Ep 1. Yesterday's Jam

In the first episode of The IT Crowd's first season, titled "Yesterday's Jam," we find ourselves introduced to the world of Reynholm Industries, a fictional British company in which IT employees Roy Trenneman and Maurice Moss spend their days working on the fourth floor in the basement.

Roy and Moss are socially awkward, bickering friends, who are content to help fix technical issues remotely while avoiding dealing with the people downstairs. However, their boss, the clueless Jen Barber, has just been thrust into their department, despite having no technical skills whatsoever.

Jen has been hired by Reynholm Industries to be the new head of the IT department, but she knows nothing about computers. In fact, she only got the job because she lied on her CV, claiming to have a degree in IT. Her lack of knowledge is soon made painfully clear, as she tries to impress her new colleagues with nonsensical phrases like "have you tried turning it off and on again?"

Despite her incompetence, Roy and Moss manage to be kind to Jen and try to help her adjust to her new job. They soon find themselves discussing the intricacies of yesterday's leftover jam and whether it should be thrown out.

Soon, however, Jen is tasked with organizing Reynholm Industries' annual shareholder meeting, which she decides to stage at a stately home in the countryside. However, after insulting a fellow passenger on the train to the country, Jen is left with no choice but to suck it up and pretend to be well-versed in the world of IT in order to avoid embarrassment.

But as we soon find out, things are never as simple as they seem in the world of The IT Crowd. In the stately home, a string of hilarious mishaps befalls Jen and her colleagues, leading to a mix of comedy and chaos.

The episode's highlight is the hilarious scene in which Moss and Roy attempt to reassure Jen over the phone that the IT department can help her, even though they don't know where she is and have no idea how to find her. The result is a classic moment in British comedy, as the hapless duo bumble their way through a series of hilarious misunderstandings.

In the end, "Yesterday's Jam" sets up the dynamic between Roy, Moss, and Jen in a way that promises plenty of laughs and wacky adventures ahead. Their unlikely friendship and hilariously doomed attempts to navigate the world of technology provide a perfect backdrop for the show's unique blend of humor and heart.

Overall, The IT Crowd's first season debut episode "Yesterday's Jam" sets the tone for the rest of the series, offering up a lighthearted and relatable comedy about the ups and downs of office life, technology, and human relationships. With its quirky characters, off-kilter humor, and memorable one-liners, this beloved British comedy has rightfully earned its place in the pantheon of great sitcoms.