Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Nathan Barley

 Nathan Barley
type
TVTItem
 Nathan Barley
label
Nathan Barley
 Nathan Barley
page
NathanBarley
 Nathan Barley
comment
Nathan Barley is, in the words of his creator Charlie Brooker, "an upper-middle-class London media pissant who sorely deserves an icepick in the cheek." His first appearance was on the TV Go Home spoof website, in channel slot descriptions of a fictional series named Cunt — which was then adapted for a real Channel 4 series. And renamed, for obvious reasons.The series' six episodes (and one pilot) are set in Hosegate, a fictional area of East London (though remarkably similar to Shoreditch or Hoxton, as anyone who has experienced the arts scenes there would testify). The focus is on the hyperactive, clownish protagonist Nathan in his adventures cataloguing and pioneering the gritty, fashion-obsessed hipster zeitgeist of the time, while shamelessly promoting his personal website Trashbat.co.ck and working at his amateur film studio Trash Industries.Alongside Nathan, we also follow antagonist Dan Ashcroft; a bitter and depressed journalist who is ashamed of his current employer Sugar Ape, a pretentious lifestyle magazine charting the works of various "artists" famous only due to shock value and poor taste. Dan despises Nathan with a passion, but can't seem to shake his omnipresent stench, and is desperately seeking a way out of the madness of the local scene.Despite the laughs, and its format as a traditional sitcom, it's a rather scathingly-targeted satire of a particular cross-section of media-savvy hipsters. The show was a commercial flop in 2005, and so poorly received upon first airing that Channel 4 changed the timeslot and aired the final two episodes back to back, seemingly in an attempt to get rid of it. As is so often the case however, it has gained a steady cult following since its release on DVD; especially in recent years, as the 'Idiot' subculture it lampoons continues to grow bigger.
 Nathan Barley
fetched
2024-03-13T09:01:11Z
 Nathan Barley
parsed
2024-03-13T09:01:11Z
 Nathan Barley
processingComment
Dropped link to AwfulBritishSexComedy: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Nathan Barley
processingComment
Dropped link to technicianvsperformer: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
 Nathan Barley
processingUnknown
technicianvsperformer
 Nathan Barley
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Nathan Barley / int_1282bf4f
type
No Celebrities Were Harmed
 Nathan Barley / int_1282bf4f
comment
No Celebrities Were Harmed: Doug Rocket and his old band The Veryphonics are an obvious stand-in for Dave Stewart and Eurythmics.
 Nathan Barley / int_1282bf4f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_1282bf4f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_1282bf4f
 Nathan Barley / int_136d170b
type
Unreadably Fast Text
 Nathan Barley / int_136d170b
comment
Unreadably Fast Text: The police sign. See Freeze-Frame Bonus.
 Nathan Barley / int_136d170b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_136d170b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_136d170b
 Nathan Barley / int_16ddefda
type
Alcohol-Induced Idiocy
 Nathan Barley / int_16ddefda
comment
Alcohol-Induced Idiocy: The night before his interview for a loan, Dan Ashcroft turns up piss-drunk at Trash Industries, where he passes out on a freshly-painted canvas. Needless to say, the interview the next morning doesn't go as planned.
 Nathan Barley / int_16ddefda
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_16ddefda
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_16ddefda
 Nathan Barley / int_1c79ae8c
type
Those Two Guys
 Nathan Barley / int_1c79ae8c
comment
Those Two Guys: Dan's fellow colleagues at Sugar Ape, Rufus Onslatt and Ned Smanks — two spaced-out gearheads whose minds are almost permanently in an alternate universe. They play their "ideas" off of each other constantly and are rarely seen apart. Also Heterosexual Life-Partners.
 Nathan Barley / int_1c79ae8c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_1c79ae8c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_1c79ae8c
 Nathan Barley / int_1c861760
type
The Wonka
 Nathan Barley / int_1c861760
comment
The Wonka: Eccentric is far too light an adjective to describe Doug, with his makeup, colourful suits, gross misappropriation of Place. funds, "ape hours" and his nostalgic anecdote about John Lennon's head bursting through his floorboards. Nevertheless, his accountant Robin makes sure to please him and do whatever he dictates as director of Place.
 Nathan Barley / int_1c861760
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_1c861760
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_1c861760
 Nathan Barley / int_1fa5ae07
type
The Prima Donna
 Nathan Barley / int_1fa5ae07
comment
The Prima Donna: 15Peter20 is furious when Nathan crashes his conversation with Dajve Bikinus, and he melodramatically blanks both of them and storms off.
 Nathan Barley / int_1fa5ae07
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_1fa5ae07
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_1fa5ae07
 Nathan Barley / int_1fc8335e
type
Deal with the Devil
 Nathan Barley / int_1fc8335e
comment
Deal with the Devil: Jonatton Yeah? forces a cash-strapped Dan to give a handjob to a builder in a men's toilets and write about it before he'll pay him. Dan helplessly agrees to it.
 Nathan Barley / int_1fc8335e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_1fc8335e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_1fc8335e
 Nathan Barley / int_222dc873
type
Black Comedy
 Nathan Barley / int_222dc873
comment
Black Comedy: When a show features the line "I'm Nathan Barley and I like throwing people out of windows" which is then spoken by a character who is being meat-puppeted by another character, there is no other definition.
 Nathan Barley / int_222dc873
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_222dc873
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_222dc873
 Nathan Barley / int_22a27b19
type
Alpha Bitch
 Nathan Barley / int_22a27b19
comment
Dajve Bikinus is very different - she is much friendlier, sweeter and more laid back in the pilot, generally just floating along with whatever Nathan or Toby try to rope her into. In the main series, she is an aggressively promiscuous Alpha Bitch who calls the shots socially. She also possesses a very mean streak that comes out on several occasions.
 Nathan Barley / int_22a27b19
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_22a27b19
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_22a27b19
 Nathan Barley / int_233d181
type
Misaimed Fandom
 Nathan Barley / int_233d181
comment
Misaimed Fandom: In-Universe: Dan's bitter, loathsome writings against today's fashion earns him hero worship and cult celebrity status amongst almost everyone in East London, making him despise himself even more than he already does.
 Nathan Barley / int_233d181
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_233d181
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_233d181
 Nathan Barley / int_24321e44
type
Only Sane Man
 Nathan Barley / int_24321e44
comment
Only Sane Man: How Dan "I Am Not The Preacher Man" Ashcroft seemed to regard himself.
 Nathan Barley / int_24321e44
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_24321e44
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_24321e44
 Nathan Barley / int_260926c3
type
Failure Is the Only Option
 Nathan Barley / int_260926c3
comment
Failure Is the Only Option: Dan fails at pretty much everything he attempts throughout the show, and comes across as the ultimate loser. Simple things like trying to prank Nathan, getting a bank loan, trying to write a cover article, not losing his house keys, he has no luck whatsoever. In fact, he can't even get a simple haircut without killing the barber's cat and abruptly leaving with half a head of hair. On the other hand, Dan's nemesis Nathan succeeds at absolutely everything, no matter what. By the time the last episode rolls around, Sugar Ape are even toying with the idea of giving Nathan his own column in their magazine.
