Let's discuss the Partridge universe? The Partriverse.

[Kryton]

*Caution! Bang! Wowzer! It may contain spoilers from the books and new show(s). *



Whatever happened to Superfan Jed Maxwell? He was a terrifying character, I can't imagine him ever forgiving Alan for escaping and belittling him in his escape. Will he ever return or is he mostly likely locked up now?
I really enjoyed the fact that his house was deep in the countryside. It added a nice sense of menace, had a Texas chainsaw massacre vibe.


Did Michael really die? More importantly was Michael ever really in the army? I like to think he's just made it all up.
Also it's been discussed several times, but what exactly what happening in the 'cup'a'beans man scene? Who was the brutish looking bloke who walked out of Michael's house? A dealer? a mate? A lover? Why does Michael hover around the door after closing it on Alan?

Whatever happened to Lynn's 'fuzz' baptist mate who threatened to knock Alan's block off?

What was scary Mary's backstory?
'HELLO ALAN, I FORGIVE YOU. *Hums match of the day theme tune*

That whole scene is perfectly acted, with Scary Mary using corpsing to brilliant effect. Why did she send Alan a doll?
There's something wonderfully observed about his stalkers. And yet Alan is so innocent he'll still eat a pie that's been sent in (with a bit of wine prompting). Mystery meat sponge floater.

What was the best radio phone-in conversation?
A lot of his television interview stuff has been discussed a lot, but there's a ton of gems in his radio broadcasting environment, so who were his best callers? What was the best topic?
I personally love the simplicity and his quickfire corrections against the northerner when discussing condiments. 'Gravy', 'That's a hot sauce!' 'Bisto?' 'That's just a brand name' ...

Another moment I enjoy is Alan's accidental spoiling of the script of Alan's Sad Story with hot coffee and having to improvise a story involving a twin brother. Again, with sad eyes like a cow.

His continuing battles with telling the time on the radio. The time is... Ten. Ten. *waves his hand and shrugs*
Even better when he's someone else's guest on a radio show or panel and forgets and starts introducing traffic and travel or going straight to 'the time is...'

Are we to assume Partridge lives in the The Day Today universe? One with bomb-dogs and giant frozen hands rising from the ice and satellite dish faced boys.

Stuff like that.

[Avril Lavigne]

Whatever happened to Superfan Jed Maxwell? He was a terrifying character, I can't imagine him ever forgiving Alan for escaping and belittling him in his escape. Will he ever return or is he mostly likely locked up now?

I'm especially interested in the true story behind this which as many of you will know happened to Stewart Lee and got into the IAP scripts via Peter Baynham. Would love to know more information on what happened to that particular loon and whether or not they've seen the episode in question.

[Twed]

I'm especially interested in the true story behind this which as many of you will know happened to Stewart Lee and got into the IAP scripts via Peter Baynham. Would love to know more information on what happened to that particular loon and whether or not they've seen the episode in question.

Just ask the real Jed in that case. They're definitely on CaB.

[DrGreggles]

Did Michael really die?

TV/Film rule #1: Unless you see them die, they can always come back.

[ToneLa]

I was thinking the other day of Michael just sitting in the audience (although there isn't one) on This Time. And Alan goes up to ask WTF happened and Michael just says 'I got oot the water likes and gan hoom. Been at me house like! Nobody asked us aboot it or tried me phone or called roond like'

[Avril Lavigne]

I was thinking the other day of Michael just sitting in the audience (although there isn't one) on This Time. And Alan goes up to ask WTF happened and Michael just says 'I got oot the water likes and gan hoom. Been at me house like! Nobody asked us aboot it or tried me phone or called roond like'

Perhaps he'll be a guest on This Time as one of those heartwarming true stories of resilience that those shows tend to have.

[ajsmith2]

It's interesting that although the radio and TV KMKY series have lots of analogous characters in common, only Yvonne Boyd is literally supposed to be the same character. Wonder why that was the case with just her. Although also,  Kendall Ball from the radio show returns in The Day Today.

[notjosh]

I'm especially interested in the true story behind this which as many of you will know happened to Stewart Lee and got into the IAP scripts via Peter Baynham. Would love to know more information on what happened to that particular loon and whether or not they've seen the episode in question.

This has been discussed in one of the other threads. It was Christian O'Connell.

[Avril Lavigne]

This has been discussed in one of the other threads. It was Christian O'Connell.

Thanks for that, I've seen most interviews with Stew but this one passed me by.

[rasta-spouse]

O'Connell has spoken about the event, it was during his failed attempt to become a stand-up.

Although the housemate watching dodgy porn is true, O'Connell claims there were lots of posters of many different comedians on the bedsit wall whereas Lee recalls them all being of him.

[Bennett Brauer]

Did Michael really die?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ags8GI9GRRE Ghost?

[gilbertharding]

O'Connell has spoken about the event, it was during his failed attempt to become a stand-up.

Although the housemate watching dodgy porn is true, O'Connell claims there were lots of posters of many different comedians on the bedsit wall whereas Lee recalls them all being of him.

