Look Around You - Series Two

Series Two

The second series is composed of six 30-minute episodes and is presented in the pop-science vein of programmes such as Tomorrow's World. The series was directed by Tim Kirkby, and Ash Atalla (producer of The Office) worked as executive producer. Running from 31 January to 7 March 2005 on BBC Two at 10 pm, Series 2 comprised the following episodes:

1. Music 2000
2. Health
3. Sport
4. Food
5. Computers
6. "Live" Inventor of the Year Final

The DVD commentary confirms that this was not the intended order, explaining why some running gags appear to build inconsistently.

According to the audio commentary, the programme is set around 1980-81. To reinforce the show's retro look, each episode's opening continuity announcement (typically narrated by Serafinowicz, who exaggerated the sound of his breathing and mouth movements to simulate the effect of the microphones used at that time) played over the 3-dimensional BBC Two ident from 1979–1986. Unlike the first series, which is 16:9 widescreen, the second series is presented in 4:3 to emulate the television format used in the 1980s. Additionally, location footage was shot on 16mm film, of the type used for location filming at the time. Episode 1 features a Top of the Pops-style introduction complete with the real TOTP theme music from the early 80s - "Yellow Pearl" by Phil Lynott.

Features such as the song contest in the "Music 2000" episode also ground the series in the 1980s. Contestants showcase the futuristic songs they believe we could expect to hear in the far-off year 2000. Runners-up "Machadaynu", performed by Tony Rudd (played by Kevin Eldon) and Anthony Carmichael's "The Rapping Song" are beaten in the contest by Toni Baxter's track, "Sexual Interface".

Unlike the first series, series two contains dialogue between the four presenters and their guests, leaving behind both the narrated style of the first series and the anonymity given to the scientists. Serafinowicz plays Peter Packard, whilst Popper plays Jack Morgan, a character originally seen in series one as a musician performing the song "Little Mouse". There are also two additional presenters, Pam Bachelor and Pealy Maghti, played by Olivia Colman and Josie D'Arby respectively.

Several running gags from the first series are reprised in series two, such as references to Imhotep, Bassoons, and the use of portmanteaux, in phrases such as "Thanks, ants. Thants," or as in the Music episode, "Thanks Tchaikovsky. Thaikovsky." In the final episode, this word-play culminates with Packard addressing two security guards, both named Hank, with the phrase "Thanks, Hanks. Thanks." Another running joke centres on characters such as Synthesiser Patel in the "Music" episode and Computer Jones in the "Computers" episode, who like an item to such a degree that they've changed their names.

Whereas the modules in series one were distinct, there is a measure of continuity throughout the episodes of series two. Each week, inventors (played by a number of British comic actors) showcase their new products, culminating in the live final programme where a winning invention is chosen, supposedly by "HRH, Sir Prince Charles". To achieve this fake presentation, archive footage of Prince Charles was blended with Look Around You footage, whilst Serafinowicz dubs the Prince's real voice with his own lip-synced impression of it.

DVD extras include a quiz, pages from Ceefax, an alternative "Birds of Britain" feature, the Scary Picture and the Test Card (a music video). Watching this to the end, including the credits, triggers an Easter egg featuring Jack Morgan's more realistic reaction to his plastic surgery.