outnumbered is back tonight - final series - they're all grown up!

[nipersvest]

here i know its not everyones cup of tea but we like it.

[hoppingmad]

I didn't watch it but apparently there was a controversial autism joke? Not exactly sure what it was though - does anyone know?

[MrsCakesPremonition]

Dad was on the phone, talking to some company about a bill that needed paying. Apparently the bill was for £0.00, but the company was insisting that he pay them £0.00 because the computer wouldn't understand why he hadn't paid.
Dad agreed to pay £0.00, but suggested that the company invest in a computer that wasn't on the autistic spectrum.

Not very funny TBH.

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Missed that. Not a nice thing to say at all.

Would have been funnier if he said "... that wasn't computer illiterate" or something.

[hoppingmad]

Not funny at all . Thanks for explaining though.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Missed that part. I wouldn't have thought that funny either (DS has ASD).

[Nospringchickendipper]

I watch it with Ds15 and he said why was Jake still in uniform if he is in 6th form. I did like Jake and Ben but not sure about Karen.
Was that her real hair or is she wearing a wig?

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Weird seeing karen with diff hair and this will be the last series as all too old

The cleverness of this prog was the simpleness of the children's non ad lib all the time

[lionheart]

Autism joke was just plain lazy, amongst other things. The father was trying to explain to someone on the phone that he had a bill for zero pounds and zero pence to pay. Person on the other end said it had to be paid because of the computer. Some nonsense about the autism spectrum followed.

[nipersvest]

i missed the autism joke, that's bad, considering he's meant to be a teacher!

i wondered about karen's hair, it's obviously been dyed. but then, she's an actress so maybe it's been dyed for another role she's playing.

[GossamerHailfilter]

Thought the ASD joke was lazy, but they do have form. There was a Comic Relief Special which many MNetters (including myself) were upset about and I even complained to the BBC about it. It was a few years ago now but it was something to do with learning difficulties IIRC.

I liked the bit where they were talking about why Tommy the hamster wouldn't have survived, and jake said 'because he's a Hamster, not Bear Grylls'. That made me chuckle.

[Lancelottie]

Some teachers are tits about autism. Not that that excuses the BBC.

I've edited unthinking autism references out of some quite serious articles before now, where the author was using it to mean stupid, isolated or excessively rigid.

Enjoyed the rest, though.

[Timetoask]

DH and I were (childishly!!!) excite, we love outnumbered.... I was a bit disappointed, it definitely wasn't as funny as when Karen and Ben were little.

Lets hope next episode will be better.

I don't think I've ever seen Karen smile!

[Bowlersarm]

I don't think it will be as good as it was. Part of the appeal was the cuteness of the kids, especially Karen. I think it's good to have this series as closure though.

[5Foot5]

Ben hasn't changed at all

Well apart from having grown enormous!!!

I haven't really liked Karen since the first series. She was cute and funny then but has been rather an annoying brat ever since. She now seems set to be a surly adolescent.

I still enjoy the show but think it is a good idea that this is the last series.

[ShatnersBassoon]

I didn't find it funny. The gags seemed stilted, and the whole thing felt laboured.

[Sukebind]

It wasn't laugh out loud hilarious but I found it quietly amusing (autism joke aside) and certainly better than loads of stuff on TV these days. I was also quite alarmed to see how different Karen looked. Apparently she was 6 when it began and is now 12 - had a mini panic about how fast my six year old will grow up! I had been hoping the BBC would make some more Just Williams starring the actor who plays Ben but now he has grown up so much that's evidentally not going to happen.

[NanaNina]

I loved this programme but was really disappointed with last night's episode. I don't think it's going to work now the kids are older. The 3 of them were on the One Show last night and Ben was very relaxed and lapping up the attention, and Jake was fine with it too, but poor Karen (Ramona is her real name) looked so embarrassed when the spotlight was on her and she seemed to be hiding beneath her fringe the way that young teenage girls do - I felt so sorry for her. I think shy kids can make good actors as they are "someone else." They showed clips of her as a younger kid in the series and she looked like she wanted the floor to swallow her up! I know it's not in the same league but my grand-daughter aged 13 is quite shy, yet loves acting and is happy to audition and sing solo and gets big parts in the school plays. She was Alice in A in W in Year 6 and she will not let anyone watch the video of it - we think she's hidden it!

Karen's acting seemed stilted too though last night, and yes she looks so different. I was wonder how old she is, on the one Show she was wearing too much eye make up I thought and looked about 13. I think in the programme she is meant to be 11, as they were talking about her being half way through her first term at secondary school.

Don't think it's going to work now they are growing up - Karen was sooo funny when she was young. Yes it was a bit disconcerting how different she looked, only the voice was the same really. She must have wanted the part though. Ben is a class act - never found Jake very amusing, and the father has an easy part - all he has to do is keep that puzzled look on his face!

[DesperateHousewife21]

Dh and I love this and have the previous series on box set but I didnt like this quite as much.

The kids didnt seem to say as much funny stuff so it was up to the parents more to make the jokes but a lot of them felt really awkward and long winded like when they were trying to explain why Karen goes to a different school.

Glad its the last series and being wrapped up think it has run its course really.

[Nerfmother]

I've just searched for this thread to moan about the autism joke! Watching on catch up. Almost switched off.

[Nerfmother]

So how hilarious that the clever kid is lactose intolerant, has a nut allergy and glasses. FFS.

[NanaNina]

I think the general consensus is that this final episode was a mistake.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I haven't watched this really since the early series - I did see a few minutes of a later one but they all annoyed me when they were older.

Ben has always annoyed me intensely, and even more so when my DS started mimicking some of his characteristics (because he watched it endlessly on catch up). So it's BANNED in our house.

Which is a shame considering I'm going to marry Hugh Dennis when I manage to find him.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

I thought that too about the 'swotty' child - typical stereotype :(

Hamster and bear gryls was funny but that's about it

Ben is huge !!!

How did a 17yr get a tattoo?

[nipersvest]

didn't like the 'it's a bit or a worry though, karen being less popular than a girl like esme' line.

[Kaluki]

Its easy for a 17 year old to get a tattoo - they lie about their age!!!
I thinks its died a death now - the first few series were cute but then it just got annoying. Glad this is the last series.