Saturday 21 November

BLOGS

blogCategory
Previous
Back to blog
Next

Mutual Friends

Keeley Hawes, Marc Warren and Alexander Armstrong in Mutual Friends
  • Posted at 12:25pm
  • 29 August 2008
  • by AlisonGraham-RT
  • 11 comments

I've spoken to quite a few people, friends and colleagues, about Mutual Friends (BBC1, 9:00pm, Tuesdays). Not that there's anything particularly odd about this, as of course we talk about telly most of the time. But what has marked out my Mutual Friends conversations is that none of them has been instigated by me. Rather, people have sought me out to ask if a) I'd watched it and b) whether I'd enjoyed it before letting me in on their thoughts.

For the record, I think Mutual Friends is a strange mixture - it's not quite a drama, but then it's not quite a comedy either and in reaching for that most difficult to achieve TV hybrid, the "comedy drama", it's ended up being neither one thing nor another.

It's immensely derivative too, with shades of Thirtysomething and Cold Feet, though it doesn't have the wit of the former or the warmth of the latter. It even borrows from the movies, with its opening Big Chill scenario - a group of long-standing friends gathers at the funeral of a pal who has committed suicide, in this case by jumping in front of a speeding train. As yet, no-one understands why he's done it.

But the gathering becomes the catalyst for Mutual Friends's pivotal story when Jen (Keeley Hawes) blurts out to her husband Martin (Marc Warren, who's the best thing about the show) that she slept with Carl (it's his funeral). Martin is shocked and baffled, understandably enough, though his attempts to rebuild his marriage and reconcile with his wife are regularly torpedoed by his best friend Patrick (Alexander Armstrong), a feckless, immature, emotionally stunted lothario.

Mutual Friends is unremarkable in so many ways, but what I think has made it something of a talking point - something that people have actually stayed with, rather than just switching channels - is that it caters to a largely neglected, or at the very least ill-used, TV audience: the middle classes, who so rarely see any real aspect of their lives reflected on television, for good or ill.

Just think about it - in soaps any middle-class character is usually evil, or at the very least, unpleasant, and similarly in dramas you probably wouldn't lose money betting on a middle-class character being a serial killer, a crook, or a pervert. Maybe even all three.

In Mutual Friends, no-one is actually wicked, or even particularly horrible. You even end up feeling sorry for the hopeless Patrick and his soulless bedding of women. They are all flawed, middle-class people, who mostly try to make the best of things.

**

Alison Graham is TV editor of Radio Times - read her column in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale now.

Link to this post
Post a comment | 11 comments

Comments

  • Posted on 11 May 2009
  • at 4:25pm
  • by LauraPledger-RT

FAO Catherine - Unfortunately there is no word yet regarding a second series of Mutual Friends. As soon as we know more, we will update you.

  • Posted on 07 May 2009
  • at 4:14pm
  • by Catherine

Any plans for a second series? LOVED this programme - a brilliant mix of utter hilarity, irony and sensitivity.

  • Posted on 31 January 2009
  • at 2:04am
  • by Edward

Is Marc Warren having a seizure in your photo or is Armstrong 'doing a Gazza' on him?

  • Posted on 10 October 2008
  • at 1:48pm
  • by b.s.e 123

This is a great series; subtle emotions mixed with obvious splattering of comedy, what more could a programme need? While this may not be your average day it's portrayed in a plausible manner that could and to a degree probably has been someone's day. The acting (Marc Warren and Alexander Armstrong) is first class and the characters are in the main believable. This does have an air of middle class and it's a middle class that isn't trying to rob the blind just get out of life what they think they deserve. Please give us another series…

  • Posted on 30 September 2008
  • at 7:30pm
  • by Swagman

My wife and I pour a glass of Australian Red ,sit back and enjoy this prog,We think its great and I love Keeley Hawes.

  • Posted on 23 September 2008
  • at 12:54pm
  • by Friv

It's a must viewing for us. with such a dearth of good original drama available it stands out like a beacon - i just enjoy it rather than pigeon hole it - excellent cast first rate

  • Posted on 09 September 2008
  • at 8:46pm
  • by Chris

I think it's the working class (remember them? that doesn't really get represented on TV; when they are they are caricatured as chavs, underclass or some other off the shelf stereotype. As for the middle classes - they're all over the TV, try avoiding 'em!

  • Posted on 09 September 2008
  • at 11:10am
  • by Rich

you have got to be 100% absolutely kidding about the middle classes not being represented on television. How much TV do you actually watch, Alison?

  • Posted on 03 September 2008
  • at 10:03am
  • by Sue

We watched again last night but won't be watching this again. Certainly not a comedy just dialogue between the most selfish and obnoxious people. I prefer Friends like Gavin & Stacey, not this lot!

  • Posted on 02 September 2008
  • at 5:52pm
  • by Kay

I enjoyed the first episod of this drama and am glad I watched it on iplayer. Forget about trying to pigeonhole its and sit back and enjoy, given the dearth of television programmes, that appeal to me anyway, this hits the spot.

  • Posted on 02 September 2008
  • at 9:37am
  • by deworde

Maybe we could stop giving shows format and genre labels just because we need to fit them on a shelf in a store.

Is it a comedy? Is it a drama? Does it actually affect your enjoyment?

It just seems odd that people would sit through an entire show trying to work out if it's a comedy or a drama, rather than just enjoying the jokes and the tension.

Post a comment

Do you have something to say about this post? Share your thoughts…

Post a comment

(first or nickname only)

Please do not include any personal or personally identifiable information about yourself or others (including email addresses). All information you submit about yourself or others can be viewed by others.

Thank you for your comment

Thank you for your comments. All comments will be looked at by a moderator, however, due to the numbers of comments we receive, we can't promise that all will be posted on the site.

Post another comment

More


Advertisement