MOSS IS FAMOUS NOW?! Americans React To "The IT Crowd - S4E2 - The Final Countdown"

[@THC-TheHieronymusComplainer]

The Countdown teapot is legendary. The programme has been on for decades, mainly watched by old folks and students!

[@thatsthat2612]

Yeah lol, I had to watch countdown when I was 15 and skived a day of school with a fake illness and my dad was at home 😂

[@bujin1977]

It was never the same after Richard Whiteley died. I mean, it was exactly the same. But Richard Whiteley was a damn legend.

[@KotRFFXIV]

Yeah! My nan and grandad would have countdown on every day XD

[@Dreyno]

And the unemployed.

[@selfaware3940]

I have teapot envy...:p

[@helmutkok7833]

There was an actual contestant on Countdown who had a, "Good morning, that's a nice tnetennba" T-shirt on

[@KevPage-Witkicker]

The window cleaner is Limmy, his own show is mental and well worth a watch.

[@creodas]

Steel is heavier ;)

[@joepiekl]

I remember listening to an interview where he said he was quite gutted about this, because he got asked to do a character and expected it to be a regular bit-part like Noel Fielding, but he just got the job of an incomprehensible Scot.

[@choomah]

His lockdown show was in my opinion some of his best work. So good and creative with the limitations. So good 👍👍

[@choomah]

​@@joepieklhe might have only had a small bit-part. But it's a feckin fantastic one.

[@FrodankBaggies]

Benny Harvey R.I.P

[@Lones555]

The main difference between UK and US Gameshows is the prizes in UK shows are generally symbolic rather than high value. There are of course a few exceptions in the more modern Gameshow formats. Also "Countdown" is still a show that's on today, "8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown" is just a spin off of the format using the "8 out of 10 cats" team.

[@milkysue5496]

They MUST already know this. They've seen soooo many countdown videos. Do they never read the comments or do research after

[@24magiccarrot]

@@milkysue5496 They haven't seen any countdown videos, they've only ever seen clips from the 8 out of 10 cats spin-off show so they've only ever seen it as a background for some comedy rather than as a serious gameshow.

[@phatpolofish]

If you see a bright yellow Amnesty International poster in the background, I made that. When I worked for Amnesty we used to do a TV show called The Secret Policeman's Ball and Moss and Roy did an IT Crowd live sketch for us, they kept the poster I made and put it on set.

[@QueeferSutherland1]

Limmy is a frickin legend.

[@eldeano9964]

Love how Benedict Wong is in this

[@rikmoran3963]

Thank you! I was trying to work out where I recognised him from!

[@SharmanSomerset]

He was wonderful in Sean Lock’s 15 Storeys High sitcom too x

[@leonardopech2374]

Wongers

[@lesibi]

It's the playing & taking part that counts, the prizes are just symbolic

[@gcullen104]

Quick history lesson. Countdown is a game show that's been running on Channel 4 since 1982. It is beloved of retired people as it's been broadcast in mid afternoon for 40 years plus. For channel 4's 30th anniversary they did a one off episode in which they amalgamated Countdown with the Jimmy Carr comedy show 8 out of 10 cats. So, naturally they called it 8 out of 10 cats does Countdown. This proved so popular that it became a regular programme itself. Incidentally, you guys should take a look at the original 8 out of 10 cats. There's lots of stuff with a young Sean Lock that is well worth a look.

[@joevictor53]

Originally a French show called Numbers and Letters

[@Dreyno]

@@Zippy66Get a job 😬 😂

[@fionadutton8149]

And still running on French telly as is Come Dine With Me @@joevictor53

[@danny-boy01522]

Yea the early episodes were good turned rubbish later on like pretty much all comedy thays on TV these days

[@Strange_Club]

Stopped watching after Richard Whitely died. Was never the same again. 😢

[@DaChaGee]

The guy who plays Harold Tong was in The Martian and some other Hollywood movies.

[@medalion1390]

I had the pleasure of meeting the guy who plays the window cleaner at a charity do once. He was surprisingly down to earth, and VERY funny.

[@KevPage-Witkicker]

Harold Tong turns up alongside Dr Strange....

[@CharlieyT95]

Probably The Best episode of the show, the I've been waiting for.

[@mpmlopes]

"I came here to drink milk and kick arse. I've just finished my milk." - One of the best lines, and deliveries, in a comedy show ever.

[@ppppp789]

taken from They Live of course

[@jaccilowe3842]

The teapot is a trophy rather than a prize.