 Nathan Barley / int_260926c3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_260926c3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_260926c3
 Nathan Barley / int_28a5213a
type
Small Name, Big Ego
 Nathan Barley / int_28a5213a
comment
Small Name, Big Ego: At the Sugar Ape offices Dan thinks everyone he knows is an idiot, obsessed with childish pursuits such as comics, toys and fashion. Convinced that he deserves to write for a more mature and sophisticated audience, he goes to The Weekend On Sunday magazine for a job interview. He's confident that he can get the job and move on, but when he is asked about wine, cars and restaurants he is forced to admit that he knows absolutely nothing about any of these more grown-up interests.
 Nathan Barley / int_28a5213a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_28a5213a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_28a5213a
 Nathan Barley / int_29a39f6
type
Easter Egg
 Nathan Barley / int_29a39f6
comment
Easter Egg: The DVD release features a hidden subtitle track on episode 4, which insults the viewer for being the sort of person who fiddles with the subtitle button on their remote control.
 Nathan Barley / int_29a39f6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_29a39f6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_29a39f6
 Nathan Barley / int_2dff6b95
type
Two Guys and a Girl
 Nathan Barley / int_2dff6b95
comment
Two Guys and a Girl: Dude Magnet Claire at Trash Industries, and the innocuous perving she is subjected to by Nathan and Pingu. Same again at Nathan's flat, only substitute Pingu for Toby.
 Nathan Barley / int_2dff6b95
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_2dff6b95
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_2dff6b95
 Nathan Barley / int_2f52c0af
type
Accidental Pervert
 Nathan Barley / int_2f52c0af
comment
Accidental Pervert: Nathan and Pingu are both happy to stand there staring as Claire changes her shirt in front of them, but Nathan naturally turns on Pingu and claims he was perving on her to try and score brownie points.
 Nathan Barley / int_2f52c0af
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_2f52c0af
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_2f52c0af
 Nathan Barley / int_30de7a51
type
Chivalrous Pervert
 Nathan Barley / int_30de7a51
comment
Chivalrous Pervert: Toby to Claire while visiting Pingu in hospital: "Are you alright Claire? Do you want comforting?"
 Nathan Barley / int_30de7a51
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_30de7a51
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_30de7a51
 Nathan Barley / int_317629db
type
Embarrassing Nickname
 Nathan Barley / int_317629db
comment
Embarrassing Nickname: Although it lends him a sizeable amount of local prestige and respect, Dan absolutely despises being called 'The Preacherman.'
 Nathan Barley / int_317629db
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_317629db
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_317629db
 Nathan Barley / int_319e4a2f
type
Even Evil Has Standards
 Nathan Barley / int_319e4a2f
comment
Even Evil Has Standards: When Dan fails to come up with the goods for 15Peter20's cover feature, Jonatton Yeah? steps in and writes it instead. However, he intentionally forfeits credit and maliciously attributes the feature to Dan Ashcroft - earning Dan even more unwanted praise for his "awesome fuckin' opinions" that he didn't even write.
 Nathan Barley / int_319e4a2f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_319e4a2f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_319e4a2f
 Nathan Barley / int_31fbee81
type
Money Dumb
 Nathan Barley / int_31fbee81
comment
Money Dumb: During the course of the pilot episode, Nathan uses his credit card to blow £260 on a terrible Geek Pie haircut, then another £250 on a glittery gold handbag which he uses as a hat to shamefully hide his haircut. Finally, he gives Mandy £50 for a half-hearted blowjob at the end. All in all, a very expensive day when adjusted for inflation.
 Nathan Barley / int_31fbee81
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_31fbee81
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_31fbee81
 Nathan Barley / int_33900b7
type
Dresses the Same
 Nathan Barley / int_33900b7
comment
Dresses the Same: When Nathan bumps into a hungover, paint-splattered Dan, Dan fools him into believing that his hair has just been styled at the Stanley Knives barber, in a style called a Geek Pie. Nathan immediately rushes over to Stanley Knives to demand the same "style".
 Nathan Barley / int_33900b7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_33900b7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_33900b7
 Nathan Barley / int_34dcfc96
type
Kick the Dog
 Nathan Barley / int_34dcfc96
comment
Kick the Dog: Nathan gets a couple of well-deserved kickings, detailed below. However, as Nathan is also a Karma Houdini, they never last as long as they should... Episode 4 has Nathan being booed, shouted at and laughed at in a theatre full of ultra-cool hipsters, after he disrupts the video being viewed. It ends with his date Dajve laughing him out of the theatre. The entire last episode consists of Dan exacting the revenge he's always dreamed about on Nathan. Over the course of the episode he succeeds in bulldozing Nathan's ego and reducing him to a teary-eyed nervous wreck.
 Nathan Barley / int_34dcfc96
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_34dcfc96
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_34dcfc96
 Nathan Barley / int_35a858b3
type
Cluster F-Bomb
 Nathan Barley / int_35a858b3
comment
Cluster F-Bomb: Claire Ashcroft is pretty much the only character who uses the F word aggressively, and she uses it frequently and with a certain level of agitation and frustration in every episode.
 Nathan Barley / int_35a858b3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_35a858b3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_35a858b3
 Nathan Barley / int_372bc105
type
Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism
 Nathan Barley / int_372bc105
comment
Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: Takes a definite swing towards the cynical end, especially by the final episode.
 Nathan Barley / int_372bc105
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_372bc105
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_372bc105
 Nathan Barley / int_39eba631
type
The Slacker
 Nathan Barley / int_39eba631
comment
The Slacker: Dan Ashcroft is as lazy and as unmotivated as they come, and is basically a massive loser, despite his ability to accidentally write a brilliant article every now and then.
 Nathan Barley / int_39eba631
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_39eba631
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_39eba631
 Nathan Barley / int_3cb6468e
type
Bad Liar
 Nathan Barley / int_3cb6468e
comment
Bad Liar: Dan when he's trying to impress the editor of The Weekend On Sunday. Nathan when he's trying to impress anyone whatsoever.
 Nathan Barley / int_3cb6468e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_3cb6468e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_3cb6468e
 Nathan Barley / int_3cb68bd3
type
Cut His Heart Out with a Spoon
 Nathan Barley / int_3cb68bd3
comment
Cut His Heart Out with a Spoon: Not too many of these, but Claire has probably the most aggressively prone personality of them all.
 Nathan Barley / int_3cb68bd3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_3cb68bd3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_3cb68bd3
 Nathan Barley / int_3ea462d7
type
Take That, Audience!
 Nathan Barley / int_3ea462d7
comment
Take That, Audience!: The police sign◊. See Freeze-Frame Bonus and Easter Egg.
 Nathan Barley / int_3ea462d7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_3ea462d7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_3ea462d7
 Nathan Barley / int_43a46119
type
Surrounded by Idiots
 Nathan Barley / int_43a46119
comment
Surrounded by Idiots: Almost the entire premise of the show.
