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!

I think all the characters were also waiting for something interesting to happen in their lives - but they seemed to have no agency or accountability to make it happen themselves.

I think the shower gel thing was interesting - the two men in the shop staring a the shelf searching for “Revistalise” … yes they were all desperate for than as were we the audience but the writer kept us in that denied, unsatisfactory and frustrated place emotionally. V skillful.

I am only coming to this thread days after watching it and hating it - but it’s got under my skin and percolated a bit that I am able to appreciate the intent

The shop assistant was clearly depressed too I think. He needed some revitalizing shower gel as well.

I thought those scenes were a glimmer of hope for Ian - chance of an appropriate acquaintance that could develop into a friendship for both of these lonely depressed men.

I also thought about the power shift with age when the older shop assistant was getting shouted at by the younger store manager.

The revitalising shower gel is a good example of my earlier point. I felt the intention of the writer was so transparent... it was too try-hard. I felt it the writing was disappointing. The two main actors are skilled performers who are well capable of conveying emotions with subtlety but in this instance I feel they were let down by weak writing

I watched it to the end even though I thought I might give up halfway through.
I'm not sure I enjoyed it but if you can judge something by how much it makes you think about your life and your relationships then it was probably the best thing I have ever seen .

This is where I got to a week later …. it challenged me, made me uncomfortable - that’s quite powerful writing.

I'm not sure I enjoyed it but if you can judge something by how much it makes you think about your life and your relationships then it was probably the best thing I have ever seen.

That should be quoted in all their publicity! I hope you came to satisfying conclusions about your own life?

Yes this is still very much in my head after a week.

I still think it could have reached more peoples' heads had they not gone so art house on it which will have put off many. Why intentionally limit your remit?

I saw this in 2 blocks of 2 and loved it!

The music was meant to represent a marriage and the moves you make to keep it harmonious when it sometimes is tense and makes you want to scream hence the music building up to a crescendo.

My husband and I loved the behind the scenes ordinariness of it which you dont normally get to see and hear!