Numberwang is a recurring sketch in Series 1 and 2 of That Mitchell and Webb Look. It is a fictional television series in which the two contestants call out seemingly random numbers which are occasionally told to be Numberwang. Each episode varies slightly, with the basic format remaining each time. Robert Webb portrays the host of the show, with Olivia Colman and Paterson Joseph playing contestants Julie and Simon in each episode, respectively.
In Series 2, rather than showing episodes of Numberwang, other sketches involving the basic Numberwang concept were used, such as a Numberwang board game and a history of the game BBC documentary.
Characters[]
- Robert Webb as the presenter
- Olivia Colman as Julie, Julie, Julie, Julie, Julie, and Uli
- Paterson Joseph as Simon, Simon, Simon, Simon, Simon, and Im
Outline[]
In every episode, random numbers are called out by contestants until, after a period of time, the host says, "That's Numberwang!" Occasionally they go to the maths board where numbers are displayed and contestants pick some (although the numbers they say always differ from those which are on the board itself).
After several rounds the host says that it is time to "rotate the board". As the players spin away, waving, something different is displayed on the other semi-circle of the players' sitting area, which continues to spin until the first set of players return to their original position. Once this is finished, the game becomes "WangerNumb", where the players, in a more tense situation, say numbers until one gets "WangerNumb". In the end, one contestant loses (almost always Julie) and is tortured in a way such as being arrested by the police.
That Mitchell and Webb Look: Series 1 Episode 1[]
- Introduction: Hello, and welcome to Numberwang, the maths quiz that simply everyone is talking about!
- Hometown: (any hobbies down there in Somerset?)
- Julie: Somerset (yes)
- Simon: Somerset (no)
- Rotate the board: David Mitchell (Jon) and James Bachman (Miles) as alternate contestants.
- Winner: Simon, who gets a cape with numbers on it and a cheque for £12.67 that says "Children in Need" which has been crossed out and replaced with "Numberwang".
- Loser: Julie, who is a given a bag over her head that says "NO".
That Mitchell and Webb Look: Series 1 Episode 2[]
- Introduction: Hello, and welcome to Numberwang, the maths quiz that simply everyone!
- Hometown: (any funny stories to tell us?)
- Simon: Southampton (no)
- Julie: Northampton (yes)
- Rotate the board: A particularly confused Mitchell, apparently prepared to perform a news show.
- Winner: Simon, who receives a bejewelled crown and a very large bottle that appears to contain coins.
- Loser: Julie, who is handcuffed by the police.
That Mitchell and Webb Look: Series 1 Episode 3[]
- Introduction: Numberwang! returns, this time featuring special guest Gyles Brandreth.
- Hometown:
- Julie: Durham
- Simon: Space
- Rotate the board: David and James reenact the nativity, playing Joseph and Mary respectively.
- Winner: Simon, who is knighted and declared "Lord Simon of Numberwang."
- Loser: Julie, who is packaged in a box labeled, "Go Away."
That Mitchell and Webb Look: Series 1 Episode 4[]
- Introduction: Numberwang! has its first sudden death tiebreak
- Hometown:
- Julie: Anglesey (sings in Anglesey)
- Simon: Anglesey (does not sing in Anglesey because he cannot sing)
- Rotate the board: (does not occur)
- Winner: Julie wins Deathwang because she dies first.
- Loser: Simon loses and also dies.
That Mitchell and Webb Look: Series 1 Episode 5[]
Simon gewinnt das Nümberwang-Spiel.
- Introduction: Julie ist einer Hamburger und Simon ist ein Frankfurter.
- Wie geht's? [How are you?]:
- Julie: Nein. [no]
- Simon: Ja. [yes]
- Rotate the Board: Robert acts as a dentist pulling James' teeth out.
- Loser: Julie loses by accidentally speaking English and a bag labeled, "Nein," is put over her head.
- Winner: This makes Simon the winner, being awarded an alpine hat, decorative keg, and a signed photo of David Hasselhoff.
- Notes: Julie losing by accidentally speaking English is a reference to "The Great Escape." The scene that Robert and James reenact is based off of "Marathon Man."
That Mitchell and Webb Look: Series 1 Episode 6[]
- Introduction: Welcome to Wordwang, the spin-off series with a difference and that difference is words!
- Hometown: (have you ever killed a man?)
- Julie: Yorkshare (no)
- Simon: made from a factory and made from a special metal. (yes)
- Rotate the board: David and James are playing Russian roulette. Right as the board rotates back into place, a gunshot is heard, presumably killing James.
- Winner: im, who receives a dictionary with giant letters on each page.
- Loser: uli, who is hit repeatedly by a frying pan.
International Versions Of numberwang![]
- French - Numérowang
- Spanish - númerowang
- Portuguese - númerowang
- Arabians - نمبروانج
- Malagay - Numberwang
- Greek - Numberwang
- Russian - Нумерванг
- Icelandic - Numberwang
- Japanese - ナンバーワン
- Korean - 넘버왕
- Chinese - 数王
- Romanian - Numberwang
- Scandinavian - Numberwang
- Turkish - Numberwang
- Italian - Numberwang
- German - Nümberwang
- Indonesian - Nomorwang
- North American - Numberwang
- Welsh/Cymru - Rhifwang
- Scots Gaelic/Irish - àireimh
- Malayalam - നമ്പർവാങ്
- Marathi - नंबरवांग
- Burmese - နံပါတ်ဝမ်
- Polish - Numerwang
- Hindi - नंबरवांग
- Greek - Numberwang
- Punjabi - ਨੰਬਰਵਾਂਗ
- Afrikaans - Numberwang