 Nathan Barley / int_43a46119
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_43a46119
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_43a46119
 Nathan Barley / int_479f9ad0
type
Characterization Marches On
 Nathan Barley / int_479f9ad0
comment
Most of the characters in the pilot display major differences in behaviour: Nathan displays regret, lament and self-doubt after realizing how bad his Geek Pie haircut is. He also apologises to Claire and buys her a bottle of wine to make amends, and even finds Mandy's blowjob awkward and uncomfortable. All of this is totally out of character and never, ever happens at any point in the main series; in the aired episode 5, the blowjob has him positively dancing and jigging with enthusiasm (and he even finishes, to Mandy's detriment...) Dan is noticeably more energetic - he is much more aggressive and spiteful towards the idiots he encounters, and also pushy and demanding to Jonatton Yeah? - very much a typical, overworked journalist trying to get his job done whilst batting away the clowns. This contrasts strongly with the Dan of the main series, who is a completely sedated, depressed, wimpy loser who lets everyone trample on him. Mandy is not a cokehead trust-fund teenager, but just a fairly regular aspiring actress in her early twenties, not too dissimilar to Claire who she appears to be friends with. She's also the only character who is played by a totally different actor - Kate Fleetwood in the pilot, replaced by Ophelia Lovibond in the main series. Dajve Bikinus is very different - she is much friendlier, sweeter and more laid back in the pilot, generally just floating along with whatever Nathan or Toby try to rope her into. In the main series, she is an aggressively promiscuous Alpha Bitch who calls the shots socially. She also possesses a very mean streak that comes out on several occasions. 15Peter20 is shy and anxious, and easily intimidated into silence by Dan. In the aired series he's the opposite; a motor-mouthed Large Ham completely in love with himself and his work. Toby is still a sex pest desperado, but in the pilot he lusts after Dajve - in the final episodes he has a crush on Claire instead. Claire and Toby do not interact with each other at all in the pilot. Averted with Claire, the only character who looks, behaves and swears in the pilot exactly as she does in the finished series.
 Nathan Barley / int_479f9ad0
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_479f9ad0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_479f9ad0
 Nathan Barley / int_47fea76b
type
Butt-Monkey
 Nathan Barley / int_47fea76b
comment
Butt-Monkey: Nervous, socially awkward Pingu, who is the butt of all of Nathan's jokes and pranks while doing all the actual, behind-the-scenes work of updating Trashbat.co.ck. Nathan treats him so poorly that it almost comes across as psychological domestic violence.
 Nathan Barley / int_47fea76b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_47fea76b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_47fea76b
 Nathan Barley / int_4e3d253b
type
Downer Ending
 Nathan Barley / int_4e3d253b
comment
Downer Ending: Dan has a bad ending in hospital; the last, drugged-up visions he sees are of Claire agreeing to be co-director on Nathan's new TV show.
 Nathan Barley / int_4e3d253b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_4e3d253b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_4e3d253b
 Nathan Barley / int_4f4372e9
type
Early-Installment Weirdness
 Nathan Barley / int_4f4372e9
comment
Other general examples of Early-Installment Weirdness: Dajve and Toby are revealed to be cousins in the pilot. In the main series, this is never alluded to, and they are not seen together in any of the aired episodes. While most of the main, recurring characters appear in the pilot, the Sugar Ape gang is almost completely absent - Rufus, Ned, Sasha and Mudd are all missing. Jonatton Yeah? is the only Sugar Ape member who appears, and even then only very briefly during a phone call to Dan. Rufus's actor Spencer Brown actually still appears in the pilot in a different role, 15Peter20's PR manager, and was re-cast as Rufus for the aired series. The pilot episode has no titles, and a blank, audio-only placeholder for the credits. There is also a blank placeholder for The Veryphonics "Flesh Police" music video, although the audio of the song itself is intact. The rest of the Place infomercial content is all there, including Doug Rocket's groundbreaking collaboration with natives.
 Nathan Barley / int_4f4372e9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_4f4372e9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_4f4372e9
 Nathan Barley / int_4f84cdef
type
Smug Snake
 Nathan Barley / int_4f84cdef
comment
Smug Snake: Sugar Ape's chief editor Jonatton Yeah?, who is clever, Affably Evil and mildly sociopathic. He likes to poke fun at Dan Ashcroft while simultaneously milking his unwanted popularity as much as he can for the good of the magazine. He seems to share Dan's views on the plebs and morons that surround him, but is a lot smarter and more socially savvy in the way he deals with them.
 Nathan Barley / int_4f84cdef
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_4f84cdef
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_4f84cdef
 Nathan Barley / int_565106b3
type
Women Are Wiser
 Nathan Barley / int_565106b3
comment
Women Are Wiser: Claire and Sasha are the only two recurring female characters in the show, and also the only two regular characters who aren't idiots and don't care to be part of the hipster culture. They're also both very well-grounded and relatively sane.
 Nathan Barley / int_565106b3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_565106b3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_565106b3
 Nathan Barley / int_58970413
type
Coincidental Broadcast
 Nathan Barley / int_58970413
comment
Coincidental Broadcast: When Nathan smashes Claire's camera to stop her interviewing the allegedly 13-year-old model he just got a blowjob from, the TV switches over to an interview with Jonatton Yeah?, who just happens to be revealing that the girl, and all the others featured in Sugar Ape, are actually 6 years older than their stated age. For shits and giggles of course.
 Nathan Barley / int_58970413
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_58970413
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_58970413
 Nathan Barley / int_59196f87
type
Baby Talk
 Nathan Barley / int_59196f87
comment
Baby Talk: Jonatton savages Dan with a mumbling baby accent, after realising Dan is not capable of delivering the 15Peter20 cover feature that he signed up to do.
 Nathan Barley / int_59196f87
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_59196f87
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_59196f87
 Nathan Barley / int_5cdb777e
type
You Look Familiar
 Nathan Barley / int_5cdb777e
comment
While most of the main, recurring characters appear in the pilot, the Sugar Ape gang is almost completely absent - Rufus, Ned, Sasha and Mudd are all missing. Jonatton Yeah? is the only Sugar Ape member who appears, and even then only very briefly during a phone call to Dan. Rufus's actor Spencer Brown actually still appears in the pilot in a different role, 15Peter20's PR manager, and was re-cast as Rufus for the aired series.
 Nathan Barley / int_5cdb777e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_5cdb777e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_5cdb777e
 Nathan Barley / int_627264e0
type
Death Glare
 Nathan Barley / int_627264e0
comment
Death Glare: Jones shoots one at Nathan when he touches his record deck during a mixing session. Nathan also gets another one from Claire when she overhears him, Rufus and Ned discussing how they pretended to molest underage models.
 Nathan Barley / int_627264e0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_627264e0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_627264e0
 Nathan Barley / int_62f9d08e
type
Freeze-Frame Bonus
 Nathan Barley / int_62f9d08e
comment
Freeze-Frame Bonus: The series features numerous brief shots of Sugar Ape photographs and posters, and it's usually worth pausing to read their captions. Also, during the sixth episode, there is a brief shot of a police sign appealing for witnesses to a crime to step forward◊. The Unreadably Fast Text at the bottom of the sign contains a joke on a subject that anticipates Morris' later project Four Lions, and also insults the viewer for being sad enough to pause the DVD to check whether the shot contains a Freeze Frame Bonus:
 Nathan Barley / int_62f9d08e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_62f9d08e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_62f9d08e
 Nathan Barley / int_64b303c0
type
Drunk with Power
 Nathan Barley / int_64b303c0
comment
Drunk with Power: In the last episode, when Dan chances upon the tape of Pingu diving out of the window, he uses it to blackmail Nathan and wrap him around his finger. For pretty much the first and only time in the whole series, Dan actually becomes happy and giddy with excitement, and his demands become more and more insane.
