"Underdogs: BSOD"

9 October 2025

8 mins 14s

They're baaaaaaack.

The Apple underdogs are back a year after the last episode had to be withdrawn because of offence generated by clumsy racial stereotyping. In this chaotic reunion, the quartet of successful, if hapless, entrepreneurs are only belittling themselves and their fellow geeks so there is little to no chance of a backlash... though geeks are a pretty touchy lot these days.

As with the previous instalments, the action arrives apace, and you have to tune in to the furiousness of the plot, but, once you do, there are gags aplenty as the plucky packaging company look to take advantage of a trade show to further their enterprise.

Along the way, Apple takes aim at one of the worst flaws of Microsoft's operating software... the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). As DAVID's audience only ever tap their fingers across the keyboard of Apple products, they may be unaware of this phenomenon, and that's kind of the point. Apple users are protected from catastrophic failure, and this ad contains a highly technical explanation for this. It's sufficient to say though that every PC user has, at some point, encountered the pain of this terminal error, and will fully understand the appropriateness of its well-earned nickname.

Much is made of it in this lengthy comedy sketch, directed this time by Bertie Ellwood, as the entire convention is brought to its knees by the BSOD, with only our plucky heroes able to circumvent it by dint of their commitment to Apple alternatives. Not only are they able to keep their own stand running, through their largesse, they can help their rivals to recover too.

The comedy serves a real purpose here as Apple continue to use this series to make a case for Apple in business environments where Microsoft still tends to dominate... and this one may well touch a nerve for those who regularly have to battle to keep their networks afloat, and persuade them to consider the alternative.

USA

Computer Hardware