: While Corden’s Phil is the adrenaline-fueled risk-taker, Baynton’s Sam is the grounded, unlikely hero trying to keep his life from imploding . Fast Facts for Your Next Trivia Night
: Much of the second series, which sees the duo in witness protection in "Texas," was actually filmed in Johannesburg, South Africa . The Wrong Mans(2013)
While the series ended after its two-part Christmas special in 2014, its creators went on to massive heights. James Corden became a global star hosting The Late Late Show , and Mathew Baynton became a staple of British comedy, most notably co-creating and starring in the hit series Ghosts . : While Corden’s Phil is the adrenaline-fueled risk-taker,
The show was born from a conversation between Corden and Baynton on the set of Gavin & Stacey . They noticed a gap in the market: why weren't there half-hour comedies with the high-stakes plotting of US "box set" dramas like 24 or Lost ? James Corden became a global star hosting The
The result is a story that starts with a single, disastrous decision. (Baynton), a hungover council worker, witnesses a car crash and answers a ringing phone left at the scene. The voice on the other end says: "If you are not here by 5:00, we will kill your wife" . Enter Phil Bourne (Corden), an overeager mailroom guy who convinces Sam they should be the "heroes of the hour" instead of calling the police. Why It Worked
What Happens When You Answer the Wrong Phone? A Look Back at The Wrong Mans (2013)
: The show takes cues from the Coen Brothers' Burn After Reading and Hitchcockian thrillers. It mocks action movie clichés—like characters magically traveling to Paris in two shots—by focusing on the mundane logistics of being on the run , like booking tickets or arguing over the correct pronunciation of "Ginsters" .