 Nathan Barley / int_64b303c0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_64b303c0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_64b303c0
 Nathan Barley / int_652bf890
type
Drone of Dread
 Nathan Barley / int_652bf890
comment
At Nathan's Trashbat Party, the crowd's cult-like hero worship of Ashcroft makes him lose his mind. Atop the stage looking down, in full Christian preacher grab, he rants and screams at the Idiots in the crowd with the fury of Hitler, but only succeeds in attracting even more applause. As his breakdown begins to manifest, the background music descends into a frenzied layer of dissonant high-pitched drones and sirens.
 Nathan Barley / int_652bf890
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_652bf890
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_652bf890
 Nathan Barley / int_663f35c0
type
Only One Name
 Nathan Barley / int_663f35c0
comment
Only One Name: Pingu, whose real name we never find out. Maybe he doesn't even have one. Also nutty disc jockey Jones.
 Nathan Barley / int_663f35c0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_663f35c0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_663f35c0
 Nathan Barley / int_664bc28f
type
British Brevity
 Nathan Barley / int_664bc28f
comment
British Brevity: Only one series, and only six twenty-minute episodes.
 Nathan Barley / int_664bc28f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_664bc28f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_664bc28f
 Nathan Barley / int_66755d29
type
Author Avatar
 Nathan Barley / int_66755d29
comment
Author Avatar: Dan Ashcroft for Charlie Brooker. Similar dishevelled appearance, misanthropy and occupation.
 Nathan Barley / int_66755d29
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_66755d29
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_66755d29
 Nathan Barley / int_68a171b6
type
Sadist Show
 Nathan Barley / int_68a171b6
comment
Sadist Show: If there's a moment where any character, no matter how small, can be kicked like a dog, it'll happen. Repeatedly.
 Nathan Barley / int_68a171b6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_68a171b6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_68a171b6
 Nathan Barley / int_6c81c95
type
True Art Is Incomprehensible
 Nathan Barley / int_6c81c95
comment
True Art Is Incomprehensible: Sent up in-universe several times, such as with popular groundbreaking artist 15Peter20, whose entire body of work consists of photos of celebrities urinating.
 Nathan Barley / int_6c81c95
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_6c81c95
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_6c81c95
 Nathan Barley / int_6d89ad1a
type
The Ophelia
 Nathan Barley / int_6d89ad1a
comment
The Ophelia: Mandy is an 18-year-old model and cocaine addict, who believes her uncle sexually abused her when she was eight, despite being fully aware that she's never actually had an uncle. This apparently makes the psychological trauma even worse. She goes on to sing and perform in Nathan's hilariously awful "Bad Uncle" video. She generally appears to be a bit unstable, especially when she gives Nathan a blowjob without him really asking. Funnily enough, the actor who portrays her is named Ophelia Lovibond.
 Nathan Barley / int_6d89ad1a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_6d89ad1a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_6d89ad1a
 Nathan Barley / int_702c2de3
type
Line-of-Sight Alias
 Nathan Barley / int_702c2de3
comment
Line-of-Sight Alias: Dan tells Nathan his accidental hairstyle (cut short on one side and matted with paint on the other) is "Geek Pie" by reading random words off posters on the street.
 Nathan Barley / int_702c2de3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_702c2de3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_702c2de3
 Nathan Barley / int_7286e96d
type
Idiot Ball
 Nathan Barley / int_7286e96d
comment
Idiot Ball: And Dan wins the race by a nose!
 Nathan Barley / int_7286e96d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_7286e96d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_7286e96d
 Nathan Barley / int_75d6bf40
type
Belligerent Sexual Tension
 Nathan Barley / int_75d6bf40
comment
Belligerent Sexual Tension: Claire and Nathan, after their Will They or Won't They? moment. (They won't.)
 Nathan Barley / int_75d6bf40
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_75d6bf40
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_75d6bf40
 Nathan Barley / int_77b009ea
type
Phrase Catcher
 Nathan Barley / int_77b009ea
comment
Phrase Catcher: If the male Ashcroft is in the room and near any kind of idiots, expect him to be called Preacherman or some variation thereof. He even has an entire nightclub full of idiots chanting it at one stage.
 Nathan Barley / int_77b009ea
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_77b009ea
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_77b009ea
 Nathan Barley / int_77dd4ff0
type
Sliding Scale of Shiny Versus Gritty
 Nathan Barley / int_77dd4ff0
comment
Sliding Scale of Shiny Versus Gritty: Compare Sugar Ape's drug den-like "offices" to those of The Weekend on Sunday. Dan learns the hard way that he will never, ever make it to the Shiny side.
 Nathan Barley / int_77dd4ff0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_77dd4ff0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_77dd4ff0
 Nathan Barley / int_7ab81664
type
Kick Them While They Are Down
 Nathan Barley / int_7ab81664
comment
Kick Them While They Are Down: Dan delights in kicking Nathan after the latter realizes just how badly he screwed up with his new haircut.
 Nathan Barley / int_7ab81664
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_7ab81664
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_7ab81664
 Nathan Barley / int_823c6e3e
type
Large Ham
 Nathan Barley / int_823c6e3e
comment
15Peter20 is shy and anxious, and easily intimidated into silence by Dan. In the aired series he's the opposite; a motor-mouthed Large Ham completely in love with himself and his work.
 Nathan Barley / int_823c6e3e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_823c6e3e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_823c6e3e
 Nathan Barley / int_82b039b7
type
ArtisticLicenceLaw
 Nathan Barley / int_82b039b7
comment
Artistic Licence – Law: Jonatton Yeah? officially putting a question mark on the end of his name by deed poll. It’s not actually permitted in the UK to put a punctuation mark in your legal name (other than a hyphen or an apostrophe in names like O’Reilly). Though a professional name would be different, of course.
 Nathan Barley / int_82b039b7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_82b039b7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_82b039b7
 Nathan Barley / int_82b4f38e
type
Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist
 Nathan Barley / int_82b4f38e
comment
Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist: Take your pick.
 Nathan Barley / int_82b4f38e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_82b4f38e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_82b4f38e
 Nathan Barley / int_875615dd
type
Truth in Television
 Nathan Barley / int_875615dd
comment
Truth in Television: If you live in England you will likely know someone like Nathan and the people he hangs out with.
 Nathan Barley / int_875615dd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_875615dd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_875615dd
 Nathan Barley / int_87629455
type
No Communities Were Harmed
 Nathan Barley / int_87629455
comment
No Communities Were Harmed: The series is set in the fictional London district of Hosegate, widely regarded as a thinly-veiled imitation of the real-life districts of Shoreditch and Hoxton.
 Nathan Barley / int_87629455
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_87629455
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_87629455
 Nathan Barley / int_88472ef3
type
Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life
 Nathan Barley / int_88472ef3
comment
Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Dan hates his job, the people around him and life in general.
 Nathan Barley / int_88472ef3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_88472ef3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_88472ef3
 Nathan Barley / int_887d6d58
type
Hipster
 Nathan Barley / int_887d6d58
comment
Hipsters: Nathan and everyone he's proud to be associated with. Dan looks around at the Trashbat Party in episode 2 in utter dismay, to see the Idiots dressed up as scuba divers, beekeepers and Scottish highlanders, amongst other things. And it's not even a designated fancy-dress party, those are just casual clothes! This is before Dan himself is forcibly dressed up as the Preacherman by the baying crowd.
