This Time with Alan Partridge series 2

[BeardFaceMan]

I'd like to see the Alan and the Robot Dog book.

[wrec]

A nitpicky point, but something I thought was an odd writing misstep - Alan pointing out the "electric lady" undermines the reveal of the robot dog's nickname 30 seconds later. Your brain (or mine anyway) confusingly tries to connect the two

[Echo Valley 2-6809]

We have a lot of real Partridges nowadays, whom get away with doing shit far more stupid than what Alan gets tossed out for (short of shooting someone on TV) so I think him emerging in some kind of bizarre Network victory is great.

"Bad use of 'whom'."

[Mr Trumpet]

Noticed a little detail on rewatch: in the penultimate episode he's trying to relate to Lynn how great he feels in terms she'd understand, and he says it's like sitting with her feet up watching a Judge John Deed box set. Sure enough in the finale he mentions staying up late watching all of Judge John Deed. Not sure what to make of that.

[petril]

a sign he doesn't care to make the effort to know anything about her, so he just comes up with he'd understand in the moment

[Mr Trumpet]

a sign he doesn't care to make the effort to know anything about her, so he just comes up with he'd understand in the moment

She did seem taken with the idea though. So is it a sign that they're fundamentally quite similar people, for all the contempt he shows toward her banal interests?

[Huxleys Babkins]

She did seem taken with the idea though. So is it a sign that they're fundamentally quite similar people, for all the contempt he shows toward her banal interests?

As much as he tries to run from it or protest, Lynn is his soulmate.

[Ornlu]

My headcanon is that he happened across an episode on UK Drama one evening - knowing that Lynn was always a fan of it - and surprisingly found himself enjoying it enough to binge-watch all night. He then casually drops it into conversation with her, in a heartwarming attempt to bond (in his own obtuse, awkward way), which (if I recall) she beams at, feeling seen.

[Tony Tony Tony]

As much as he tries to run from it or protest, Lynn is his soulmate.

There's a fan fiction thread in that (shudders at thought... though she did look rather fetching in the TV makeover she got in Alpha Papa).

[markpaterson]

The bit where Alan couldn't get back in the BBC reminded me of that wonderful bit in On The Hour where Chris Morris faces the same problem. You hear him say something like "Will £10 do?" at which point he obviously shows him his real BBC ID, and the security guard says "OK, you can go through now". Amazing.

[Chedney Honks]

Oh, I liked this and I didn't like that.

It's great!

No, it isn't!

My ruddy opinions.

[El Unicornio, mang]

His reaction to the make-up lady in general feels a little odd. I get that he doesn't want to give any impressions that might get him unintentionally #MeToo'd but she is a good-looking younger lady who is clearly infatuated with him. The Alan Partridge of old would be proudly shouting about dating a woman two decades his junior.

I think he sees himself with more of a "conventionally" attractive/glamorous person on the same class or fame level as he sees himself on though, like Jennie. He'd probably feel a bit ashamed telling people he's dating a makeup lady with an annoying laugh.

One thing I've found odd is that he seems younger on This Time than he did in I'm Alan Partridge series 1, which was nearly 25 years ago.

[ASFTSN]

One thing I've found odd is that he seems younger on This Time than he did in I'm Alan Partridge series 1, which was nearly 25 years ago.

Our Alan's got his second wind, that's all, taking better care of himself. Going to the gym all the time, men's slimming corsets, trying out spin class, hair implants. He's the Man With The Child In His Eyes after all.

[El Unicornio, mang]

Mayhaps. Or Tiff's makeup skills and some Just for Men

[Mr Trumpet]

He finally built that time-travelling gymnasium.

[Ferris]

I think he sees himself with more of a "conventionally" attractive/glamorous person on the same class or fame level as he sees himself on though, like Jennie. He'd probably feel a bit ashamed telling people he's dating a makeup lady with an annoying laugh.

One thing I've found odd is that he seems younger on This Time than he did in I'm Alan Partridge series 1, which was nearly 25 years ago.

And canonically Lynn should be approaching 90 I think?

[Mr Trumpet]

Lynn was 50 in IAP S1 (same number of complaints as he received about the spine in a bap comment). That aired late 1997, so if we go by airdate then she'd be about 72 now.

[Ferris]

I stand corrected/man in orthopaedic shoes.

[BeardFaceMan]

Yeah, Lynn is 7 years older than Alan. I think it was discussed between the writers that Lynn used to babysit Alan as a kid, that's how their relationship started, don't think that made it into anything official though.

[thr0b]

Yeah, Lynn is 7 years older than Alan. I think it was discussed between the writers that Lynn used to babysit Alan as a kid, that's how their relationship started, don't think that made it into anything official though.

