Original Series
Two cockney sisters, Sharon (Pauline Quirke) who is
overweight, lazy and unhappily married to a low-life Greek living in a council
flat in Edmonton and Tracey (Linda Robson) who is slim and naïve and happily
married with a son living in a luxury house in Chigwell. Their different lives
collide when both of their husbands are sent to prison for armed robbery and
Sharon moves in with Tracey. With having only each other to rely on, they have
to find ways to try and make ends meet. They are constantly visited by their
next-door neighbour Dorian Green (Lesley Joseph) a rich middle-aged married
Jewish woman who constantly sleeps with younger men.
Despite starting off in 1989, the comedy has aged well even
if the picture quality hasn’t. The series is very much a product of it’s time
with a lot of 90’s culture references, but it was an interesting era in in
Britain so it does bring quite a charm to the show. The first season is the
most aged, while entertaining it’s clear the show was still trying to find its
feet trying to juggle the comedy and drama. Seasons 2 – 9 are more consistent with
the comedy while adding drama where it’s needed.
Revival Series
15 Years later, Tracey and Sharon have fallen out over
Tracey’s second husband and have reunited after Tracey got divorced. Dorian has
written a best-selling erotic novel but is being sued by the ’50 Shades Of Grey’
publishers for plagiarism leaving her penniless and has no choice but to move
in with Tracey and Sharon. Tracey’s baby she gave birth to at the end of the
original series is now a teenage boy called Travis, played by Charlie Quirke (son
of Pauline Quirke).
Despite the long gap between the series, the comedy is still
consistent with the original series as well as adapting to today’s culture.
Naturally it will age like the original series but that’s part of the charm.
Overall
It is the chemistry between the three lead actresses is what
makes the show, Quirk, Robson and Joseph play off of each other perfectly. The
way the three throw insults at each other and their reaction and timings are
genuinely funny. Tracey, being the only mother of the three, is often the most
sensible and moody as well as delusional about her husband but her naivety is
always fun especially when she mispronounces words. Sharon despite being fat,
lazy and having unhygienic habits, she also gets herself into illegal activities.
As well is as her married name being ‘Theodopolopodous’ being a constant
running gag. Dorian is the one who steals the show with her ridiculous outfits
and her obnoxious sexual experience stories.
I like that the show doesn’t shy away from some real life
realities, characters make decisions with long lasting consequences, failure to
secure jobs or make money. I also love that neither Sharon, Tracey or Dorian
are perfect, they may evolve but they still have their major flaws that never
feel too repetitive.
The biggest issue I have with the constant recasting of the
male supporting characters. Sharon’s husband Chris is first played David Cardy
then Peter Polycarpou and then back to Cardy, both actors look nothing alike and
they even have different skin tones. Tracey’s husband Daryl is played by Alun
Lewis and then later Doug McFerran, the look change is distracting as Lewis had
a blonde mullet and McFerran has shaved dark hair. Lewis played the role with
such good timing that despite Daryl having a hot temper, he was still likeable
unlike McFerran who just made Daryl unbearable. However it’s Tracey’s son Garth
who had the most actors, at first he’s played very briefly by Simon Nash and
then Matthew Savage for the bulk of the original series, despite looking
different Savage did make the role his own. In the revival series he’s at first
recast to Matt Willis, who was completely miscast looking nothing like Savage
and was too young. He’s now currently being played by Samuel James who is more
convincing as an older version Savage’s Garth.
The series is overall feel good and re-watchable with genuinely
funny jokes and nice look at some British cultures.
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