 Nathan Barley / int_887d6d58
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_887d6d58
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_887d6d58
 Nathan Barley / int_890d4ef2
type
Humiliation Conga
 Nathan Barley / int_890d4ef2
comment
Claire's prostitution film gets screened in finished form during a late-night party at Place, which all of the Hosegate regulars attend. It actually proves to be a big hit with the crowd - even scoring complements from Doug Rocket (who was watching it through a periscope from upstairs...naturally). Claire remains pissed off anyway though, as she pessimistically declares that the praise in the room is purely for Mandy's tits, and not for any of Claire's artistic or technical merit as a filmmaker. Nathan then suffers a Humiliation Conga, when Mandy and Dajve meet and awkwardly discover that he has casted them both in the same role in his next film. After some incredible cringe from Nathan, it all ends happily - Doug Rocket swoops in and invites Mandy to his suite upstairs, Toby grabs Dajve for a dance, Claire and Dan get drunk, and Nathan bumps into a young blonde actress who he accidentally bamboozles with his charm.
 Nathan Barley / int_890d4ef2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_890d4ef2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_890d4ef2
 Nathan Barley / int_90b330ab
type
No-Respect Guy
 Nathan Barley / int_90b330ab
comment
No-Respect Guy: "Preacherman" Ashcroft. He always manages to fall at the last hurdle.
 Nathan Barley / int_90b330ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_90b330ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_90b330ab
 Nathan Barley / int_913b9a12
type
Defictionalisation
 Nathan Barley / int_913b9a12
comment
Defictionalisation: http://www.trashbat.co.ck
 Nathan Barley / int_913b9a12
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_913b9a12
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_913b9a12
 Nathan Barley / int_9838d681
type
DudeMagnet
 Nathan Barley / int_9838d681
comment
Dude Magnet: Claire Ashcroft, who Nathan, Toby and Pingu all share a massive crush on. The three of them try variously to curry favour and win her affections, but she remains a stoic Ice Queen throughout the series, interested only in her career.
 Nathan Barley / int_9838d681
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_9838d681
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_9838d681
 Nathan Barley / int_9af54b9d
type
Double Take
 Nathan Barley / int_9af54b9d
comment
Double Take: Some loitering gangsters in the street do several of these when Dan walks past them covered in paint. They do a few more later when Dan walks past them covered in paint with half his hair missing.
 Nathan Barley / int_9af54b9d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_9af54b9d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_9af54b9d
 Nathan Barley / int_9cc1a329
type
Upper-Class Twit
 Nathan Barley / int_9cc1a329
comment
Upper-Class Twit: Nathan has access to a lot of his parents' money and very little common sense or intelligence.
 Nathan Barley / int_9cc1a329
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_9cc1a329
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_9cc1a329
 Nathan Barley / int_a1d70162
type
I Just Shot Marvin in the Face
 Nathan Barley / int_a1d70162
comment
I Just Shot Marvin in the Face: Nathan decides to prank Pingu using a gun in episode 6. The trope is averted slightly, as Nathan doesn't actually fire the gun; nonetheless, the sight of it is enough to make a terrified Pingu impulsively dive head-first out of a second floor window. Nathan is left stunned and speechless.
 Nathan Barley / int_a1d70162
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_a1d70162
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_a1d70162
 Nathan Barley / int_a70223
type
Karma Houdini
 Nathan Barley / int_a70223
comment
Karma Houdini: Nathan Barley himself defines this trope. Despite his repugnant behaviour and some really awful cock-ups (like the Geek Pie haircut), he comes out on top every single fucking time. Unlike Dan Ashcroft. Even after his most crippling, most devastating humiliation at the hands of Mandy (see Humiliation Conga above), he still manages to score with an attractive, hopeful young actress only seconds later. And same again in episode 4; minutes after being universally mocked and laughed out of the theatre for the Geek Pie by a crowd of Idiots, Nathan bumps into two Japanese hipster journalists who proceed to splash him all over their TV channel in Japan as "Mr. Super-Cool". Episode 5 sees Claire attempting to embarrass and humiliate Nathan in front of all his friends, by telling them he got a blowjob from a 13 year old girl, but doesn't expect them to hi-five Nathan at how awesome it is.
 Nathan Barley / int_a70223
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_a70223
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_a70223
 Nathan Barley / int_a806691d
type
Casanova Wannabe
 Nathan Barley / int_a806691d
comment
Casanova Wannabe: Nathan's friend Toby constantly has girls and sex on his mind almost 24/7. He makes several attempts to seduce Claire but they come across mildly creepy at best. The only time he ever gets any is in the pilot episode when he chats up Dajve Bikinus, his cousin. Nathan also fits this, albeit he is a little less conscious about it than Toby. Nathan is superb at dancing, flirting and talking the talk, but his facade immediately crumbles in front of Dajve as soon as she starts hinting towards sex.
 Nathan Barley / int_a806691d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_a806691d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_a806691d
 Nathan Barley / int_ae3d6438
type
Deadpan Snarker
 Nathan Barley / int_ae3d6438
comment
Deadpan Snarker: Jonatton Yeah? is particularly good at this.
 Nathan Barley / int_ae3d6438
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_ae3d6438
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_ae3d6438
 Nathan Barley / int_b2e9c33f
type
Magical Accessory
 Nathan Barley / int_b2e9c33f
comment
Magical Accessory: Nathan is never seen without his Wasp T12 mobile phone, which is complete with wireless headset, record deck scratch pads, a business card printer and a gigantic number '5' button.
 Nathan Barley / int_b2e9c33f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_b2e9c33f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_b2e9c33f
 Nathan Barley / int_b53077b3
type
Take That!
 Nathan Barley / int_b53077b3
comment
Take That!: Charlie Brooker created the series as an extended jab at all the Nathan type characters in his life. Fortunately, quality writing allowed the show to avoid becoming a tiresome Author Tract.
 Nathan Barley / int_b53077b3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_b53077b3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_b53077b3
 Nathan Barley / int_b58b4e3c
type
Too Dumb to Live
 Nathan Barley / int_b58b4e3c
comment
Too Dumb to Live: Seemingly most of the cast, but special mention must go to the Sugar Ape staff members who ride mobility scooters (top speed: 10mph) along a crowded main street, merrily oblivious to the explosive amounts of road rage they are causing behind them.
 Nathan Barley / int_b58b4e3c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_b58b4e3c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_b58b4e3c
 Nathan Barley / int_b5c56995
type
Corrupt the Cutie
 Nathan Barley / int_b5c56995
comment
Corrupt the Cutie: Claire initially has wide-eyed ambitions about directing documentaries showcasing London's underclass and sociology. When this doesn't entirely pan out, she is forced to accept interviewing Large Ham Doug Rocket every single day, as well as assisting Nathan with producing semi-pornographic wank fodder.
 Nathan Barley / int_b5c56995
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_b5c56995
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_b5c56995
 Nathan Barley / int_b7bc7d28
type
Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny!