It's in one of the books, isn't it? Probably I, Partridge. "My assistant".

[phantom_power]

I think he sees himself with more of a "conventionally" attractive/glamorous person on the same class or fame level as he sees himself on though, like Jennie. He'd probably feel a bit ashamed telling people he's dating a makeup lady with an annoying laugh.

Yeah he fancies her and his ego is stroked by her flattery but he would never be comfortable having a relationship with someone from "downstairs". He is probably a bit confused by someone being so brazenly flirty with him as well as that isn't the done thing in his circles.

[robhug]

Angela was a receptionist

[BeardFaceMan]

It's in one of the books, isn't it? Probably I, Partridge. "My assistant".

I'm not sure, I thought I had a hazy memory of it from a DVD commentary. Good excuse to go back and listen to I, Partridge, anyway.

[Retinend]

Bit late, but was Jenny really considering sleeping with Alan? I don't think so, but otherwise I don't know why Jenny would want to stay in his holiday home, or whatever it was. Surely she would prefer to distance herself from him in any non-professional respect. In either case, I think the way she's written comes across as too tolerant of Alan. A flash of anger on her face occasionally wouldn't be overacting, either.

[paruses]

She took the offer up because Sam was going to be around and she didn't want to bump into him. She found friends to look after her pretty sharpish after Alan said he would be at the bottom of the garden in a camper van except for coming into the house for a shit.

The leg-over bit was all in Alan's head (if at all).

[petril]

yeah. I think there's a sense that she wants something that doesn't look like she's avoiding Sam, and she can read enough of Alan to know he'll just say yes anyway

[Ferris]

Angela was a receptionist

Back when Alan was a mid-roster host on North Norfolk Digital[nb]Nortolk's b-North Norfolk's best music mix[/nb]. He's gone up in the world, as has his snobbery.

He's also only got the gig (in-fiction) because sex scandals at the BBC forced them to look outside the usual cadre of presenters to reach down and get Alan to host. I can imagine he's worried about making headlines in the tabloids for relations with production staff and being cast out from telly land.

yeah. I think there's a sense that she wants something that doesn't look like she's avoiding Sam, and she can read enough of Alan to know he'll just say yes anyway

I'm a bit thrown by the Jennie stuff on here. He mentions he has a cottage, she needs somewhere to go to avoid Sam and asks if he'll be there (ie I hope you're not so that I can use it). Nothing dodgy going on there.

It is in Alan's best interest to keep the Golden Couple split up and he manoeuvred himself into a dead-end and had to say yes out of politeness and self-interest, though he also didn't really want her there so came up with his mad addendums. She took the hint and made alternative arrangements.

Not sure what else there is to read into it, though I might be forgetting something?

[neveragain]

I must admit to finding it a bit confusing. Not that I thought there was anything flirtatious going on but I couldn't grasp why Alan wanted to stick around in a camper van (didn't consider he was lying).

[Ferris]

I must admit to finding it a bit confusing. Not that I thought there was anything flirtatious going on but I couldn't grasp why Alan wanted to stick around in a camper van (didn't consider he was lying).

As I understand it, being very wealthy and having a cottage in the dordogne or Cornwall or a "little bolthole in London" means you often lend them out to people gratis who are similarly wealthy (and may advance your career or ingratiate you with others). Like that guardian editor who was pilloried for complaining about his kitchen reno being interrupted by covid and ended up staying in a friends flat rent free (which he still complained about as it was smaller than his house).

I assumed that was the idea here - Jennie just assumed she'd be able to use it without question as long as Alan wasn't around. Alan wanted to be seen to allow it (and be in with that set of people - he offers to drive Jennie down but bluntly tells Natasia's character to get the train) but also didn't actually want Jennie there so he could see the makeup person. So he adds ludicrous caveats (and builds on each one "I will be there, and in a caravan, and at the bottom of the garden, and I'll have to come inside to shit" etc) until she gets the message and makes alternative arrangements.

[BeardFaceMan]

Didn't he make the caveats with Jennie before making plans with the make-up lady? I saw it as he had plans to stay there himself that weekend, Jennie mentioned staying there after his offer (which he probably didn't expect her to take him up on), he said yes but then mentioned all the caveats because he didn't want to say no to her because he wanted to be in with those types of people and all that involves (and probably because he had nowhere else to go). Make-up lady said she'd like to go to the cottage but Alan made up all the stuff about Japanese business men. Jennie didn't want to be there alone with Alan so made other plans/an excuse so he went back to make-up lady. He wanted Jennie there to be seen with her for work purposes, he wanted make-up lady to be there for filth purposes so wanted to keep it quiet and made her travel alone.

I think.