| abstract | - 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 David Cross 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Todd claims to be familiar with British culture, it soon becomes apparent that all he is familiar with are broad outdated stereotypes. Needless to say, Hilarity Ensues. 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, much to her chagrin.
* Actor Allusion:
* David Cross' father is actually from Leeds.
* Kayvan Novak turns up playing a bomb disposal expert.
* 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:
* Asshole Victim: Brent from episode 5 onwards.
* As Himself: 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.
* Bad Liar: Most of Todd's increasingly poor decisions involve lying, which he's not very good at.
* Big Bad Friend: 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.
* Black Comedy: More and more with each episode, particularly the finale.
* 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. "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.
* Butt Monkey: Todd, although he brings it on himself about 99% of the time.
* 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.
* Casanova Wannabe: Brent. Todd to an extent.
* The Chessmaster: Dave, who it turns out is rich, kinda cruel and has apparently set up Todd and Brent for his own amusement.
* Cringe Comedy: Todd is pretty much Michael Scott times twelve.
* 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.
* Death Is Dramatic: Averted.
* Downer Ending: Albeit a hilarious one.
* Dropped a Bridge on Him: Alice, Alice, Alice...
* Eagle Land: Todd and Brent try to avoid this this episode 5, and fail woefully.
* Evilly Affable: Dave, who is probably one of the most likable characters is also almost completely evil.
* Exactly What It Says on the Tin: 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.
* Fawlty Towers Plot: 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 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:
* Each episode of the first season opens with Todd restrained in front of a rowdy British Court being read a list of outrageous charges. This happens two weeks after Todd arrives in London, and the show chronicles how he got into that predicament.
* In the second season, each episode begins with Todd in North Korea, apparently about to push a nuclear button at gunpoint. This is only a handful of days after the court appearance.
* 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
* It Got Worse: The theme song was not meant to be taken lightly.
* Jerkass: Todd's boss Brent Wilts. He can't seem to speak a sentence without throwing in a term like "numb nuts", "fucktard", or something similar. It's revealed gradually throughout that he used to be just as meek as Todd. Dave had been giving him self help CDs that taught him to act like a Jerkass.
* Killed Off for Real: In the finale, Alice is blown up by the Turks' truck thanks to Todd.
* Lampshade Hanging: 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"
* Long Title
* 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".
* Nuke'Em: Todd does this in the finale to the Turks.
* The Other Marty: Dave was originally played by 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.
* Sadist Show: 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.
* Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When Brent finally realizes how hopeless Todd's trial is, he leaves the courtroom, telling Todd to stall for time until he gets back. He then immediately proceeds to get on a plane back to America.
* Serial Escalation: You thought things were bad at the beginning?
* Shoot the Shaggy Dog: ALICE
* Suspect Is Hatless: Todd's description of Dave to the police.
* Too Dumb to Fool: The terrorists try to con Margaret into refusing an immediate payment on the energy drinks by implying that it would prevent the mother from buying her medication. Todd just stares blankly at them without any reaction, forcing them to try a second tact, which Todd is dumb enough to fall for.
* 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.
* Very False Advertising: Todd's London apartment.
* You Fail Geography Forever: Todd believes that Leeds is "out west", and Dave has to point out to him that it is in fact Oop North.
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