie Hudson

Television Executive #3

Melanie Hudson

Hugh Cecil

Hugh

Hugh Cecil

James Smith

Various Characters

James Smith

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