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Classic clip from Outnumbered. (Original Post) Neoma Feb 2013 OP
Ben is always zingy zangy zongy. progressoid Feb 2013 #1
Ben on Heredity and Environment muriel_volestrangler Feb 2013 #2
From one of the Outnumbered writers: Old Harry's Game muriel_volestrangler Feb 2013 #3
That's great! progressoid Feb 2013 #4

muriel_volestrangler

(101,318 posts)
3. From one of the Outnumbered writers: Old Harry's Game
Wed Feb 20, 2013, 09:10 AM
Feb 2013

It ran as a BBC radio series for several seasons (Andy Hamilton, the writer, is also the voice of the Devil, ie Old Harry). This is an animated pilot, that the company hopes might get picked up:



featuring pregnant popes, Mother Teresa, and, of course, bankers.

The series is mainly set in Hell and the plot usually centres on the relationships and conflicts between Satan, his various minions and the damned. It regularly features famous historical figures and celebrities, most of whom are portrayed as being less likable, or at least different, to the version recorded by history. This includes a foul-mouthed and extremely violent Jane Austen, a sexually predatory Florence Nightingale (who took advantage of wounded soldiers), and a vacuous Helen of Troy (accompanied by her plain-looking friend, Daphne).

This subversive approach was also applied to God (first name Nigel), who makes the occasional appearance, originally played by David Swift, then in series 7 by Timothy West. God is usually portrayed as being quick-tempered and vengeful; in the series he says he created the universe accidentally, when he was messing about with some matter and energy. He put it down to have a sip of his drink and then, kaboom, he had a universe on his hands. Life on Earth was created for a bet, as Earth was dull viewing. God, for a bit of fun, sprinkled some mutating bacteria into the oceans, and ran a book with the other Angels to see which one would evolve into a creature that would develop a language first. God seems rather annoyed that things 'got out of hand'. In later series, we learn that God also has a mobile phone (although only the Angel Gabriel is supposed to have the number), and that God sends e-mails, but refuses to read any that he receives as he once got taken in by a scam from Nigeria.

The Angels are also portrayed somewhat differently. The Angel who delivered the news that Mary was to give birth to the messiah was in fact named Graham, while Gabriel is a separate entity who was falsely credited with doing so due to a typo early in the making of the Bible. They are also presented as rather arrogant when dealing with Satan, but at the same time behaving as suck-ups around God. They are forbidden to indulge in physical pleasures, but are still tempted by them, which has been used against them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Harry%27s_Game


Well worth a listen if you can find the audio.
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