History Series / TheIncreasinglyPoorDecisionsOfToddMargaret

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* ActorAllusion:
** David Cross' father is from Leeds.
** Kayvan Novak turns up playing a bomb disposal expert.

* TheOtherMarty: Dave was originally played by [[Series/BeingHuman Russell Tovey]] in the pilot, but wasn't available when the series went into production. He was replaced by Blake Harrison, and all of Dave's scenes had to be reshot.

%%* CringeComedy: Todd is [[TheOffice Michael Scott]] times twelve.

%%* [[spoiler:DownerEnding: Albeit a hilarious one.]]

%%* OnlySaneMan: Alice, Doug, and Dave. [[spoiler:Dave is actually TheChessmaster but started the whole plot off for pretty odd reasons.]]

%%* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler:ALICE]]

%%* SmugSmiler: Dave.

%%* VeryFalseAdvertising: Todd's London apartment.
* [[ArtisticLicenseGeography You Fail Geography Forever]]: Todd believes that Leeds is "out west", and Dave has to point out to him that it is in fact OopNorth.

%%* AssholeVictim: Brent from episode 5 onwards.

%%* BlackComedy: More and more with each episode, particularly the finale.

* [[spoiler:CharacterDeath: In the finale, Alice is blown up by the Turks' truck thanks to Todd.]]

* CounterfeitCash: Todd gets paid with a suitcase of cash, when he tries to pass one of the bills, the recipient refuses it, pointing out that there shouldn't be a "Y" in "Bank of England", and that the woman's face on the obverse is not [[UsefulNotes/HMTheQueen Queen Elizabeth]], but [[Film/TheQueen HelenMirren]].
** It is also in a £30 denomination.
%%* DeathIsDramatic: Averted.

%%* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Alice, Alice, Alice...]]

%%* LongTitle

* CounterfeitCash: Todd gets paid with a suitcase of cash, when he tries to pass one of the bills, the recipient refuses it, pointing out that there shouldn't be a "Y" in "Bank of England", and that the woman's face on the obverse is not [[HMTheQueen Queen Elizabeth]], but [[Film/TheQueen HelenMirren]].

* [[ArtisticLicenseGeography You Fail Geography Forever]]: Todd believes that Leeds is "out west", and Dave has to point out to him that it is in fact OopNorth.

* BribeBackfire: In trying to procure a liquor license for Alice, Todd tries to introduce his friend "Mr. Benjamin" to a British official. Not understanding at first that in Britain the currency is pounds, he then tries to guess who is on British currency (including Winston Churchill, a bulldog, a lady drinking tea, and Music/TheBeatles). Finally examining the currency, he is unfamiliar with the official. "[[AdamSmithHatesYourGuts Adam Smith]]? How was I supposed to guess that?!"

''The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret'' is a sitcom produced by IFC and RDF Television that airs on IFC in the US and on {{Channel 4}} in Britain. The show stars Creator/DavidCross as Todd Margaret, a low-level employee who, due to a comedic misunderstanding, is selected by his jerk boss Brent Wilts to travel to London to sell energy drinks. Although Todd claims to [[BadLiar be familiar]] with British culture, it soon becomes apparent that all he is familiar with are broad [[NationalStereotypes outdated stereotypes]]. Needless to say, {{hilarity ensues}}.

* AsHimself: [[spoiler:It is eventually revealed that Dave's nervous butler, played by Jon Hamm, is actually the man himself, cowed into working for Dave through his money and influence]].

* BigBadFriend: [[spoiler:Dave, who is secretly the mysterious "Mr. Mountford",orchestrated the entire series from the beginning as revenge for two minor slights against him by Brent Wilts and Todd Margaret.]]

** David Cross' father is actually from Leeds.

* AssholeVictim: Brent from episode 5 onwards.

* BlackComedy: More and more with each episode, particularly the finale.

* ButtMonkey: Todd, although he brings it on himself about 99% of the time.

