Ep 1. Maths

Look Around You is a British comedy TV series that explores the world of science and technology through witty parody and satire. The show mimics the style and tone of educational videos from the 70s and 80s, presenting absurd and outrageous "facts" about the natural world and human inventions. In each episode, the hosts of the show, Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz, guide the audience through a different topic, employing a dry and deadpan delivery that enhances the absurdity of what they say.

The first episode of Look Around You's first season is titled "Maths." As the name suggests, the episode focuses on mathematics, covering a range of topics from the history of numbers to the latest mathematical breakthroughs. The premise of the episode is that Robert and Peter are presenting a new maths program that promises to teach the audience all they need to know about maths in just 25 minutes.

The episode opens with an animated title sequence that introduces the main characters and sets the retro tone of the show. The camera then cuts to Robert and Peter, who are introducing themselves and the show. They greet the audience with a warm smile and a friendly tone, but their content quickly reveals their absurd approach to education.

The first segment of the episode covers the history of numbers, starting with the number one and ending with the number seven. Robert and Peter explain that ancient cultures had different words for each number, which makes it hard to add or subtract them. They then present their solution: inventing a new numeral system that uses just two numbers, "C" and "J." They claim that this system is much simpler than the previous systems, and it allows people to do maths in their heads faster.

The show then moves onto a lightning-round of other mathematical concepts, including negative numbers, prime numbers, and zero. Each topic gets a brief and hilarious explanation that showcases the hosts' deadpan humor and absurdist logic. For example, they claim that negative numbers are like "dangerous animals" that you have to lock away in a "mathematical zoo," and that prime numbers are special because they don't have any friends.

In the second half of the episode, Robert and Peter take a more practical approach to maths, showcasing some of the latest technological advancements in the field. They present a calculator that can add up to 100,000,000,000,000 in under a second, and a robot that can solve complex equations without breaking a sweat. They also introduce a new type of maths called "reverse algebra," which allows people to input the answer and get the equation back. They demonstrate this by showing a simple example of a fruit stand that sells three types of fruits and costs 6p - the answer reveals that each fruit costs 2p.

The episode concludes with Robert and Peter urging the audience to learn more about maths and practice it every day. They claim that even the most mundane aspects of life, like baking or gardening, involve maths, and that by mastering this subject, one can reach new heights of intelligence and productivity. They also remind the audience that Look Around You is just the tip of the iceberg, and that there's a whole world of science and technology waiting to be explored.

In summary, Look Around You's first episode, "Maths," is a hilarious parody of educational programs that manages to entertain and educate at the same time. Robert and Peter's deadpan delivery, absurd logic, and clever sketches make maths seem not only approachable but also fun and exciting. Whether you're a maths expert or a complete novice, this episode is a must-watch for anyone who wants to look around them and see the beauty and absurdity of the world.