Ep 5. Series 3, Episode 5

Series 3, Episode 5 of That Mitchell & Webb Look presents an eclectic mix of sketches, each featuring the distinct humor of comedians David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The episode opens with a skit about a wedding, where Mitchell plays a hapless groom dealing with an overbearing father-in-law, played by Webb. As the ridiculous demands pile up, the groom's protests become increasingly futile, leading to an awkward, hilarious confrontation.

Next up is a parody of a science documentary, where Mitchell and Webb play scientists attempting to communicate with a sentient computer. The machine, voiced by regular collaborator Olivia Colman, proves to be a frustratingly uncooperative interlocutor, forcing the scientists to resort to increasingly absurd methods of communication. The skit showcases the duo's trademark absurdity and quick-witted banter.

In a recurring sketch, Mitchell and Webb play esteemed actors on the set of a terrible film, where they are forced to deliver horrendously cheesy lines with full conviction. Their frustration and utter lack of enthusiasm for the project is palpable, making for a hilarious send-up of Hollywood's excesses.

The show's team of writers and performers have a knack for exposing the hypocrisies and contradictions of modern society. One skit in this episode features an office where employees are subject to increasingly invasive measures of surveillance. As the workers' privacy is eroded bit by bit, they become increasingly suspicious of each other, leading to a tense and absurd climax. The sketch is a biting commentary on contemporary anxieties around surveillance and privacy, and offers a deadpan take on the workplace comedy formula.

Another skit takes aim at the notion of "prepper" culture, where individuals prepare for the worst-case scenario by hoarding supplies and fortifying their homes. Mitchell plays a character who has taken his survivalist tendencies to an absurd extreme, building a bunker under his house and living in a perpetual state of paranoia. The punchline, however, subverts our expectations in a refreshing way, and offers a commentary on the seductive appeal of doomsday ideologies in uncertain times.

The episode also features a few musical interludes, including one where Mitchell and Webb perform a song about the NHS (National Health Service) in a musical theater style. The song is both funny and earnest, and showcases the duo's versatility as performers.

Finally, the show closes out with a skit about a "retro" 1970s game show, complete with garish set design and cheesy sound effects. The contestants are tasked with answering increasingly inane questions, leading to absurd misunderstandings and chaotic results. It's a fitting coda for an episode that pokes fun at our cultural obsessions with nostalgia and kitsch, while also providing plenty of laughs along the way.

Overall, Series 3, Episode 5 of That Mitchell & Webb Look is a great showcase for the duo's razor-sharp wit and absurdist humor. The skits cover a wide range of topics and styles, from workplace comedy to science fiction parody, and offer a sharp commentary on the absurdities of contemporary society. Fans of the show will not be disappointed, and newcomers will find plenty to laugh at as well.