Description

Great show, British version, much better than the American version. This one actually does have humour!Coupling is a sitcom written by Steven Moffat, produced by Hartswood Films for the BBC, that debuted on BBC2 in May 2000, and ended in 2004. It centres on the dating and sexual adventures and mishaps of six friends in their thirties, often depicting the three women and the three men each talking amongst themselves about the same course of events, but in entirely different terms. An American adaptation of the sitcom was briefly produced in 2003.The show debuted to less-than-impressive ratings, but its popularity soon increased and by the end of the third series the show was consistently achieving moderately-high ratings in the UK. The series began airing on PBS stations and on BBC America in the United States in late 2002 and quickly gained a devoted American fanbase as well. The show also airs in Australia via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and The Comedy Channel, in Catalan Countries on public channel TVC, in France on the Comedie Channel, in Germany on ProSieben (Season 1-3) and Nickelodeon (Season 1-4), in Belgium (Flanders) on public channel Canvas, in Italy on MTV Italia, in Spain on People + Arts, in Sweden on SVT 2, in Denmark on DR2, in Turkey on CNBC-e and in Israel on Channel One.The idea for Coupling was based on the writer Steven Moffat meeting his wife Sue Vertue, and on all the issues that arise when people form new relationships. They themselves form the basis for the main characters Steve and Susan. The four other characters are the prior relationships and the best friends of Steve and Susan; however, these characters represent the extremes of confidence and paranoia between the sexes when it comes to relationships. The two main characters are then left to negotiate their own relationship as illuminated by these extremes.The series has made use of techniques that are unconventional in sitcoms, such as split screen and non-linear narratives. The style of the programme is sometimes farce, but by using non-linear narratives it is farce in a way not achievable on the stage.The sitcom has often been criticised as being a ‘British version of Friends’. However, in interviews Steven Moffat has cited Seinfeld as being more of an inspiration and this can be seen in some aspects of unusual plotting and character interaction.Four series of Coupling were produced for the BBC. The programme was thought to have ended when the American network NBC began work on an American adaptation, which NBC was reportedly hoping to position as a replacement for Friends. Unlike most American adaptations, this show was intended to be a word-for-word duplicate of the British version, except that it was shortened to allow for the shorter running time of North American ‘half hour’ shows. The programme was attacked in the press long before the first episode aired, because it was more sexually explicit than typical American television. The US version was cancelled after airing just four episodes. It starred Rena Sofer and Sonya Walger, among others. Gina Bellman, who plays Jane in the British series, made a cameo appearance in the first episode of the American adaptation of Coupling.In 2004, the fourth series started screening on BBC Three, and on BBC2 a few months later. Richard Coyle (who played Jeff) did not appear in the fourth series, and was replaced by Richard Mylan as a new character called Oliver. Richard Coyle did not want to continue in the role so he quit[1]. The BBC approached Moffat about writing a fifth series, but other commitments made it impossible to gather the cast. Moffat moved on to write acclaimed episodes for the revived science fiction series Doctor Who. Many fans of the series were angered that Jeff was no longer in the fourth series and Richard Mylan has said in interview that it took him a long time for people to accept his character[2].The DVD releases of all four series are currently available in the UK, US, and Australia.