In the interview upthread, Lee says 'not all, but enough to make it uncomfortable'. Has he revised his story?

[The Lurker]

Whatever happened to Superfan Jed Maxwell? He was a terrifying character, I can't imagine him ever forgiving Alan for escaping and belittling him in his escape. Will he ever return or is he mostly likely locked up now?
I really enjoyed the fact that his house was deep in the countryside. It added a nice sense of menace, had a Texas chainsaw massacre vibe.

His house was up for sale in 2012

https://zooplauk.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/home-fit-foralan-partridge-superfan-jed-maxwell/

[BritishHobo]

On the topic of the army, they discuss this a couple of times on the IAP commentaries. On series 1 Armando says he likes to think Michael was only in the army for a few weeks, maybe couldn't hack the training or had a condition that meant he had to leave. By series 2 they're saying they like to think he was never in it at all and it's all just fantasy.

[holyzombiejesus]

https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2019/02/12/42303/

But at a preview screening of the forthcoming This Time With Alan Partridge, host Emily Maitlis asked Steve Coogan: 'Dare I ask, is Michael going to make a comeback at all? Is he fully dead?'

The star replied: 'He's um.. well, watch this space. We've got plans for Michael.'

[paruses]

[...]Whatever happened to Lynn's 'fuzz' baptist mate who threatened to knock Alan's block off? [...]

He died - it's referenced in Nomad.

Just wanted to be first to say that. I will now read the rest of the thread properly.

Thanks for starting it. I love these.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

On the topic of the army, they discuss this a couple of times on the IAP commentaries. On series 1 Armando says he likes to think Michael was only in the army for a few weeks, maybe couldn't hack the training or had a condition that meant he had to leave. By series 2 they're saying they like to think he was never in it at all and it's all just fantasy.

The thought of Michael sitting in his depressing, utensil-free house full of men while fantasising about being in the army is just too tragic to contemplate. I'd rather believe that he did enjoy a briefly happy and fulfilling overseas career in the armed forces, throwing monkeys into the sea and what have you.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2019/02/12/42303/

On a recent Empire podcast, the Gibbons brothers stated categorically that Michael won't appear in This Time as it wouldn't make any sense whatsoever.

[Ja'moke]

TV/Film rule #1: Unless you see them die, they can always come back.

Except for Michael, who died.

[Mr Banlon]

Fernando Partridge was aready at Cambridge in 1994, so I'm guessing he would have been about 19 at the time.
Fernando by ABBA was released in March '76. Doesn't quite line up.

[Ja'moke]

Fernando Partridge was aready at Cambridge in 1994, so I'm guessing he would have been about 19 at the time.
Fernando by ABBA was released in March '76. Doesn't quite line up.

Why couldn't he be 18?

[Robert]

Also he may have been named during pregnancy. Outstanding attention to detail given the timeline...

[Captain Z]

I was going to say that it could have tied up perfectly but I just checked IPWNTTAA and it says "[Fernando] was conceived in January 1980, the same month that President Carter announced a grain embargo against the USSR...", which sadly throws it right out.

[DrGreggles]

Except for Michael, who died.

Nope, his body wasn't found.

[ToneLa]

Nope, his body wasn't found.

I was thinking the other day of Michael just sitting in the audience (although there isn't one) on This Time. And Alan goes up to ask WTF happened and Michael just says 'I got oot the water likes and gan hoom. Been at me house like! Nobody asked us aboot it or tried me phone or called roond like'

[Kryton]

The thought of Michael sitting in his depressing, utensil-free house full of men while fantasising about being in the army is just too tragic to contemplate. I'd rather believe that he did enjoy a briefly happy and fulfilling overseas career in the armed forces, throwing monkeys into the sea and what have you.

Might explain why he's so enthusiastic at the petrol station, maybe he really does enjoy the responsibility of looking after the place. It gives him a sense of purpose. It works with either version of his military stories I guess?

A largely unmentioned scene that always makes me chuckle is Sonja bringing Alan a cooked lunch on a plate into the petrol station and he eats it on the counter, as though its now a very regular testosterone fueling station. Just him and Michael and the occasional person like Tex(t) or Dan cropping up from time to time.

[Ja'moke]

Nope, his body wasn't found.

I was just doing the bit from the book.

[Ferris]

Whatever happened to the unfinished Lord House/Ye House/Excalibur Cottage/The Cinnamons? He's in Denton Abbey now, so presumably he sold up and left after work was completed?

Is Sonja still in a static home like a John West tinned woman? I seem to remember she is mentioned briefly in one of the books as being his current cleaner, but Alan no longer has the static home (sold it to David Essex who uses it to store Japanese motorbike parts of which is now an eBay powerseller) so hopefully she has somewhere else to live

[DrGreggles]

I was just doing the bit from the book.

And I was doing the bit from the film.

COOGAN, STOP GETTING PARTRIDGE WRONG CONTRADICTORY!

[Panbaams]

Possibly it's been discussed at length in the main thread, but how are people coping with the fact that the show that we're watching is called This Time with Alan Partridge, whereas in Alan's world it's just called This Time?