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

@Jumell

you literally couldn’t believe your eyes?! She is actress and she appeared on a television…like why was it so surprising for you?!
genuinely curious!

FFS she's not some kind of Goddess; she's an actress. No she didn't 'make' the programme; she had a bit part in it.

I couldn’t believe they’d managed to get someone of her calibre to appear on the show

Am I missing something here - the woman from motherland and people can’t believe she appeared in another comedy show. I feel like I’ve slipped into a parallel universe.

I also don’t get the reverence for Olivia Coleman

Oh come on, I think you’re trolling now.

This has got to be a wind up, surely?

Just like Noel from Hearsay nonchalantly playing cards with Neil the father - all those little Nessa back stories added to the tapestry...

Definite wind up

Are you on glue op? Or overdone the eggnog?

But the low-key-ness of her appearance wasn't a result of her brilliant acting, it was because the character was written as a low-key character and could have been played by absolutely anybody! I'd go as far as saying it could've been played by someone with zero acting experience

Ah I don’t recall the Noel bit .. will have to rewatch I think

As opposed to unknown newcomer Alison Steadman you mean?

She's ok and been in a lot of good stuff but doesn't come close to Olivia Colman when you see her in things like Tyrannosaur.

But AS was already established in it

Very unusual to get a high calibre actor to play a tiny role

We are talking about AMM of Motherland, aren’t we?

I like her but shes in fucking everything at the moment and it's getting a bit annoying - much like Olivia Coleman!

It really isn't. Because she isn't that big a star and she would have known it was going to be a massive deal being the finale after 17 years.

It's not in the least surprising.

Yes

Totally agree

It had 12.3 million viewers, why wouldn’t she jump at the chance of playing a small part in it?

@Jumell

Is that you Anna?

Who?

I love her and can't stand Olivia Coleman and loved that she was in it but she definitely was just another little extra bonus rather than making it.

It's Dr. Who to you .

Are you her mother or her agent @Jumell ?
Thank you for generating so many funny comments tho!

I thought she was great as the celebrant trying to manage the chaos with gravitas!

Neil the baby was the scene stealer there though
I also liked the sly MN reference where Nessa mentioned being unreasonable.