* CasanovaWannabe: Brent. Todd to an extent.
* TheChessmaster: [[spoiler: Dave, who it turns out is rich, kinda cruel and has apparently set up Todd and Brent for his own amusement.]]
* CloudCuckooLander: Alice is a subdued version of this; she seems completely polite, [[OnlySaneMan down to Earth]], and normal. But then see AlienLunch.
* CringeComedy: Todd is pretty much [[TheOffice Michael Scott]] times twelve.

* DeathIsDramatic: Averted.
* [[spoiler:DownerEnding: Albeit a hilarious one.]]
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Alice, Alice, Alice...]]
* {{Eagleland}}: Todd and Brent try to avoid this this episode 5, and fail woefully.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Todd Margaret flies halfway round the world to sell energy drinks without a second's consideration, and is on the defensive from the minute his plane lands in England.

* FauxAffablyEvil: [[spoiler:Dave, who is probably one of the most likable characters is also almost completely evil.]]

* [[spoiler:KilledOffForReal: In the finale, Alice is blown up by the Turks' truck thanks to Todd.]]
* LampshadeHanging: [[spoiler:Doug Whitney: "How could Dave know that Brent Wilts would [[XanatosRoulette at that EXACT moment]] would walk past when Todd Margaret was listening to those self help [=CDs=] back in Portland?"]]
* LongTitle

* OnlySaneMan: Alice, Doug, and Dave. [[spoiler:Subverted royally with Dave, as he's actually TheChessmaster and a MagnificentBastard, but started the whole plot off for pretty odd reasons.]]

* SadistShow: It's pretty much like watching everyone you've ever hated distilled into one person ruining his life over and over again in funny ways.

* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler:ALICE]]

* SmugSmiler: Dave.

* XanatosRoulette: [[spoiler:See LampshadeHanging]]

* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: Todd occasionally comes off as a lovable loser, but it is hard to feel sorry for him most of the time. In any unexpected situation he finds himself in, his default response is to lie about it, and try to weave this new lie into his increasingly complex and imaginary "life story". His seemingly willful ignorance does not help either.
* VeryFalseAdvertising: Todd's London apartment.

Todd’s only employee in London is Dave, a native Briton who quickly realizes that Todd has no idea about British culture or selling energy drinks and does all he can to take advantage of and embarrass Todd. Rounding out the main cast is Alice, a restaurant owner who dreams of being a molecular gastronomer, who Todd quickly falls for, [[AllLoveIsUnrequited much to her chagrin]].

* EvillyAffable: [[spoiler:Dave, who is probably one of the most likable characters is also almost completely evil.]]

* IgnorantOfTheirOwnIgnorance: Todd is so sure that there's nothing important to know about British culture, even after repeated beatings, misunderstandings and criminal charges due to his ignorance
* ItGotWorse: The theme song was not meant to be taken lightly.

* LampshadeHanging: [[spoiler:Doug Whitney: "How could Dave know that Brent Wilts would at that EXACT moment would walk past when Todd Margaret was listening to those self help [=CDs=] back in Portland"]]

''The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret'' is a sitcom produced by IFC and RDF Television that airs on IFC in the US and on {{Channel 4}} in Britain. The show stars DavidCross as Todd Margaret, a low-level employee who, due to a comedic misunderstanding, is selected by his jerk boss Brent Wilts to travel to London to sell energy drinks. Although Todd claims to [[BadLiar be familiar]] with British culture, it soon becomes apparent that all he is familiar with are broad [[NationalStereotypes outdated stereotypes]]. Needless to say, {{hilarity ensues}}.

* BeyondTheImpossible: You thought things were bad at the beginning?

* [[ArtisticLicenseGeography YouFailGeographyForever]]: Todd believes that Leeds is "out west", and Dave has to point out to him that it is in fact OopNorth.

* YouFailGeographyForever: Todd believes that Leeds is "out west", and Dave has to point out to him that it is in fact OopNorth.