[@Anarchy3457]

For such a small role, Douglas is one of the greatest comedy characters ever

[@lordsummerisle87]

Countdown is a long-running game-show on British TV. Usually around teatime (4PM), when it's mostly geeky students, the unemployed and retirees watching. It's a bit dry and twee for most people, which is where the comedy of crossing it with something "cool" like Fight Club or Eight Out of Ten Cats comes from. And yes the "grand prize" is rather crap in real life. That's a tradition of British gameshows. There used to be very strict rules about it to avoid "undue prominence" back-door advertising on the BBC that have become relaxed over time.

[@paulmidsussex3409]

Just about any time between 11am and 8pm can be tea time. Earlier than 11am is breakfast tea and after 8pm is bedtime tea.

[@lordsummerisle87]

@@paulmidsussex3409 I agree that any time is tea time, but there is only one teatime. There's also a Mr Teatime, but I would prefer not to think of him. Far too scary.

[@gar6446]

Ah Americans cannot compute that people might compete for a worthless item like a teapot, a blankety blank chequebook and pen or a tiny urm of ashes.

[@captvimes]

This is my favourite episode, street countdown did for me watching it the first time

[@easterdeer]

I don't know how I manage to forget Limmy's in this every single time. He's amazing. I think Limmy's Show may be hard to get past copyright which is a shame, but I'd recommend it - he should have been in Monty Python if he was born earlier. He streams on Twitch now - sometimes takes the piss out of old gameshows, lots of clips on KZbin, insanely funny 😄 This is one of my favourite IT Crowd episodes - perfect

[@RG-Zeldaplayer]

Rules of countdown: Two contestants have 30 seconds to make the longest word they can by rearranging a selection of 9 letters. The contestants choose the selection from two piles of letters - seperated into consonants and vowels. The selection must have at least 3 vowels and 4 consonants. There is also a "number's round" - where they choose 6 numbers from a selection of 24 (these are two sets of the numbers 1-10, and the numbers 25,50,75 and 100) to work with and a random 3 digit number is generated - they then have to add, subtract, multiply and/or divide those 6 numbers to get as close as they can to the 3 digit number. (for example you might choose the numbers 5,2,3,50,100, and 75 and have to get to the number 925.) These rounds are played repeatedly throughout the 45 minute show - with brief breaks for an annecdote from a celebrity guest and an educational section on the origin of words. Finally the show ends with a "countdown conundrum." This is a 9 letter anagram that the contestants have to compete to decipher first. It's an unbelievably nerdy show - loved by geeks, the elderly, students and the unemployed.

[@Jeflar70]

‘COUNTDOWN’ isn’t “the old show”, it still exists and has never stopped broadcasting. The 8 out of 10 Cats version is just an occasional late-night spoof version, although they still actually play the game. 8 out of 10 Cats is/was a topical news quiz - the two shows have been mashed together for shits and giggles.

[@LukeLjJames]

MY GOD DUDE - HOW CAN YOU NOT GET THAT THE 8+ GUY IS LIKE MORPHEUS AND THE SCENE FROM THE MATRIX ..... THATS WHY HE SIDE STEPPIN AND TAKING THE PEE LIKE A SSPOOF ;)

[@deadcatthinks6725]

To have a countdown teapot is the peak.

[@claram4610]

As an English woman, Daniel's statement: "I was trying not to say nothing, ya know, because maybe they hold teapots in high regard over there" was the most adorable thing I've heard in ages! 😂. Not all of us do, but I do stereotypically love tea so appreciate the sensitivity to our plight ❤👌 x

[@snakesocks]

This reaction was so TNETENNBA!!!

[@AdeboFunkyVoodoo]

This episode is great because so many people in it went on to great success. Prime, Benedict Wong, is in the Marvel movies and The Martian. Ivana, Gemma Chan is also in a Marvel movie and was in Crazy Rich Asians. Moss, Richard Ayoade had his holywood moment in The Watch with Ben Stiller and among many other things voiced a character in Star Wars spin off The Mandalorian. Roy, Chris O'Dowd has done a few movies now, with the most notable being Bridesmaids all.whilst still managing to clean windows.

[@joevictor53]

Gemma Chan was in 2 Marvel movies

[@jspettifer]

@@joevictor53As two different named characters (Minnerva in Captain Marvel and Sersi in Eternals) I first saw her in the show Humans where she played an android gaining consciousness

[@Eddiedahomeless]

Also wanted to add that both Chris O'Dowd and Katherine Parkinson were in the film Pirate Radio (aka The Boat That Rocked) which was a funny and awesome film.

