Can you believe it's seven and a half years since The IT Crowd made its debut on Channel 4? Since then, its central cast have become household names.
While curmudgeonly, unlucky IT technician Roy (Chris O'Dowd) and technophobic head of department Jen (Katherine Parkinson) have provided barrels of laughs over four seasons, we'd venture that one Maurice Moss has provided the Graham Linehan-created comedy's breakout moments down the years - thanks in equal measure to some sharp writing and impeccable comic timing from Richard Ayoade.
Choosing just five moments of Moss gold from The IT Crowd is a thankless and near impossible task (apologies to fans of 'Ploppers', 'I've got a motherflipping gun', Moss's court testimony in Reynholm vs Reynholm and the ludicrous Dragon's Den episode), but here's Tube Talk's personal favourites ahead of the show's grand finale tonight (September 27):
1. Series one scheming (from 'Yesterday's Jam')
Where it all began, and our introduction to the men dubbed "standard nerds" by Reynholm Industries' fearsome boss Denholm (Chris Morris). 'Yesterday's Jam' is fairly uncompromising in its assessment of Moss's quirks - including his infamous "hot ear" spray bottle and an unyielding desire to check the text between two different versions of a Harry Potter book for inconsistencies. But this visual gag is one of the unsung highlights of the series opener, as Moss's initial excitement soon dissipates upon discovering that Roy's plan to expose Jen's lack of IT knowledge is actually pretty straightforward.
2. 0118 999... (from 'Calamity Jen')
Moss's unique attitude to problem solving in a crisis comes to the fore here, as a fire threatens to engulf the basement of Reynholm Industries. His powers of recall when it comes to dialling 'Your Emergency Services' may have deserted him under pressure, but there's nothing that can't be sorted out with a short, succinct email - including a towering inferno...
3. That ludicrous display in series three (from 'Are We Not Men'?)
Moss, socially awkward? Not the case - well, if not if you've got Bluffball at your disposal anyway. The episode's definitely worth enjoying again in its entirety, and not just for Ayoade's 'lads, oi oi' accent. 'Are We Not Men' in itself is a ludicrous display of slapstick humour, melodrama and fantastic one-liners ("Weird is all I've got, that and my sweet style!") as Roy and Moss find themselves totally out of their depth - and not just when it comes to matters on the pitch.
4. "I plan on earning this £10" (from 'Friendface')
As IT Crowd aficionados will have already seen in series 1 episode 'The Haunting of Bill Crouse' when he kills off Jen, Moss has a clear inability to judge the scale of a lie. So when he poses as Jen's husband at a secondary school reunion, he can't stop - and he won't stop. Professional tennis player? Indeed! Highly seeded? Oh, yes! Two lovely fictional children (with incredible names)? Of course!
Naturally, it all unravels at the end of the night in typical IT Crowd style, but it's a moment that shows out of all of the central characters, Moss has the greatest variety. While Jen, Roy and even Douglas to an extent are all rooted to their character quirks, there's always something about Moss that surprises you. Speaking of which...
5. 8+ (from Series 4 episode 2, 'The Final Countdown')
Moss invites Roy to explore Countdown subculture in one of The IT Crowd's finest episodes, after his impressive run of victories on the daytime quiz show grants him entry to the exclusive '8+' club. The duo's roles are reversed in style, as Roy makes numerous social blunders while Moss is treated with the utmost respect and fawned over by the programme's "sexually voracious" groupies...
The IT Crowd series finale airs tonight (Friday, September 27) at 9pm on Channel 4.
What's your favourite Maurice Moss moment from the past four series of The IT Crowd? Let us know below...
Managing Editor, Digital Spy
Kate (they/she) joined Digital Spy in 2011 after studying journalism at Salford University, and has 15 years' experience as a writer and editor. They have previously worked at organisations including the BBC and Metro, and contributed to various music websites, blogs and zines while based in Manchester.
During her time at DS, Kate has previously been a freelance sub-editor and chief sub-editor. Kate's team were proudly nominated in the Best Subbing/Production Team category at the BSME Talent Awards 2022.
