Marriage - BBC1

[johnworf]

Did anyone watch it last night? I thought it was really good. Sean Bean and Nicola Walker are a bit of a dream team.

Reading reviews went from sublime to absolutely boring. I went for the former but realise it's not everyones cup of tea seeing the daily routine of a marriage.

Hopefully Sean doesn't get killed in this one!

According to someone on one of these threads about this particular drama, the music and the artists are award winning.

Oh dear!😀 I think it reminded her of the sort of group tasks they had to do in lessons.

I quite liked the music ! I wouldn't download it , but it fits this odd little drama to a t. All of them side stepping their emotions and dancing around each other rather than having a proper conversation about what is really going on.

I thought that about the theme tune. And how they side step all the time. Never saying what they’d meant and the kisses to plaster over the cracks.
It also felt like they had no on screen chemistry

Does she fancy Jamie? Or thinks he her?

I gave up after 40 minutes of episode 1, just so dull. I did like the ordinariness of the clothes, the house but very little going on.

I really liked it - I was surprised to hear Roomful of Teeth as the theme tune, as I wouldn't associate them with theme tunes! I couldn't help thinking that every male character was flawed, but was fascinated with how NW's character interacted with them; she seems a bit of a people pleaser. I'm looking forward to the rest...

DH and I wanted to give up after half an hour but I thought there must be more to it if NW and SB are in it so I’m looking forward to ep2 to see what will be revealed.

Just watched episode 2 and thought it was dragging again, but the end has left me wanting to watch episode 3. I think it’s a grower, stick with it !

The men are all so controlling. Her dad is an utter bastard

Her dad reminds me of my own late dad in law.
He used to make us feel bad for going abroad on holiday , make a remark about spicy / foreign food , have definite roles that men and women are meant to fit into, be bitter that he didn't do much with his life, so he took it out on us was generally miserable.

I am going stick with it, it’s certainly different, but basically what marriage is after 20 odd years, you have little arguments, change subject and move on. Also whether deep down she’s attracted to Jamie, whilst never going to do anything about it, I can relate to that.

We also really enjoyed it but I can see why someone wouldn't. I loved all the little touches and tiny moments - unlocking car, loading dishwasher, etc - but I do love slow programmes, I adored Mum! Interested to see how it goes - I am very anxious about the daughter's boyfriend and very confused about why there was a delay with Maxine coming out of the toilet and why she didn't answer.

The dad is controlling yet complained that Ian is ! And did you see how she poured the whole can of beer out for her dad, makes me wonder if that’s the life her mum lived so she’s dropped into the role.
I did wonder if the dad knew she wouldn’t want to go out for a meal with Ian, so sort of saved her from having to do it 🤔 so many possibilities !
And I want to save that poor work experience girl 🥴

I think we might just need to keep the faith with this one. I'm pretty sure neither actor would sign up to something that stays so mundane all the way through so I'm expecting it to all kick off in episode 3 (I realise this is a very optimistic view and it may be that it's dull all the way through and Sean Bean is having a giggle at our expense!!)

I saw the negative reviews on twitter and then saw that it's from the same people who made Mum which I absolutely loved so I started watching on the iplayer.

I like it. I like the subtle layers and it's similar to Mum but without the comedy ( from the brother's snobby partner and the son's girlfriend who are both very funny but slightly tragic characters)

I'm two episodes in and will enjoy the rest I think.

Mum was great though.
This isn't as good, but has similar themes I suppose ; the writer certainly liked to tackle difficult relationships and how they work

yes a get daily drudgery of marriage is just that, but these characters have no connection at all, it was like watching 2 strangers put in a house and told to pretend they know each other.

Totally. I am enjoying it - but the couple don't exactly seem 'comfortable' and easy with each other all the time. And I like both actors! NW's accent went suddenly really strong in the last scene in ep2.

The boss Jamie is awful, surely you and your spouse would have a mutual joint laugh/groan over him? Why does NW tolerate him? The dad is weird too but I guess there's an odd relationship there.

I really liked seeing things the characters don't e.g. why the job interviewer was distracted, and how Ian then interpreted it. But everyone just seems to act really oddly. Even the reception guy about the dirty lift mirrors. Surely you'd just smile and say 'we'll look into it' not try to assert your dickheadness to a member of the public.

I wouldn't have bothered to report the dirty lift mirror
What's the point ? He clearly wasn't going to be working there. The man on the desk wasn't interested. He doesn't pick on social cues / body language. Makes me wonder what his actual job was before ? Have we been told ?

I quite liked episode 1, dh found it unbearable, bleak and tense and depressing. Everything does look pretty shit at the end of ep1 and I’m hoping for a little lightness. Why isn’t SB looking for a job? All the men seem arses. My watch the rest of ive time without dh.

Dh never likes these type of things. He likes more of an action drama , lots of people running about and fast cars etc.
I loved Almas not Normal and mum (for example ) , he found them both tedious.
You need to enjoy the subtle I think , the less obvious writing and situations around ordinary people and what makes them tick.

I think Ian was p**sed off at the rude interview woman, so came out of there, and to offload, had a rant about the mirror. It wasn't really what he was mad about, but he couldn't kick off at rude woman, so. I think the "To the side, to the side" stuff is about the dance of marriage kind of thing.

She was rude to him in the interview though even if she had the crash beforehand it was still horrible.
We all know the young blond woman who was in after him will get that job too.

I assumed the jacket thing was her going in the toilet to get changed after work. She had a big bag with her didn't she? Could taking a long time in the toilet imply drugs or bulimia?

I like all the silence. Most normal people don't go round making impassioned soliloquies that beautifully articulate their feelings.

The music I think represents the rehearsed dance of marriage. They're not connected and that could be seen by the crying in the graveyard. Their grief is very routine now, but not shared or in sync.

I wondered if Ian complaining about the mirror was the sort of thing he lost his job for, that and his OCD.

Awful and she says fuck a lot.