[@paulmidsussex3409]

Giles Brandreth was a regular guest on earlier episodes of the show and other light entertainment and current affairs programs. From 1992 to 1997 he was an elected member of parliament for Chester and has served as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, a mostly ceremonial role that used to be involved in making the countries financial decisions in the 19th Century. The angelic picture on the wall in the club (probably only included in the patreon version) is of the late Richard Whiteley who was the shows host from 1982 until he died unexpectedly in 2005 aged 61. Several of his recorded shows were broadcast for the first time after his death. Richard was the first person to ever appear on Britain's Channel 4 when it launched in 1982.

[@deadbynightupbylunch]

Chris O’Dowd has also been in a Marvel film. He was Jane’s date in Thor: Dark World

[@richt71]

The actual prizes from countdown depending how far you went with winning used to include a set of dictionaries, a lifetime subscription to Oxford online dictionary and a laptop computer. I believe they scrapped the physical dictionaries recently!

[@vomgrady]

As a Londoner I learned to love dog-poo and knives cake.

[@Dreyno]

Still better than jellied eels.

[@rich_rich90]

Countdown was originally a Channel 4 gameshow in the 1980s - present day. Then the comedy 8 out of 10 cats version was created. This is a reference to the original.

[@vidiveniviciDCLXVI]

Fun fact, Asian guy is Wong from Avengers and Dr Strange (Benedict Wong). We all start somewhere.

[@RaceDayReplay]

in the 8+ club the portait on the wall of the guy with angel wings was the original presenter of Countdown until he died. The guy in dictionary corner, Giles, really does dictionary corner in Countdown This episode is one of the best

[@cynthiaschultheis1660]

"PRIME" IS A NECROMANCER IN "WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS"🕸🕷🕸🕷🕸🕷🕸👍👍👍👍👍

[@cynthiaschultheis1660]

The song "Final Countdown" is theme of magic shows in ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. ANOTHER HILARIOUS COMEDY SERIES😆😂😅😄😅😂😆

[@wowjackwow1]

The window cleaner guy is Brian Limond hes a scottish comedian and had his own sketch sow , Limmys show

[@Xone9]

This episode had two MCU actors in it: Prime was played by Benedict Wong (Wong from Doctor Strange) and Ivana, Moss' hot groupie, was played by Gemma Chan (Sersi from Eternals and Minn-erva from Captain Marvel)

[@dannycoventry7927]

Limmy, he takes dark humour to new levels, or maybe different dimensions

[@IsabelleRSG]

This episode has a bit of a different flavour and pace but I love it and Moss' arc and the parody of fight club etc is hilarious. He's the king of nerds and geeks and a cool one at that!!!

[@stephenbrough8132]

You guys are great. If ever you do watch or react to an episode of the real, original countdown, it might be fun if you saw the special episode where Noel Edmunds, famous over here, played a prank on the original host, Richard Whitely. He arranged a show with fake contestants, actors, one of them pretending to be unusually dumb, unable to score any points, dumbfounding Richard when she couldn;t spot obvious simple words or solve equally obvious sums - then starting to cry during the interval, and begging Richard Whitely to allow her to cheat to save face. Noel Edmunds was famous for playing sophisticated pranks on celebrities who prided themselves on being unlikely to fall for one of his pranks, so he liked to take up the challenge and catch them all out with his "GOTCHA'S" as he called them. So the final word on that prak show, the cunundrum, wasn't the usual 9 letter word but a six letter one, puzzling Richrd, until the letters turned over to reveal GOTCHA. Richard Whitely was a lovely guy who took it all in good spirit of course, as did all the celebs Noel Edmunds tricked.

[@Skylaman]

A little fun Easter Egg. When we finally get to the Monday-Friday meeting and they are doing aerobics, the “sexy” moves they are doing are from a very notorious music video by Eric Prydz “Call on Me”. The music video is known because it was censored in many countries for being too suggestive. Ex-UK Prime Minister Tony Blair was quoted about the video: "The first time it came on, I nearly fell off my rowing machine." Sounds right up Douglas’ alley.

[@spearhafoc]

The teapot is awarded probably because Countdown goes on TV at teatime.

[@HeinrichVenter88]

One of the golden episodes 🤣

[@BazzSelby]

Haaa! At 10:06, when Roy bumps into his old friend, I remembered what's coming up, when they meet again. :o)

[@Eddiearch]

I never noticed the window cleaner is Limmy! He is hilarious. He used to have a great sketch show, but is actually mainly a twitch streamer now. Worth checking out some of his clips on youtube, his humour is really unique

[@jamiedalton2623]

There's a chance you're going to be on Limmy's Twitch stream in the morning fellas :) He played the Glaswegian window cleaner. You should do a Limmy's show reaction too, it was quality.