 Nathan Barley / int_b7bc7d28
comment
Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny!: Over-excited Nathan has the attention span of a pencil. He is often seen in high street stores and cafes, flamboyantly ordering lots of rubbish, then pissing off halfway through when he sees someone whose popularity he can leech off of. He also makes a habit of leaving Claire in the lurch after forcing her to come out with him.
 Nathan Barley / int_b7bc7d28
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_b7bc7d28
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_b7bc7d28
 Nathan Barley / int_b96ee227
type
Everyone Meets Everyone
 Nathan Barley / int_b96ee227
comment
Everyone Meets Everyone: Dan and Claire are obviously siblings and live together, and Nathan is a huge Sugar Ape and Ashcroft fan. However, Nathan has never actually met Dan nor Claire until the first episode, when they randomly bump into each other in a newsagents, and later in a cafè. The rest of the series follows on from those rather ordinary chance encounters between these three characters. Nathan also meets Dajve Bikinus for the first time at the Exbuse opening night, despite them both having heard a lot about each other beforehand.
 Nathan Barley / int_b96ee227
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_b96ee227
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_b96ee227
 Nathan Barley / int_bc00493f
type
Precision F-Strike
 Nathan Barley / int_bc00493f
comment
Precision F-Strike: When Ned and Rufus fail to take Dan seriously over his job interview, he stuns them with a quick, out-of-character "Fuck off!".
 Nathan Barley / int_bc00493f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_bc00493f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_bc00493f
 Nathan Barley / int_bc74ef27
type
Berserk Button
 Nathan Barley / int_bc74ef27
comment
Berserk Button: The usually sedated, depressed Dan Ashcroft seriously spits his dummy out on occasion. At Nathan's Trashbat Party, the crowd's cult-like hero worship of Ashcroft makes him lose his mind. Atop the stage looking down, in full Christian preacher grab, he rants and screams at the Idiots in the crowd with the fury of Hitler, but only succeeds in attracting even more applause. As his breakdown begins to manifest, the background music descends into a frenzied layer of dissonant high-pitched drones and sirens. Earlier in the same episode, Dan lands a late-night gambling windfall. He jumps up in joy, accidentally catching and disconnecting the laptop from the internet cable. After reconnecting and finding his winnings have been lost, he gets so angry that he smashes the laptop to bits.
 Nathan Barley / int_bc74ef27
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_bc74ef27
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_bc74ef27
 Nathan Barley / int_bdc453a0
type
Incest Subtext
 Nathan Barley / int_bdc453a0
comment
Incest Subtext: Toby is well keen to rub hottie Dajve Bikinus as he believes he's got some promising signals from her. He also genuinely believes that these signals are nothing to do with the fact they are cousins.
 Nathan Barley / int_bdc453a0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_bdc453a0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_bdc453a0
 Nathan Barley / int_be6f7ae7
type
Brief Accent Imitation
 Nathan Barley / int_be6f7ae7
comment
Brief Accent Imitation: Nathan does this to the beardy twat in Regime before him and Claire are ejected from the premises. Dan also does this to Claire, insinuating that she's in love with Nathan, but is quickly silenced by a reminder that he owes her money.
 Nathan Barley / int_be6f7ae7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_be6f7ae7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_be6f7ae7
 Nathan Barley / int_bef25af8
type
Circle of Shame
 Nathan Barley / int_bef25af8
comment
Circle of Shame: During the Terrorists Are Gay viewing at the theatre, Nathan becomes an easy target for audience mockery when his Geek Pie haircut is suddenly revealed. He desperately turns to his date Dajve Bikinus, but she's howling with laughter harder than anyone, and she doesn't stop until Nathan has left the building in disgrace.
 Nathan Barley / int_bef25af8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_bef25af8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_bef25af8
 Nathan Barley / int_c3943bf3
type
Pilot
 Nathan Barley / int_c3943bf3
comment
Pilot: The pilot episode was initially unaired, but released as an extra on the DVD. It's 40 minutes long, compared to 25 minutes for the regular episodes, and is essentially an early 'beta' version of episode 4, with sections of episodes 3 and 5 mashed into it. Most of the pilot episode is brand new, unused footage that was either re-shot or dropped for the series proper. Like episode 4, the core plot revolves around Nathan continually bumping Claire's latest film off, so that he can hang out with his crush Dajve Bikinus instead. However, he runs into problems when he blindly copies Dan's new "Geek Pie" haircut - the same one that Dan spends his day trying desperately to get rid of. The following parts from other episodes are included and weaved into the episode 4 narrative: After killing Nikolai's cat and fleeing, Dan goes to Place to attend the 15Peter20 art exhibition from episode 3. In the aired episode 4, he goes to the bank for a loan interview instead. In both instances, he's still completely covered in paint. The scene at Nikolai's barber shop is one of only two scenes where the original pilot take was carried through to the final series (the other one being Stanley Knives). Claire's latest film is the prostitution one with Mandy from episode 5, including the subplot with Mandy blowing Nathan. In the aired episode 4, Claire is working on editing hours of endless, nonsensical Doug Rocket monologue instead. Notable differences to the aired episodes 3, 4 and 5 include: After Nathan purchases his 'headbag' from Bumphuk and exits the shop, Dan comes walking down the street, causing a panicky Nathan to abruptly ditch Dajve and run off so that he isn't seen. In the aired episode, Dan never appears, so Nathan carries on walking with Dajve, accompanying her to the 'Terrorists Are Gay' viewing at the theatre. The Stanley Knives barber shop scene is far longer and much more interesting. We see Troll liberally applying paint and glue, Nathan gets to see Troll's "snip stats" on a tablet, and Troll has to work around Nathan hyperactively bopping his head to Jones's music - before finally sedating Nathan by ramming a dummy into his mouth. Liz White also appears as an unnamed and moody hipster cashier, who expresses admiration for Nathan's new haircut, whilst casually charging him an obscene amount of money plus tips. The screened version of Stanley Knives is the same take as the pilot but cuts most of the haircut process out, along with all of the cashier's scenes. Although he attends 15Peter20's exhibition, Dan is not shown attempting to write up the resulting Sugar Ape cover feature. Instead, he spends the rest of the episode trying to get rid of his Geek Pie haircut (which he refers to as a "Greek Pie" in the pilot) before getting tanked on booze yet again at the end of the night. The episode ends with the following brand new scene. It was completely dropped and did not appear in any of the aired episodes: Claire's prostitution film gets screened in finished form during a late-night party at Place, which all of the Hosegate regulars attend. It actually proves to be a big hit with the crowd - even scoring complements from Doug Rocket (who was watching it through a periscope from upstairs...naturally). Claire remains pissed off anyway though, as she pessimistically declares that the praise in the room is purely for Mandy's tits, and not for any of Claire's artistic or technical merit as a filmmaker. Nathan then suffers a Humiliation Conga, when Mandy and Dajve meet and awkwardly discover that he has casted them both in the same role in his next film. After some incredible cringe from Nathan, it all ends happily - Doug Rocket swoops in and invites Mandy to his suite upstairs, Toby grabs Dajve for a dance, Claire and Dan get drunk, and Nathan bumps into a young blonde actress who he accidentally bamboozles with his charm. Most of the characters in the pilot display major