The IT Crowd first aired on the 3rd of February 2006 on Channel 4 – brought to us by the genius behind Father Ted and Black Books, Graham Linehan. The show is now about to enter its fourth season with the premiere kicking off tomorrow night at 10pm on Channel 4. The series follows Roy and Moss, two IT technicians who lurk in the basement of the Reynholm Industries building – in the first series the socially awkward pair have to come to terms with the appointment of a new IT manager, Jen – who as it happens knows absolutely nothing about computers!
As the trio come to terms with dealing with the fact that they are the social lepers in the building, their oddball boss and their Goth co-worker Richmond – they also have to deal with bank robberies, breaking the internet and dating! The series is riddled with insane characters and laughs, and with series four kicking off, we have a chat with the cast about what we can expect from the new episodes, a look back at their previous adventures and what it is like working with each other…
Chris O’Dowd plays Roy, the obnoxious Irish IT technician; he’s a wannabe Casanova, a demon with Guitar Hero and wears the best t-shirts in the world.
What’s Roy got coming up in the new series?
I’d say this year probably even more so than last year Roy is coming out of his shell in terms of his social interaction with women.
What sort of reaction do you get on the street?
People are very, very positive. Because it’s such a friendly show: we don’t take pops at people really and there’s very little negativity in it, so it would be strange thing to be very annoyed with it. So the reaction I get is really nice. A lot of IT people really love it and I do hear a lot of women saying ‘Oh my god he’s just like my boyfriend’ and all that. People are very nice and a lot of IT girls find Roy very attractive.
Do you know what IT means?
I know what IT means. I know bits and pieces about IT. I’d say the different roles are probably close to the way that we are in real life. Katherine doesn’t own a computer. It’s extraordinary, I think her boyfriend has a house computer, but she doesn’t have a laptop or anything. I find that strange. It’s 2010. Whenever we say anything computer-wise she has no clue, which I think is pretty sweet. She’s essentially Victorian and she’s a lot older than she looks, so it’s understandable.
Things got a little steamy between Roy and Moss in series three. Can you tell us a bit about you experience filming that scene?
We have a big kiss in season three to avoid the cops or something. It’s a very funny scene, but Richard was… it was almost like he’d been just waiting. There was a lot of release of energy in many areas, so it was fun. He was strong, but smooth.
Have you kept any of Roy’s t-shirts?
Graham keeps all of the t-shirts. And he wears them too.
Katherine Parkinson won Best Actress at the British Comedy Awards last year and it’s not hard to see why – she plays Jen, the outspoken compulsive liar and IT-ignorant head of the IT department.
Without giving too much away, what’s coming up for Jen this series?
Well I would say that it’s less that it’s her against the boys now. It’s more that she’s sort of one of them: she’s as deluded and stupid as they are now.
Last series Jen asked Moss what IT means. Do you know what it means?
I do know now. I do know what IT means and it’s just gone… hang on… it’s information technology.
So have you had any moments when your Blackberry’s broken and you take it into a shop and suddenly they’re like, it’s her?
Yeah I have had that but you never know and you never want to assume. I think sometimes you think its happening and other times I’m completely unaware. It’s a difficult thing because it makes you a little bit self-conscious but you can’t be self-conscious for long and then you completely forget and you think ‘Why is that bloke staring at me?’ And it’s terrible because you can’t be in a bad mood and unpleasant to strangers on the Tube.
At least it’s a funny programme that people like.
No, not like playing a paedophile in a hard hitting drama.
Why do you think the IT crowd has worked where so many other sitcoms haven’t?
Well I don’t think there’s anything typical about Graham’s stuff. Graham’s such a huge fan of shows like Seinfield but I think his shows are more like live cartoons and there’s something hyper-real about them that doesn’t really read like anything else.
The spoiled son of the former now deceased owner of Reynholm industries, Douglas Reynholm is masterfully portrayed by Matt Berry.
For anyone who doesn’t know your character Douglas Reynholm, can you sum him up?
Well he inherited Reynholm Industries from his father after he killed himself and yeah he’s just taken over. He doesn’t know anything about the company, he doesn’t care either. He’s like a Mark Thatcher sort of guy. He’s just got a lot of power and a lot of money and he thinks its fun to run this sort of company. I guess he is a bit of a playboy and he’s always getting sued but he just doesn’t care – he’s got plenty of cash to get out of it.
Why do you think people warm to Douglas?
I guess people just enjoy watching someone being a dick, don’t they? He’s a heightened version of someone they might know. And if you look as if you don’t care about anything it’s always quite funny.
What do you think it is about you that made Graham Linehan want to cast you as a very rich, carefree, sleazy playboy?
God knows because I am not at all like that. I’ve no idea. It seems like I always get cast as a boss but I’d be the worst kind of boss in the world in real life.
What can you tell us about what’s coming up for your character?
All I will say is there’s a lot of love hassle in this one. He gets into a bit of trouble. And it goes to court. Douglas is in the dock.
The IT Crowd returns this Friday night (24th July) at 10pm on Channel Four.