[@jamesstevenson6720]

Countdown is a very old show. I think its still on every day during work hours. The Eight out of 10 cats version is just a new things alongside it. The prize is the pride you get rather than something substantial. The teapot is defiantly the most prestigious prize you can win. One of our other competitions is bake off which is the most prestigious cooking/baking competition in the uk and there is no prize. The best you can win is a handshake from an old bloke. Even strictly is just a trophy. And tbf, we do hold teapots in fairly high regard. When my family found out I didn't have one I got 3 or 4 sent/given to me

[@pem...]

The teapot is bragging rights, thats all! It's a easy weekday afternoon watch for old grannies. So you wouldn't want too much excitement with big wins like the evening ones.

[@daniellelois4905]

The heads of department meeting scene will always be the pinnacle of comedy

[@cynthiaschultheis1660]

Richard Ayoade is so funny!!! He's in "The Watch" film with Vince Vaughn & Ben Stilker.😄😅😂😅😆

[@iulia.bianca.b]

Batman, is that you on the top right corner of the screen?? 😅 I've never thought I'd see Batman reacting to IT Crowd! 😂

[@esteban280889]

This is such a good ep. One of the best

[@martintabony611]

I believe all the "Street Contdown" extras are IT Crowd fans that wanted to take part

[@mijmijrm]

Countdown will always mean Carol Vorderman to me.

[@Eddiearch]

Just so you know, that isn't the "old version" of countdown - it is still going strong in that format. That version of countdown is just on in the day time throughout the week, and the 8 out of 10 cats version is on in the evening at the end of the week :)

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

Exactly! How dare they suggest it's 'old' and the 'teapot' is because it's ON AT.............. Tarah boom!!!....................... afternoon 'teatime' !

[@thatsthat2612]

I never got the windows joke at the end until now and i dont know why im admitting that 😂

[@eldeano9964]

You're not alone. I thought it was because of the apple consumer superiority complex.

[@thatsthat2612]

​@@eldeano9964so did I 😂

[@davidcorbett341]

Now you guys have got t watch the UK quiz show called Countdown to understand this episode

[@lisawheeler4465]

This is one of my favorite comedies ever! If you haven't already also checked out Black Books and Father Ted you should! I watch this and those other 2 shows constantly, lol 😆

[@concerneddad5561]

Its not about the prize on Countdown, its about the prestige.

[@joda6466]

The teapot is made of solid gold that's why it's such a coveted prize and beloved game show in the UK.

[@SugarHighHeather]

I came here to drink milk and kick ass, and I've just finished my milk- Best line in the episode!🤣

[@markwither796]

It was a rip off of Roddy Piper in the film They Live. Roddy says “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass…and I’m all out of bubblegum!”

[@seantodd8875]

Television in Britain is mostly state-run. The funds that they use are contributed by the people, not by private corporations. This is one of the reasons why game show prizes in the UK tend to be nominal or ceremonial.

[@24magiccarrot]

The UK has a lot of quiz/gameshows that people compete for the prestige of winning them over any monetary prize, Countdown, Mastermind and years gone by Krypton Factor are/were all notoriously difficult quizzes/gameshows to win with next to no real prize.

[@Codex7777]

Countdown is still going! It's on five days a week, late afternoon. Watched mainly by pensioners and students, for obvious reasons. It was the first ever programme shown on Chanel 4, when that channel started broadcasting in the early 80s. Eight Out of Ten Cats is no more. That was a comedy panel show, hosted by Jimmy Carr and, for most of it's run, with Sean and Jon as team captains. They dropped the show, soon after they did the first mash-up show 'Eight out of Ten Cats Does Countdown'. :)

[@Live-by2vk]

Oooh my fave ep at last!

[@rakuengrowlithe4654]

There was a version of Countdown in South Africa called "A Word or Two."

[@OneAndOnlyMe]

Wongers! Oh and Giles is from the original Countdown show.

[@explodingplant2]

As a watcher of Limmy's show and Mr Robot, this episode is wild

[@abbu.robinson]

I see others explained the cats and countdown with the teapot story. So I'm just dropping by to say thanks and keep the great reactions coming

[@megdelaney3677]

Moss is adorable!

[@amcgowan1970]

Graham Linehan gets the great Limmy on the show just for the old unintelligible Scot trope.

