The IT Crowd · Season 1 · Episode 1 · 3 February 2006
S1E1 Yesterday's Jam
THE MOMENT Moss's answer to 'Have you tried turning it off and on again?' - the line that became a cultural shorthand.
The pilot drops Jen Barber into the IT department she has lied her way into managing. The core dynamic between Roy, Moss, and their new clueless boss is established with precision - the comedy springs entirely from the gap between Jen's bravado and her total ignorance of technology.
Full episode analysis below. Spoiler-light verdict above.
Updated
The IT Crowd Season 1 Episode 1 'Yesterday's Jam' aired February 3, 2006 on Channel 4 as the series premiere. The series won the International Emmy for Best Comedy in 2008 and the BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy in 2009. IMDb audiences scored the series 8.6. The pilot drops Jen Barber into the IT department she lied her way into managing. The core dynamic between Roy, Moss, and their new clueless boss is established with precision: the comedy springs entirely from the gap between Jen's bravado and her total ignorance of technology. Graham Linehan's writing lands all three character registers immediately without requiring the actors to work against the script. The Metacritic score of 67 from eight reviews reflects divided initial reception, but the word-of-mouth trajectory turned that around before the first series ended.