''The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret'' is a sitcom produced by {{IFC}} and RDF Television that airs on IFC in the US and on {{Channel 4}} in Britain. The show stars DavidCross as Todd Margaret, a low-level employee who, due to a comedic misunderstanding, is selected by his jerk boss Brent Wilts to travel to London to sell energy drinks. Although Todd claims to [[BadLiar be familiar]] with British culture, it soon becomes apparent that all he is familiar with are broad [[NationalStereotypes outdated stereotypes]]. Needless to say, {{hilarity ensues}}.

{{The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret}} is a sitcom produced by IFC and RDF Television that airs on IFC in the US and on {{Channel 4}} in Britain. The show stars DavidCross as Todd Margaret, a low-level employee who, due to a comedic misunderstanding, is selected by his jerk boss Brent Wilts to travel to London to sell energy drinks. Although Todd claims to [[BadLiar be familiar]] with British culture, it soon becomes apparent that all he is familiar with are broad [[NationalStereotypes outdated stereotypes]]. Needless to say, {{hilarity ensues}}.

* {{Alien Lunch}}: Alice and La Molecule subscribe to a style of cuisine that is more chemistry than cooking. They concocts such bizarre foods as "oxtail toothpaste made with pancetta gas"
* {{Arson Murder And Jaywalking}}: The list of charges against Todd read out at the beginning of each episode are all pretty terrible, but the one from episode 5 invokes this trope:

* {{Bad Liar}}: Most of Todd's increasingly poor decisions involve lying, which he's not very good at.

* {{Bribe Backfire}}: In trying to procure a liquor license for Alice, Todd tries to introduce his friend "Mr. Benjamin" to a British official. Not understanding at first that in Britain the currency is pounds, he then tries to guess who is on British currency (including Winston Churchill, a bulldog, a lady drinking tea, and {{The Beatles}}). Finally examining the currency, he is unfamiliar with the official. "[[AdamSmithHatesYourGuts Adam Smith]]? How was I supposed to guess that?!"
* {{Bring My Brown Pants}}: Todd can't seem to go an episode without urinating or defecating his pants, either out of fear or due to an overdose of stimulants of some sort.
* {{British Accents}}: Todd claims to have spent summers in Leeds with his dad, yet cannot tell where Dave is from by his accent, or that there is even a difference in the different British accents. He also ''claims'' to have a slight Leeds accent of his own, but makes absolutely no effort to change his normal voice.

* {{Canada Eh}}: Todd briefly lapses into this when Brent suggests that he should become Alice's "type" in order to impress her, proving that it's not just the British who he is insensitive toward.

* {{Critical Research Failure}}: An in-universe example: the failure is not by the shows creators but by Todd Margaret himself. His vast ignorance of British culture is the main source of the show's comedy.

* FawltyTowersPlot: Todd's blatant and escalating lies drive most of the plot. Among other things he insists: his father died last week, he grew up in Leeds (a city he picked at random based on an an [[TheWho album cover]]), he is allergic to nuts (going so far as faking anaphalactic shock and taking unnecessary epinephrine shots), and he lives in the houses of Parliament (he claims it has apartments now).
* {{How We Got Here}}:

* {{Ignorant Of Their Own Ignorance}}: Todd is so sure that there's nothing important to know about British culture, even after repeated beatings, misunderstandings and criminal charges due to his ignorance

* {{Mistaken For Racist}}: Dave convinces Todd to wear a T-shirt advocating the British National Party, a political party infamous for advocating racial purity. Todd, being an American, merely considers it an "I Love England T-shirt".

* {{The Other Marty}}: Dave was originally played by [[Series/BeingHuman Russell Tovey]] in the pilot, but wasn't available when the series went into production. He was replaced by Blake Harrison, and all of Dave's scenes had to be reshot.

* {{Unfortunate Names}}: Our titular character. A bartender bluntly tells him, "Margaret? That's a girl's name!"
* {{Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist}}: Todd occasionally comes off as a lovable loser, but it is hard to feel sorry for him most of the time. In any unexpected situation he finds himself in, his default response is to lie about it, and try to weave this new lie into his increasingly complex and imaginary "life story". His seemingly willful ignorance does not help either.

* {{You Fail Geography Forever}}: Todd believes that Leeds is "out west", and Dave has to point out to him that it is in fact OopNorth.