Coupling (British TV series)

For other meanings, see coupling (disambiguation).

Coupling
Coupling series two European DVD cover
Created by	Steven Moffat
Starring	Sarah Alexander, Gina Bellman, Richard Coyle, Jack Davenport, Kate Isitt, Ben Miles
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	28
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Original release
Network	BBC Two
Release	2000 – 2004

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.

Characters

Template:Spoiler Like most sitcoms, Coupling is almost entirely based around the antics of the six main characters. When other characters appear, they are largely confined to the plot of at most a few episodes. Coupling features no recurring characters that last beyond a few episodes.

Steve Taylor - Best friend to Jeff, boyfriend/fiancé of Susan and ex-long-term partner of Jane, Steve is skilled at saying the exact wrong thing at the wrong time. His inability to handle any kind of pressure often leads to various humorous and hugely inappropriate responses which make up most of his character's comedy. Despite this, Steve has some common sense and often refutes the seemingly ridiculous things Jeff and Patrick come up with. Despite his flaws, he always means well but always seems to lose control of the situation. No reference is made to Steve's job during the series, but in a DVD commentary, Moffat mentions that Steve is, like him, a writer. At least once per series, Steve goes off on a long rant explaining a difference of perspective between the sexes.

The name "Steve Taylor" is very similar to "Steven Taylor", a 1960s regular character from Doctor Who, a series Moffat was a fan of and would later go on to write for. Moffat later explained that although he was aware of the Doctor Who connection, the "Steve" was chosen because the character was based upon himself, and the "Taylor" to suggest a thematic link to the character of Mark Taylor in his earlier sitcom Joking Apart.

Susan Walker - Best friend to Sally, girlfriend/fiancée to Steve and ex-girlfriend of Patrick, Susan is also a co-worker of Jeff. Susan is often very sensible, very organised and often gains comic resentment of this fact from her friends Sally and Jane. Susan at times can be very insecure about herself and often takes this out on Steve. Steve and Susan's various arguments and differences of opinion make up a majority of the comic exchanges between them. Susan is a successful career woman, speaks French fluently, and takes her work life very seriously.

Jeff Murdoch (Series 1 through 3) - Best friend to Steve and co-worker to Susan whom he has dated once. Jeff is the main comic character in the series. His constant sexual frustration, ridiculous stories and fantasies about women and sex are a major part of the comedy. Jeff is terrible at talking to women, often stumbling and unintentionally making up lie upon lie in attempts to make himself not look stupid. These always backfire in the course of the episode. He is known for a fondness with the word "breasts", often muttering it during conversations. From titbits he occasionally lets slip, it appears that his problems can largely be traced back to his eccentric and domineering mother (who appears in 2.8, "Naked", played by Anwen Williams). Jeff works as an accountant in an office with Susan, and it is through him that Steve and Susan initially meet.

Sally Harper - Best friend to Susan (and girlfriend to Patrick by series 4), Sally is obsessed with her own appearance and constantly worries about the effects of aging and life in general on her looks. Her worst fear seems to be of dying alone, but she seems totally inept at relationships due to her frequent paranoia. Sally runs her own beauty parlour and is a successful businesswoman, but out of the entire group, she is the most insecure and resentful, her comic actions often resulting from her extremely paranoid actions and statements. A Labour supporter, she finds it difficult to reconcile this with her attraction to Patrick, a Tory.

Patrick Maitland - Ex-boyfriend to Susan (and boyfriend of Sally by series 4), Patrick has a one-track mind: he thinks only of sex and the pursuit of sex. He has a very narrow mind when it comes to the female gender but is amazingly good at meeting and courting women. References about his rather large penis are frequently made, with references by Susan to him being a "donkey" and "tripod" sparking much of Sally's initial interest despite her other objections. Patrick's love of the ladies often backfires, and the series often features story lines about his possessive lovers and ex-lovers. Patrick is a successful businessman and is very competitive with others in the same business, but he does have a vague sense of loyalty to his friends. He collects videos of nights with his girlfriends in his rather large "cupboard of love."

Jane Christie - Ex-long-time partner of Steve, Jane is very possessive, and despite breaking up with Steve in the very first episode, she never truly seems to let go. Jane has a problem talking to men, often coming on much too strong and appearing desperate or rude to others in her pursuit of a man. Jane claims to be bisexual, although we have never actually seen her date a woman and Susan expresses scepticism so this may be a ploy to entice men. Her claim is also successfully challenged by Oliver Morris in the fourth series. (On the other hand, when Susan - trying a similar ploy to that of which she accuses Jane, in order to excite Steve - kisses Jane in 4.1, "Nine and a Half Minutes", Jane certainly appears to enjoy it.) Jane works in a local radio station as a traffic reporter, and is popular mainly due to her flirty nature and sexually explicit reports. (She was once briefly fired for telling all the drivers to close their eyes to center themselves and changing the names of streets for her own amusement, among other things, but was re-hired due to her popularity.)

Oliver Morris (Series 4) - Oliver is introduced in the fourth series and eventually becomes involved with Jane. He runs a local science fiction media store called "Hellmouths" and has been out of a relationship for several months. Oliver often has a very cynical outlook but is prone to accidents, often making a fool of himself in the process. The geekiness of his job is also used for comic effect. Oliver also seems to have inherited Jeff's inability to talk to women as well, though this is not referenced as much as it was with Jeff.

