Ian Fletcher and co are back, this time for the World Cup! (Twenty Twenty Six)

[singthing]

I am excited for this, the 2026 World Cup-themed "sequel" to Twenty Twelve (Olympics) and W1A (general BBC). I recently rewatched both previous series and I am hoping for more of the same toe-curling mockumentary. Shame it is only 6 episodes though!

10pm, BBC Two - 8 April.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002stzw

I also just failed to finish the first episode…

We watched 1&2 and enjoyed it. Missing some key characters obviously but still enough fun to be diverting.

We watched the first episode. Not sure this works with mostly non-British characters.

Stay with it!!!! I almost gave up after ten minutes but it got loads better and the Will moment at the end of it was everything (to me anyway)

Ho-ly shit, I can't wait to watch this. Sad that Perfect Curve and Tracey Pritchard aren't in it though. Or Jason Watkins.

Will was my least favourite character in W1A so he won’t be able to salvage this for me

No! I didn’t know it was based on something else. Is it good?

Hugh skinner was on this morning talking about it and it was quite interesting tbh. I saw wills mum from the inbetweeners is in it but I couldn't see where she was tbh

I’ve not seen it, but I’d love to if it’s ever shown here.

Too Americanised for me. Not enough of the same awkward and funny interactions like the other 2 series. Watching it but feels like the characters don’t have any connection or real personalities. Will is still one dimensional and saves the day..

Not as good as the earlier series, sadly. Too many new characters and they just made me miss the old lot. I did laugh at the first ‘World Cu*’ . I loved will in W1A as a hopeless intern but he just seems a bit old for it now.

I enjoyed this but it just stopped. I know writing endings is difficult but they could at least have tried.

Very disappointed. Loved the previous two but this just felt flat.

The Belgian guy is rather lovely though.

watched them all now, no laughs at all in the last few eps. It felt more like an American spin off than the same series.

So many real life committees have names like the 2012/W1a in real life, and have similar random discussions.

Bit disappointed. I would just like to confirm I am missing the fold up bike for a start. And of the new characters the only one who seems to have hit the mark is the Canadian one. And, can I just intervene here, thank you, no love lorn Olivia Coleman.

Poor Will, farmed out by his parents who must be desperate to get their spare bedroom back

I'm on Ep3. It's not as acidly funny as the UK based ones, but it feels like a lot of the characters are just new versions of them anyway - the social media woman is Izzy-to-Will in W1A and several of the team are reminiscent of Twenty Twenty Twelve team.

It's an easy enough watch but I am not rushing to binge it.

It reminds me of Episodes - the Americanisms are (I think) very funny in their own right, once you adjust your expectations.

For anyone interested, you can find The Games on YouTube.

I finished the series last night. It definitely improved as the cast settled in, although the plot was flimsy at best. Some amusing fun poked at "modern ways", too.

There was even a quite sweet mini-arc towards the end, but I shall not spoil the outcome. If you are a few eps in, you may as well get to the end now.

This could almost be a bonus episode

https://www.thepoke.com/2026/04/21/this-american-has-had-it-up-to-here-with-europeans-enthusiasm-with-walking-at-the-world-cup-and-got-owned-to-the-moon-and-back-on-foot-probably/

I miss the bike wars, but I guess the 'being brought tea in a meeting' power play is the new version of that?
I've still only watched two. It's a different feel, but that's OK. Ian Fletcher is the constant, obviously, and I like his reactions to the Americans. The bit in the hotel about his card being refused was fairly excruciating.
I also like the frankly terrifying Emily and how she somehow got into the scientist's presentation and started moving the red line around
Will is a bit shoehorned in (how exactly did he get the job?) and I'm not convinced even he is dim enough for the photo ID gag. But it's nice to see him.

I’m really disappointed. Twenty twelve was very funny and W1A was absolutely brilliant. This just wasn’t as good, Will who’s a great character wasn’t utilised at all. The final episode was like they just gave up and stopped writing and the love interest story was 🤮

I’m sure there was something for comic relief a couple years ago