differences in behaviour: Nathan displays regret, lament and self-doubt after realizing how bad his Geek Pie haircut is. He also apologises to Claire and buys her a bottle of wine to make amends, and even finds Mandy's blowjob awkward and uncomfortable. All of this is totally out of character and never, ever happens at any point in the main series; in the aired episode 5, the blowjob has him positively dancing and jigging with enthusiasm (and he even finishes, to Mandy's detriment...) Dan is noticeably more energetic - he is much more aggressive and spiteful towards the idiots he encounters, and also pushy and demanding to Jonatton Yeah? - very much a typical, overworked journalist trying to get his job done whilst batting away the clowns. This contrasts strongly with the Dan of the main series, who is a completely sedated, depressed, wimpy loser who lets everyone trample on him. Mandy is not a cokehead trust-fund teenager, but just a fairly regular aspiring actress in her early twenties, not too dissimilar to Claire who she appears to be friends with. She's also the only character who is played by a totally different actor - Kate Fleetwood in the pilot, replaced by Ophelia Lovibond in the main series. Dajve Bikinus is very different - she is much friendlier, sweeter and more laid back in the pilot, generally just floating along with whatever Nathan or Toby try to rope her into. In the main series, she is an aggressively promiscuous Alpha Bitch who calls the shots socially. She also possesses a very mean streak that comes out on several occasions. 15Peter20 is shy and anxious, and easily intimidated into silence by Dan. In the aired series he's the opposite; a motor-mouthed Large Ham completely in love with himself and his work. Toby is still a sex pest desperado, but in the pilot he lusts after Dajve - in the final episodes he has a crush on Claire instead. Claire and Toby do not interact with each other at all in the pilot. Averted with Claire, the only character who looks, behaves and swears in the pilot exactly as she does in the finished series. Other general examples of Early-Installment Weirdness: Dajve and Toby are revealed to be cousins in the pilot. In the main series, this is never alluded to, and they are not seen together in any of the aired episodes. While most of the main, recurring characters appear in the pilot, the Sugar Ape gang is almost completely absent - Rufus, Ned, Sasha and Mudd are all missing. Jonatton Yeah? is the only Sugar Ape member who appears, and even then only very briefly during a phone call to Dan. Rufus's actor Spencer Brown actually still appears in the pilot in a different role, 15Peter20's PR manager, and was re-cast as Rufus for the aired series. The pilot episode has no titles, and a blank, audio-only placeholder for the credits. There is also a blank placeholder for The Veryphonics "Flesh Police" music video, although the audio of the song itself is intact. The rest of the Place infomercial content is all there, including Doug Rocket's groundbreaking collaboration with natives.
 Nathan Barley / int_c3943bf3
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_c3943bf3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_c3943bf3
 Nathan Barley / int_c3b7509c
type
Doublethink
 Nathan Barley / int_c3b7509c
comment
Double Think: Mandy tells Nathan that her uncle sexually abused her when she was eight. The damage to her psyche is worsened by the fact she doesn't even have an uncle.
 Nathan Barley / int_c3b7509c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_c3b7509c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_c3b7509c
 Nathan Barley / int_c3c77510
type
There Is Only One Bed
 Nathan Barley / int_c3c77510
comment
There Is Only One Bed: Claire crashes at Nathan's flat after they are kicked out of Regime. Nathan stubbornly insists that Claire have his bed while he sleeps on the couch.
 Nathan Barley / int_c3c77510
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_c3c77510
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_c3c77510
 Nathan Barley / int_c3debc8e
type
V-Sign
 Nathan Barley / int_c3debc8e
comment
V-Sign: Dan is quite happy to give a pair of V Signs to his belligerent co-workers after he lands a job interview with The Weekend on Sunday.
 Nathan Barley / int_c3debc8e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_c3debc8e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_c3debc8e
 Nathan Barley / int_c5ef2d50
type
Cringe Comedy
 Nathan Barley / int_c5ef2d50
comment
Cringe Comedy: Dan's failed job interview with The Weekend on Sunday is nail-bitingly awful to watch. Even his former college friend-turned-editor Max Herbert gives up on him when asked to list his top five supermarket wines. Nathan has a ready and willing Claire in his bed, and they're on the cusp of making out, but then Nathan suddenly starts rapping to some reggae beats about sex. It's so horrendously cringeworthy, that it turns Claire off completely in 20 seconds flat.
 Nathan Barley / int_c5ef2d50
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_c5ef2d50
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_c5ef2d50
 Nathan Barley / int_c675d08c
type
Compliment Backfire
 Nathan Barley / int_c675d08c
comment
Compliment Backfire: After Nathan's blowjob from Mandy.
 Nathan Barley / int_c675d08c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_c675d08c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_c675d08c
 Nathan Barley / int_caa28b82
type
Cloudcuckoolander
 Nathan Barley / int_caa28b82
comment
Cloudcuckoolander: Ned Smanks is easily the most spaced out character in the show. He believes that hens are "well dense" (as in lacking intelligence). He thinks Nathans game Cock Muff Bumhole is good, not because "it's rude", but because "it looks like it's good because it's rude!"
 Nathan Barley / int_caa28b82
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_caa28b82
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_caa28b82
 Nathan Barley / int_cf6ce348
type
Porn Names
 Nathan Barley / int_cf6ce348
comment
Porn Names: Nathan markets Trash Industries' latest film on prostitution as a seedy lads' porn flick with the slogan "A-dickory-lickory-doc", and not the serious documentary that Claire intended it to be. Naturally, she is not very happy about this, despite the film's success and recognition by Doug Rocket as a result.
 Nathan Barley / int_cf6ce348
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_cf6ce348
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_cf6ce348
 Nathan Barley / int_d171a8c1
type
Evil Debt Collector
 Nathan Barley / int_d171a8c1
comment
Evil Debt Collector: One barges into Claire's flat in episode 2 and takes her camera, after presenting a bill for thousands of pounds for an unreturned video rental by Dan over seven years ago.
 Nathan Barley / int_d171a8c1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_d171a8c1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_d171a8c1
 Nathan Barley / int_d52d28b6
type
Hypocrite
 Nathan Barley / int_d52d28b6
comment
Hypocrite: Dan and Claire; Dan for scorning the hipsters he was surrounded with while simultaneously being equally pretentious and superficial, and Claire for her efforts to be regarded as a socially conscious, politically aware filmmaker when her key interest was in fact furthering her own media career. Not to mention her criticisms of the model starring in Barley's Bad Uncle video:
 Nathan Barley / int_d52d28b6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_d52d28b6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_d52d28b6
 Nathan Barley / int_d5b6d628
type
Black Comedy Pet Death
 Nathan Barley / int_d5b6d628
comment
Black Comedy Pet Death: Dan accidentally knocks a pair of scissors onto his barbers' cat, stabbing it in the head. This of course, was shortly after his barber explained that the cat was important to him because he'd bought it for his dead wife.
 Nathan Barley / int_d5b6d628
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_d5b6d628
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_d5b6d628
 Nathan Barley / int_d848560f
type
Unusual Euphemism
 Nathan Barley / int_d848560f
comment
Unusual Euphemism: The series is absolutely peppered with them, almost all originating from Barley himself, although fellow idiots Ned Smanks and Rufus Onslatt also come up with a few.
