Traditionally in the UK, groundbreaking comedy has always been commissioned in series of six episodes. So it was for “Fawlty Towers”, so it was for “The Fast Show”, so it was for the revolutionary “Keeping Up Appearances”.
This is how we know that we have another world-changing format on our hands. “This Way Up”, the incredible sketch comedy from Newcastle-based comedy chumps Ian and Roo, reaches its fifth episode and the fans must surely be feeling just a little anxious that there is only one episode to go before it vanishes from the airwaves forever.
For now, though, let’s just be grateful for what we have, as we listen in to episode 5 of This Way Up, featuring the incredible sound of Ian rapping.
If listening is not enough, and you simply must own it for yourself, you can also download it.
17 comments on “This Way Up: episode 5”
I don’t want to plant kibble on your windscreen but the rapping was in the previous episode…?
My windscreen offers excellent kibble-free visibility in all weathers. The rapping I was referring to was your rendition of the anti-piracy advert, in which you were clearly channelling the Notorious BIG.
Ah right. My non-rhyming slick beats and ghetto words about going to HMV. I hear you, man.
Maybe it wasn’t rap at all. I’m sorry if I got it wrong. Was it actually ska? Opera? I’m not sure.
I think I was trying to emulate Rosanna Sharmucklesteen. She inspires me so much.
She’s the best. You need more warbling and coughing to truly capture her style.
She wrote that song, what was it? ‘Simply Adequate’ which updated Tina Turner’s song about “being the best” to just “ticking the boxes”.
It gave hope to morose, plain zombie hoofs everywhere.
My favourite from her oeuvre is “The Penultimate Countdown”, a real power rock ballad.
I also like ‘Holding Out for a Really Good Egg’ and Reuben can’t stop singing ‘Save the Average for Last’.
Didn’t she also sing “Partial Eclipse of the Heart”? I thought that one was so incredibly, amazingly satisfactory.
She did. She did. And it was. It was.
Did you ever try her jazz funk barbershop quartet album? Simply acceptable. It was. And it was.
No, I didn’t, but I did go to one of her concerts once. Her guitarist had reached grade three and her drummer has clearly tried to learn some of the songs before going on stage. It was a really, really tolerable night.
How so exquisitely plain. Bravo, sir, bravo. I bet you bought a beige t shirt or possibly a tin of rice pudding from the merch stand that night.
I did. I got myself a t-shirt that was OK at first but then all the lettering came off the second time I washed it.
What a shoddy, remorseful t-shirt. The last time Big Frank tried to give me insulin, or deny me insulin, I can’t remember which one it is, he was wearing one of those. I made a joke of it and he took my watch.
I just don’t get your dad.
You’re not meant to. Big Frank’s not for getting. You should just hand over any bling you may have on your person and be grateful he asked for nothing more.
Is he a Frank Shark? As in a loanshark but, you know, Big Frank?
Does he shank all your other mates too?