To think Anna Maxwell Martin ‘made’ Gavin and Stacey?

[Jumell]

When I first saw her on screen, I literally couldn’t believe my eyes.

As a whole it was pleasant enough and watchable albeit a bit boring in parts - e.g the whole stag do thing was bit ‘meh’ - but I couldn’t just sit through it without scrolling through phone which is terrible habit I know

Same ! glad its not just me who missed her

@Jumell

what exactly was it about her performance that you found powerful OP?

The low key ness of it

Exactly the same as John Prescott just nonchalantly appearing as a guest in the wedding of Nessa to Dave Coaches

Not only are you being unreasonable, you are being ridiculous. She had a 30 second, boring role that contributed nothing of any real significance to the episode and could have been played by anyone.
The episode relied completely on the totality of the several series- the history, knowledge of what has happened, what have been themes, jokes, hints and character foibles throughout to pull the humour and emotion together as a finale.
She played no part in any of that.
It was great and would have been as great without her.

I think AMM is great but she was only in it for a few minutes and it wasn’t that memorable or unexpected a performance. She did a good job but wasn’t the making of it, imo.

But John Prescott is not an actor. All he had to do was turn up and obey instructions.

Don't ever get a job as a professional TV critic, OP

Dawn is the best thing about G and S surely? Love AMM in Motherland but she didn't really add much to G and S IMO.

Totally different thing. John Prescott appeared at the wedding because he is one of Nessas's accounts of her past- she workd for him, had an affair with him and tells a tale about it on one occasion. He is one of her 'what might have been' stories-her world could have been so different but.....

He's another indication that they are actually true-that's why he shows up.

Anna Maxwell-Martin was just a 30 second nothing role. Pointless.

I don’t know who she is so had to google her - nothing came to mind that I’d seen her in.
Although if other people compare her to Olivia Coleman I can see why she wouldn’t be memorable. While I’m not someone who thinks Olivia Coleman plays herself in every role I do think her acting is very samey - like she is always ‘Olivia Coleman plays X’ rather than actually being a convincing character. I couldn’t do it myself though so who am I to judge.

I said “oh look who it is. Her again! She’s in everything at the moment. She must have a bloody brilliant agent”.

but no, she didn’t “make” it. At all. In any way shape or form

But both these appearances triggered an

“oh THIS is good” reaction in me

@Jumell

LOL, of course she didn't 'make the show'. What a daft comment! 😂 She was only in it for about a minute!

Are you taking the piss?! 😆 Although she was good in that drama the other week (Until I Kill You,) she was fairly average/basic in this. I had forgotten she had been in it actually!!!

What's with the 'Gavin & Stacey is shit' threads today? Quite a few people seem sooooo desperate to say how bad they think it is, when us fans all know you've never really watched it properly, and you couldn't name more than 3 characters. (Including Gavin and Stacey!) 😆

Seriously, get a life! We get it, you don't 'get' the hype. You don't have to. Us Gavin and Stacey obsessives don't care. We LOVE it! Now leave us alone to love it, and stop making dumb and stupid threads about how 'basic' and 'shit' you think it is!

.

I love AMM but was gutted the role wasn’t played by the original Vicar who shouted at Gavin over the sandwich filling. Still amazing episode though.

I vaguely recognised her but didn't know her name. But that's probably because I hated her character in Motherland and only ever watched a couple of episodes.

I didn’t hate G & S by any means … I found the final reasonably enjoyable just parts of it tiny bit - ‘meh’ eg Stag Do

It was a completely unmemorable performance. It could have been anyone playing that part and it would have had the same impact.

Didn't know what character she was and no, Ruth Jones and Alison Steadman made G and S. Also Dawn and Pete.
.

I thought it was a bit odd that she was there as she didn’t do anything that any extra would have. It wasn’t like she had to really act.

I loved the episode and I don’t mind AMM but she didn’t make the show.

Eh? ???

They’re entirely different things. John Prescott played himself, as a nod to Nessa’s colourful past.
AMM was just an actress playing a small part in a TV programme.

Olivia Coleman is an amazing actor

Well that's you.

As a piece of writing they are completely different things. One contributes nothing and could have been played by anyone.

The other was tied into a long-running theme that appears from Episode one until the finale and contributes significantly to the honour, our understanding of Nessa, her past and whether what she regularly claims is true.

Methinks the OP is pulling our collective leg! 😆

AMM is good - but she was in this for about a MINUTE! How could she 'make' an HOUR AND A HALF LONG SHOW, when she was in it for a minute?!

She was also fairly basic in this too. Anyone could have played that role for that one minute!

.
,

No, not at all.