[@seantodd8875]

Actually, there are two Countdowns. There's the original Countdown, which is an actual game show with non-celebrity contestants, and there is the comedic celebrity version 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown".

[@vomgrady]

Wong from the Marvel movies.

[@Silver-rx1mh]

Yep Benedict Wong, back before he got a wee bit chubby. lol

[@CinobiteReacts]

The Asian guy, Prime, you might be more familiar with - he's Wong, Doctor Strange's side kick in all of the Marvel films!

[@kellyhawkes3191]

Count down is still on, the guy who made the clock jingle is really rich, just from that jingle.

[@jasonyoung7705]

Winning the teapot is a prestige thing, its not really about the prize, its more like a symbol, that you kicked everyones ass.

[@BobGnarley.]

The teapot is more symbolic like a trophy haha it's not really meant to be a prize

[@icomment7615]

Spencer was correct about it being elitist

[@johnmenniss3781]

Countdown is an afternoon show for in the UK, watched the old & unemployed, I've been both😅

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

I HAD to 'look up' corn-hole!!! 😅 😂 🤣 And it's NOT porn! 😎 LOL

[@natmanprime4295]

great show, great reaction as always!

[@anvilbrunner.2013]

The Window cleaner is Limmy (Brian Limmond) Watch the Limmy show you will laugh your socks off.

[@daffodil800]

tnetennba is defined as "a word whose function is specifically to attract traffic to a website"

[@alanthomas8748]

the best way to describe the teapot is it's like the masterchef title/Guinness world records . no one cares about the trophy/certificate it's the prestige of winning it over the prize.

[@echo.echo08]

One of the things i dread when going out-meeting old forgotten schoolmates in public. If we were never _that_ close, can we just ignore each other, please?

[@ondrejvasak1054]

I think maybe when the prize is a teapot, you get people who actually like the game. When the prize is 100k pounds, you get morons who overestimate their own abilities and think they'll get easy money? No idea, just guessing. 😀

[@kevinty7]

Nice one fellas❤️❤️

[@timholder6825]

Countdown, the game show, has been on everyday (daytime TV) since 1984. Eight out of ten cats, took it on as a risque, adult comedy, parody (sorta) in the 2,000's long after it was already established as a cheesy, but kitsch cool, quiz show for clever people. Eight out of ten does countdown, was broadcst after the 9pm. watershed (after 9pm, on British TV, pretty much anything goes).

[@cynthiaschultheis1660]

FUNNIEST "HIGH SCHOOL REUNION" EVER IS IN COMEDY SERIES "LEGIT" STARRING JIM JEFFRIES...VERY FUNNY AND DIFFERENT COMEDY.👍👍👍👍👍😆😄😂😄😅😆😅😄😂😅😄👍👍

[@Vetis213]

A lot of British shows have low cash prizes it's more for fun.

[@Cobalt-Jester]

Trying to explain British game shows to American's is never easy. There used to be a UK law that limited what you could win on a gameshow. So all the prizes were really crap. Now, even though that rule has changed, it's just become part of the culture where there is no big grand prize. You just get a little trophy, a teapot, an apron... We still have shows where you can win big money. But most of our gameshow's are played just for recognition that you've won that show. lol. And American's just can't understand that. lol.

[@waltdistel716]

I freakin love this episode

[@aldo34]

Limmy!!!!!! Forgot he was in this - boy is a Scottish comedy legend. You should watch 'Limmy's Show' for a proper psychedelic comedy experience.

[@garybowers5724]

Countdown isn't a Old v New - The normal countdown is still very much going strong - the 8 out of 10 cats does Countdown is just a comedy take on it. Both exist and both going strong :)

[@Strange_Club]

Roy's in IT so technically, he does clean Windows.😅

[@WijaLE]

The man behind Jen in the excersise bit is Andrew Lincoln - Rick Grimes off the walking dead

[@thatsthat2612]

I've never noticed that before 😂

[@paulmeadclarke2382]

Count down was channel 4 pilot show back in 1980s

[@xKynOx]

I was a stoner in school,everyone i run in to says i have not changed 30 years later :)

[@jeremysmyth7471]

It's more about the prestige of winning Countdown than the prize itself. Maybe this concept is not relatable to most Americans.

[@sequilla]

Why is the top prize a tea pot? Because it's Britain!

[@PaulA-bv1rt]

Where did the blonde go at 11:30 to 11:40. She disappears when they walk off.

[@colinwilson4609]

Reminds me of Cliff Claven on Jeopardy.