Other characters

Template:Spoiler Julia Davis - Julia (the late Lou Gish), appears in five episodes spanning over series 2 and 3. She first appears in Naked, as the new head of department in the office where Jeff and Susan work. Julia and Jeff soon fall for each other due to their shared inability to hold a reasonable conversation with a member of the opposite sex. Despite overcoming the inevitable troubles considering the individuals involved, their relationship comes to an end when Julia's ex, Joe, a soldier returning from the front line, shows up at her flat, believing Julia to still be his girlfriend. After finding Julia chained to the bed in her room dressed in bondage gear, Joe attacks Jeff. In the following episode, Jeff explains that Julia and Joe have left together to discover their feelings for each other, in Bolton.

Tamsin - Tamsin (Olivia Caffrey) is Oliver's Irish ex-girlfriend, who left him for unknown reasons around six months prior to the beginning of the fourth series, and has since become pregnant by another man, with whom she has now split. She befriends Susan at an antenatal class. Tamsin and Oliver seem to have a sour relationship with each other, as is shown over the three episodes in which she features.

James - James (Lloyd Owen) appears in three episodes of series three. He hosts the religious programme at the radio station where Jane works, and Jane pretends to have an interest in religion in order to become his girlfriend. Jane is devastated to find he does not believe in sex before marriage, and even more so to find that he had a fervent sex life before finding God, which included a night with Susan. He leaves on a trip to Germany at the end of The Freckle, the Key, and the Couple who Weren't, and returns in Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps, just as Jane is expressing her amazement that the many sexual encounters she has had while he was away have not made her pregnant. At this point James decides she is better off without him.

Main cast

• Steve Taylor – played by Jack Davenport
• Jane Christie – played by Gina Bellman
• Susan Walker – played by Sarah Alexander
• Sally Harper – played by Kate Isitt
• Patrick Maitland – played by Ben Miles
• Jeff Murdoch – played by Richard Coyle (Series 1-3)
• Oliver Morris – played by Richard Mylan (Series 4)

US Version Cast

• Steve Taylor – played by Jay Harrington
• Jane Honda – played by Lindsay Price
• Susan Freeman – played by Rena Sofer
• Sally Harper – played by Sonya Walger
• Patrick Maitland – played by Colin Ferguson
• Jeff Clancy – played by Christopher Moynihan

Crew

• Steven Moffat – Writer
• Sue Vertue – Producer
• Beryl Vertue – Executive Producer

Episodes

Main article: List of Coupling episodes

References

The pornographic video Lesbian Spank Inferno (series 1 episode "Inferno") was used previously, it was mentioned in the final episode of Moffat's comprehensive school comedy Chalk.

Post-show story provided by Moffat

On the Outpost Gallifrey internet message board, Steven Moffat provided some short storyline "conclusions" for those wondering what became of the Coupling characters:

"Sally said yes to Patrick, they got married and are very happy... especially as Sally beat Susan to the altar, and finally did something first. Patrick is now a completely devoted husband, who lives in total denial that he was anything other an upstanding member of the community. Or possibly he's actually forgotten. He doesn't like remembering things because it's a bit like thinking.

Jane and Oliver never actually did have sex, but they did become very good friends. They often rejoice together that their friendship is uncomplicated by any kind of sexual attraction - but they both get murderously jealous when the other is dating. Jane has a job at Oliver's science fiction book shop now - and since Oliver has that one moment of Naked Jane burnt on the inside of his eyelids, he now loses the place in one in every three sentences. People who know them well think something's gotta give - and they're right. Especially as Jane comes to work in a metal bikini.

Steve and Susan have two children now, and have recently completed work on a sitcom about their early lives together. They're developing a new television project, but it keeps getting delayed as he insists on writing episodes of some old kids show they recently pulled out of mothballs. She gets very cross about this, and if he says "Yeah but check out the season poll!" one more time, he will not live to write another word.

Jeff is still abroad. He lives a life of complete peace and serenity now, having taken the precaution of not learning a word of the local language and therefore protecting himself from the consequences of his own special brand of communication. If any English speakers turn up, he pretends he only speaks Hebrew. He is, at this very moment, staring out to sea, and sighing happily every thirty-eight seconds.

What he doesn't know, of course, is that even now a beautiful Israeli girl he once met in a bar, is heading towards his apartment, having been directed to the only Hebrew speaker on the island. What he also doesn't know is that she is being driven by a young ex-pat English woman, who is still grieving the loss of a charming, one-legged Welshman she once met on a train. And he cannot possibly suspect that (owing to a laundry mix-up, and a stag party the previous night in the same block) he is wearing heat-dissolving trunks.

As the doorbell rings, it is best that we draw a veil."

External links

• Official site
• Coupling (UK) at IMDb
• Coupling (US) at IMDb
• British Sitcom Guide
• Phill.co.uk Comedy Guide
• BBC Comedy Guide
• Official website for Mari Wilson - the vocalist of the theme song
• Extensive quotes esp. from Jeff's monologues at Richard Coyle's fansite
• Coupling Unofficial German Fansite