Nathan Barley
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| Nathan Barley | |
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| Genre | Sitcom |
| Creator(s) | Chris Morris, Charlie Brooker |
| Starring | Julian Barratt, Nicholas Burns, Claire Keelan |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 26 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Channel 4 |
| Original run | February 11, 2005 – March 18, 2005 |
Nathan Barley is a Channel 4 sitcom about a fictional twentysomething loathsome London media type, written by Charlie Brooker and Chris Morris. Described by his own creator as a 'meaningless strutting cadaver-in-waiting', the character originated on Charlie Brooker's TVGoHome, a website parodying television listings, as the focus of a fly-on-the-wall documentary called Cunt. After the cult success of TVGoHome, the name 'Nathan Barley' was frequently used pejoratively towards those whose lifestyles were satirised by the (fictitious) show's descriptions.
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[edit] Plot
Nathan Barley is a webmaster, guerrilla filmmaker, screenwriter, DJ and in his own words, a 'self-facilitating media node'. 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.
In reality however his 'output' is of no real interest to anyone but him and his immediate friends. The website consists of stupid pranks caught on camera, photos of him with attractive women and photos of him standing on street corners in major cities around the world (purely to demonstrate that he has enough money to go there). He is of the belief that because he has a camera, some knowledge of web publishing and some webspace, that makes him talented.
The humour derives from the fact that since the rapid rise of the internet and the explosion of digital television, actual publishers and broadcasters think that such drivel is worthy of attention. Barley and his fellow idiots are often hired/published ahead of actual journalists and talented writers trying to make intelligent points, such as the earnest documentary film maker Claire Ashcroft, and her brother Dan Ashcroft, a jaded and apathetic hack who, having written an article for Sugar Ape entitled 'The Rise of the Idiots', is disgusted to find that 'the idiots' in question — Nathan and his contemporaries — have adopted him as their spiritual leader.
[edit] Characters
The series has two other main characters, Claire and Dan Ashcroft, who are siblings. The paradox of the tale is that whilst Dan dislikes everything about Nathan Barley, Dan achieves the least in his life and is incapable of staying true to any of his own morals making him the real 'idiot'. Claire, even though her favoured subject matter is more socially relevant than the crap of Barley, is in many ways just as shallow - she wants to use the underprivileged and troubled not to make people think or change social policy, but to get attention and forward her career.
From the beginning Chris Morris fans have suggested that the character of Dan is based on Chris Morris. Dan's struggle to succeed, maintain his morals and evade the ever-increasing horde of idiots around him, represents Morris' daily grind since becoming an infamous media subversive.
The first episode was broadcast on February 11, 2005 on Channel 4. The six-episode run was co-written by TVGoHome creator Brooker and Chris Morris. Morris also directed.
[edit] Promotion
Advertising for the series attracted some attention, with billboards advertising a fictitious yet plausible mobile telephone, the Wasp T12 Speechtool ('it's well weapon'), appearing throughout the UK. This thoroughly ridiculous device was exceptionally loud, came loaded with hugely annoying ringtones, had a giant key for the number 5 (allegedly the most common number), featured a powerful projector, business card printer and miniature turntables for scratching MP3s, and was apparently 'shark-proof'.
Barley's website, trashbat.co.ck, was created in real life and served as an official site for the television series.
The DVD of the series was released in October 2005, featuring all six episodes, a host of extras (including the pilot) and a booklet written by Nathan featuring his 'artwork'. The artwork in question is largely in the style of prolific graffiti artist Banksy and the book could easily be mistaken for a book showcasing Banksy's work, especially as it is exactly the same dimensions as his books Banging Your Head Against A Brick Wall, Existencilism and Cut It Out.
[edit] Cast
- Nicholas Burns — Nathan Barley
- Julian Barratt — Dan Ashcroft
- Claire Keelan — Claire Ashcroft
- Ben Whishaw — Pingu
- Richard Ayoade — Ned Smanks
- Spencer Brown — Rufus Onslatt
- Charlie Condou — Jonatton Yeah?
- Nina Sosanya — Sasha
- Rhys Thomas — Toby
- Noel Fielding — Jones
- David Hoyle — Doug Rocket
- Rupert Degas — Beer Gourd Man
- Ophelia Lovibond — Mandy
[edit] Trivia
- Barley's ringtone in episode 2 is a sample from the theme of The Prisoner.
[edit] Possible Second Series
According to the "TV biz" section of the 20th January 2007 edition of The Sun, Chris Morris is in negotiations with Channel 4 for a second series of Nathan Barley, thanks to strong DVD sales.[1]
It was also said on Soccer AM that a second series is written but not known when it will be made.
The comedy site Chortle has reported that Chris Morris is working on a second series of Nathan Barley. [2]
[edit] External links
- Trashbat.co.ck - Official Website
- British Sitcom Guide
- A Cunt Compendium - the collected Cunt entries from TVGoHome
- BBC News: Anatomy of a backlash - Nathan in the context of Internet hype
- Text from press release for the Nathan Barley show
- Nathan Barley on IMDB
- Sugarape.com - Unofficial Sugar Ape Website
| Chris Morris |
| Radio Shows |
|---|
| No Known Cure | Chris Morris | Loose Ends | Up Yer News | The Chris Morris Christmas Show | On the Hour | Why Bother? | The Chris Morris Music Show | Blue Jam |
| Television Shows |
| The Day Today | Brass Eye | Jam / Jaaaaam | Brass Eye Special | Nathan Barley |
| Other Projects |
| Big Train | BESTBAR(NONE)[3] | Second Class Male/Time To Go | The Smokehammer[4] | Absolute Atrocity Special | Bushwhacked | My Wrongs 8245 - 8249 and 117 | The IT Crowd |
| Related articles |
| Charlie Brooker | Armando Iannucci | Peter Cook |