 Nathan Barley / int_d848560f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_d848560f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_d848560f
 Nathan Barley / int_dda99fa8
type
Despair Event Horizon
 Nathan Barley / int_dda99fa8
comment
Despair Event Horizon: Episode 6 in its entirety is basically Dan having a slow, prolonged nervous breakdown, after a nightmare he has ends with the realization that "the idiots are winning". Sanity Slippage and Thousand-Yard Stare becomes more frequent.
 Nathan Barley / int_dda99fa8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_dda99fa8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_dda99fa8
 Nathan Barley / int_deea2fb5
type
Idle Rich
 Nathan Barley / int_deea2fb5
comment
Idle Rich: Barley himself, who often hands out his credit card willy-nilly for lots of stupidly expensive purchases. Handbags from Bumphuk, haircuts from Stanley Knives, cocaine money for Mandy, etc.
 Nathan Barley / int_deea2fb5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_deea2fb5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_deea2fb5
 Nathan Barley / int_e11e88b6
type
Thousand-Yard Stare
 Nathan Barley / int_e11e88b6
comment
Thousand-Yard Stare: Dan is left somewhat catatonic after returning from his straight-on-straight experience in the men's toilets.
 Nathan Barley / int_e11e88b6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_e11e88b6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_e11e88b6
 Nathan Barley / int_e2d457
type
The Ditz
 Nathan Barley / int_e2d457
comment
The Ditz: Toby comes across as a bit devoid of basic social graces and self-awareness; he's not an "idiot" in the Dan Ashcroft sense of the word, more just a "bit simple".
 Nathan Barley / int_e2d457
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_e2d457
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_e2d457
 Nathan Barley / int_e2f13529
type
World of Jerkass
 Nathan Barley / int_e2f13529
comment
World of Jerkass: You should have twigged to this by now.
 Nathan Barley / int_e2f13529
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_e2f13529
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_e2f13529
 Nathan Barley / int_e34400ab
type
Ambiguously Gay
 Nathan Barley / int_e34400ab
comment
Ambiguously Gay: The "Stray" subculture of "straight-gay men", one of whom Dan Ashcroft wanks off in a pub (in the name of Gonzo journalism, obviously).
 Nathan Barley / int_e34400ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_e34400ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_e34400ab
 Nathan Barley / int_e890e381
type
Acronym and Abbreviation Overload
 Nathan Barley / int_e890e381
comment
Acronym and Abbreviation Overload: Not really acronym-wise, but Jonatton Yeah? regularly likes to use the abbreviation "etcetera", as well as phonetic abbreviations like "bleurgh" and "meow" to express himself.
 Nathan Barley / int_e890e381
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_e890e381
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_e890e381
 Nathan Barley / int_e91cc721
type
In the Style of
 Nathan Barley / int_e91cc721
comment
In the Style of: The final sequence in the last episode is a clear stylistic lift from another Chris Morris show, Jam.
 Nathan Barley / int_e91cc721
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_e91cc721
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_e91cc721
 Nathan Barley / int_ece6f910
type
Moment Killer
 Nathan Barley / int_ece6f910
comment
Moment Killer: Nathan's attempted pick-up of Mandy crashes into a deafeningly awkward silence when she suddenly reveals she was fucked by her uncle at the age of eight.
 Nathan Barley / int_ece6f910
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_ece6f910
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_ece6f910
 Nathan Barley / int_f10d3363
type
Distracted by the Sexy
 Nathan Barley / int_f10d3363
comment
Distracted by the Sexy: In episode 3, Nathan is talking about Place. to Claire while she changes her top, but as he stares at her body, his small talk trails off into slurred gibberish.
 Nathan Barley / int_f10d3363
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_f10d3363
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_f10d3363
 Nathan Barley / int_f16da697
type
Undying Loyalty
 Nathan Barley / int_f16da697
comment
Undying Loyalty: Nathan hero-worships Dan, never really noticing just how much Dan hates his guts. Even after Dan trolls him hardcore in the final episode, he still comes to see him in hospital and offers him a spot on his TV show.
 Nathan Barley / int_f16da697
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_f16da697
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_f16da697
 Nathan Barley / int_f2877d9e
type
IncrediblyLamePun
 Nathan Barley / int_f2877d9e
comment
Incredibly Lame Pun: Mostly courtesy of Dan the manic depressive.
 Nathan Barley / int_f2877d9e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_f2877d9e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_f2877d9e
 Nathan Barley / int_f9f2c33
type
Running Gag
 Nathan Barley / int_f9f2c33
comment
Running Gag: No matter what Dan says to the intercom at Sugar Ape, whether it's false names or just plain manic depressive groaning, they always manage to guess it's him. Claire constantly being kept awake by Jones' ultra-loud late night mixing sessions, in contrast to Dan who is always shown sleeping through the cacophony like a baby. Every single person who watches Claire's "Junkie Choir" film bursts out laughing at it. Claire is offended every single time. It's meant to be serious, damnit! Dan constantly promising Claire that he'll either "get the money" or "buy you a new one" after her camera is repossessed by debt collectors in episode 2. He never makes good on a single one of his promises.
 Nathan Barley / int_f9f2c33
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_f9f2c33
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_f9f2c33
 Nathan Barley / int_fbc5c9fb
type
Wacky Startup Workplace
 Nathan Barley / int_fbc5c9fb
comment
Wacky Startup Workplace: The offices of Sugar Ape, so much. There are pinball machines, beanbags, and often a staff member riding on a kids' pedal tractor. It's so noisy and chaotic that Dan can hardly stand working there.
 Nathan Barley / int_fbc5c9fb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_fbc5c9fb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_fbc5c9fb
 Nathan Barley / int_fc151e9d
type
Department of Redundancy Department
 Nathan Barley / int_fc151e9d
comment
Department of Redundancy Department: Ned and Rufus often have to repeat basic sentences and statements to each other, multiple times over, before either of their brains will register anything. Nathan also misuses the acronym 'AKA' by adding an extra 'as' onto the end.
 Nathan Barley / int_fc151e9d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_fc151e9d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_fc151e9d
 Nathan Barley / int_fe0330fb
type
Brick Joke
 Nathan Barley / int_fe0330fb
comment
Brick Joke: The fifth episode has Dan continuously dropping items on the floor, presumably from the holes in his pocket. He also seems to have lost his key, so Claire gives him her spare. In The Stinger, he's trying to gt in his house, but can't find the keys, when a builder he wanked off earlier in the episode (and appears to be interested in a relationship with him) appears behind him with it. Dan takes the key from him and opens the door, shutting the builder out.
 Nathan Barley / int_fe0330fb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_fe0330fb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_fe0330fb
 Nathan Barley / int_name
type
ItemName
 Nathan Barley / int_name
comment
 Nathan Barley / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Nathan Barley / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Nathan Barley / int_name
 Nathan Barley / int_name
itemName
Nathan Barley

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Author Avatar / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Bad Influencer / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Black Comedy Pet Death / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Hipster / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Licked by the Dog / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Line-of-Sight Alias / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Logging onto the Fourth Wall / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
My Nayme Is / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Series of the 2000s / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Take That, Audience! / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
The Danza / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Unreadably Fast Text / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
Upper-Class Twit / int_adeaeec8
 Nathan Barley
hasFeature
The Snark Knight / int_adeaeec8