MovieChat Forums > Black Books (2001) Discussion > 88 degrees

88 degrees

posted 13 years ago by kateskye
23 replies | jump to latest

Okay, so in the episode "Fever" Manny is terrified of it getting up to 88 degrees. All the other characters also complain about the heat. So I say to myself, "I'm American, this must be a celsius translation problem." But 88 degrees celsius is 190 degrees fahrenheit, so that's not really possible. If 88 degrees is supposed to be in fahrenheit then what's the big deal? It's really not that hot.

It's a silly thing, I know, but it was bugging me the whole episode. Any insight? Maybe someone from the UK can clear this up for me.

[–] Theoden_of_ODU 13 years ago

Just watched that episode - I suspect it's because a lot of Europeans (or at least these ones) don't have air conditioning.

Remember when something like 40,000 Europeans died because of the 2003 heat wave? Granted those temps hit something along the lines of 90-100 degrees F, I could see how a sustained heat of the high 80s could probably do "damage."

Where I live on the East Coast of America we regularly get about a weeks worth of 90+ F temps, and a good two or three weeks worth of high-80s.

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[–] jlprizm21 13 years ago

I see what you're saying and I wish I had an answer for you too. I'm from America so I didn't understand either why 88 degrees would be that bad..that's nothing here...I'm from Michigan. I'm thinking that it wasn't so much that it was really hot but it had something to do with Manny's body specifically that it couldn't reach 88 because something would happen to him. That's my guess at least.

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[–] e_m_twissell 13 years ago

Huh...

I'm American, and I always turn on the AC at 78 or so. I can see Britons finding it pretty hot if they aren't accustomed to it. I mean, hundreds of millions of people live in places (Gabon, Sri Lanka, Brazil) that I couldn't fathom living in for the heat.

[–] loneandersen 13 years ago

Right, just to make it clear for us Europeans (;-)) 88 degrees Fahrenheit is about 31 degrees C. Which is pretty hot for Northern Europe. I live in Denmark myself and high 20's is amazing for summer here.

That said, London is more to the south and 31 is not unheard of. So poor Manny must get an attack of Dave's syndrome occasionally.

Wonder how Bernard would react if Manny suggested installing AC in the shop ...

[–] masuka-fan 13 years ago

I'm American and I find 88 degrees unbearable. Around 70-72 is ideal.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (28686785) 12 years ago

I live in Phoenix, Arizona, so 88 degrees is actually quite nice to me when I'm used to summer temps of 115 degrees.

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[–] december_roses 9 years ago

I'm in Oklahoma and it's the same. It's generally 110-112 in the summers. I'd love if it only got to 88 degrees in the summer

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[–] runnvxc 12 years ago

I think I can clear this up. England has an extremely moderate climate. Their winter get just barely into freezing temps and their summer at their hottest are typically high 70s. Compare that to the middle of North America (Chicago for example) where we can get easily into the 10s in the winter and right now we are getting into the 100s.

88 degrees would be very hot to them. Not unheard of but much higher than the norm.

[–] cyclontzy 12 years ago

Right, I'm from chicago, and 88 degrees is a laugh.

[–] JackMillion 12 years ago

Cause it's a funny number?
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Since when is this show taken seriously!?
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88 is a funny number. It's also the Miles Per Hour in Back to the Future! Cool! Dumb! Funny! All right!!?

[–] cj12297 12 years ago

88 degrees Fahrenheit is 31.1 degrees Celsius which is pretty damn hot. Even 20 degrees is roasting.

[–] tom-morin34 12 years ago

It's just because in the UK anything above about 80F is really quite rare, and 88 is considered pretty unbearable by most. Just imagine it as 120f or something if you're from the USA.

[–] Gum_Bercules 12 years ago

It's what people are aclimatized to. I live in Australia and to me, complaining about anything under 35c just means you're a whiney little cry pants. But that's because I'm used to our heat and weather. I bet if I went to the uk they would consider me a whinger when I complain that 17c is freezing. And I would complain too, that's bloody cold to me because I'm not used to it. Its all relative to where you're from and what you're used to

[–] morningstar_162002 12 years ago

i keep my house at 17 any higher is just bloody hot and i dont get cold till 5ish.

when it gets to 21-22 outside its shorts massive amounts of sunscreen and trying not to die for sun stroke. most of you ppl must live in deserts or something.

as a point its currently 4 according to my phone and im walking around in jeans and a t shirt