Nathan Barley

Watch Nathan Barley

  • TV-PG
  • 2005
  • 1 Season
  • 8.0  (4,340)

Nathan Barley is a satirical British television series that ran for one season in 2005. The show follows the titular character, Nathan Barley, a highly obnoxious and self-absorbed London media mogul played by Nicholas Burns, and his group of equally self-centered friends and associates as they navigate their way through the world of media and popular culture.

At the start of the series, Nathan is a self-proclaimed "self-facilitating media node," and his claim to fame is his website, trashbat.co.ck, which he sees as a way to showcase his knowledge and expertise in the world of urban culture, fashion, and design. Nathan is constantly on the lookout for the next big thing, and he's always trying to stay one step ahead of his peers in the media industry.

Julian Barratt plays Dan Ashcroft, a frustrated and disillusioned writer who has become disillusioned with the state of popular culture. Dan is struggling to find his voice in a world where the media is dominated by people like Nathan, who values style and hype over substance and authenticity. Dan's disdain for Nathan and his ilk is palpable, and he spends much of his time criticizing Nathan and his followers.

The show also features Claire Keelan as Claire Ashcroft, Dan's long-suffering sister who is in a relationship with Nathan. Claire is a former painter turned performance artist who is constantly struggling to make ends meet. She is often exasperated by Nathan's antics but loves him despite his flaws.

Other notable characters in the series include Nathan's perpetually stoned sidekick, Pingu, and the staff of Sugar Ape, a magazine aimed at the youth market, which Nathan owns. The staff includes a group of young, attractive, and highly sexualized writers and editors who are more interested in partying and hooking up than actually doing any meaningful work.

Throughout the series, Nathan and his friends get into a variety of hijinks, including staging an art exhibition featuring a giant inflatable penis, starting a fashion trend based on "mung beans," and creating a fake terrorist scare as a publicity stunt.

The show's humor is often over the top, and it pokes fun at the excesses of the media industry and the shallow nature of popular culture. It's not a show for everyone, but those who appreciate dark humor and satire will find plenty to enjoy.

Overall, Nathan Barley is a clever and funny satire of the modern media landscape, and it features a talented cast of actors who do an excellent job bringing the show's quirky characters to life. If you're looking for something different and edgy, this series is definitely worth checking out.

Nathan Barley
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Seasons
Episode 6
6. Episode 6
March 18, 2005
Claire is right about Dan; Dan is right about Nathan: Nathan is just wrong. He's an absolute fucking tool.
Episode 5
5. Episode 5
March 11, 2005
Claire no longer listens to Dan -- which is a shame since he'd be the best person to warn her about Nathan.
Episode 4
4. Episode 4
March 4, 2005
Nathan, Dan and Claire work in the industrial conversions of Hosegate. They are about to become spliced together in a three way split.
Episode 3
3. Episode 3
February 25, 2005
Claire Ashcroft, 27, is Dan's sister. Like Dan she despises "cool". She is furious that no one will fund her hard-hitting documentary about a choir of reformed junkies.
Episode 2
2. Episode 2
February 18, 2005
Dan Ashcroft writes searing columns for Sugar Ape. He's considered astonishingly cool, but only by those he despises. He is surrounded by idiots and practically worshipped by Nathan (whom he considers to be their king).
Episode 1
1. Episode 1
February 11, 2005
Nathan Barley is 26. He is convinced he is the epitome of urban cool and therefore secretly terrified he might not be, which is why he reads Sugar Ape Magazine - his bible of cool.
Description
  • Premiere Date
    February 11, 2005
  • IMDB Rating
    8.0  (4,340)