MIX TAPE. tue and wed 9pm bbc 2 - TV PACE.NO SPOILERS

[Blondeshavemorefun]

new 4 part drama. On tue and Wed x 2 weeks

Sometimes all we want to watch is a swoon-worthy romance, and a nostalgic new BBC series sounds exactly like the kind of telly we need right now – especially if you loved One Day, Normal People and hit 2000 movie High Fidelity.

Based on the novel of the same name, Mix Tape will take viewers from 1980s Sheffield to the present day, with our leading couple connected by the power of music.

Already winning awards (Mix Tapewon the SXSW 2025 TV Spotlight Audience Award,) the four-part series has now been acquired by the BBC, ready to stream later this summer.

Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, said: "Accompanied by an absolutely cracking '80s soundtrack, Mix Tape is an enjoyable blend of nostalgia, romance and heartbreak – it really is the perfect summer treat!"

Mix Tape: Plot
The story, adapted from Jane Sanderson's novel, follows Daniel and Alison from their '80s teenage romance to the modern-day reality of their adult relationships while living on opposite sides of the world.

The synopsis reads: "In Sheffield, 1989, teenagers Daniel and Alison meet at a house party and bond over their shared love for music.

The relationship they forge that night follows them forever, and leave them wondering what could have been.

"Twenty years later, Daniel is in Sheffield, and Alison in Sydney. Despite the distance, Daniel reaches out to Alison in the hope that they might be able to rekindle that spark that once illuminated their young lives.

"The pair reconnect through a song from their shared past and explore their burning curiosity to understand if this is the love, and the life, they were meant to have."

Mix Tape: Cast
Teresa Palmer (The Clearing, The Fall Guy) and Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe, Cloud Atlas) will lead the cast as Alison and Daniel in the present day. Florence Hunt (Bridgerton, Cursed) and Rory Walton-Smith will play the young couple in the '80s.

Mix Tape: Trailer
Filmed on location in Dublin and Sydney, Mix Tape has already aired in Australia,

@Treviarpelli

No, while "Mix Tape" is set in Sheffield, no scenes were actually filmed there. The show, which is set in both 1989 Sheffield and the present day, was primarily filmed in Dublin, Ireland, with some additional filming in Sydney, Australia, according to the BBC and various publications. The Dublin filming locations were used to represent Sheffield in the 1989 timeline.

I really loved the whole programme

The young Alison and Dan really stood out. Especially the young Alison. Who I thought is really naturally pretty as well as being really engaging.

I really felt what Alison was going through. Just really really sad.

Sad that she had to leave to 'save' Peter. Then really sad that she said they hardly talked.

And I've only just realised where I knew Dan's mum from! Knew she looked familiar!

where?

There were quite a few Sheffield scenes in there, definitely recognised a few places. Maybe they just added them in at the end to make it more authentic.
i loved this. Very nostalgic and made me cry. I haven’t read the book but will give it a go now.

I have a mixtape a boy made me when I was 14. Still have it now, and his letters. Met him on a school trip to France. He pretends to be a radio dj on it.😁

She's been in the This Is England series (must be one of my favourite programmes ever, with the film)
And The Virtues and Malpractice

I had a boyfriend called Nigel who made me a mixtape too. Not sure if I have it still. I'm still in touch with him. He was a Wednesday fan too!

Soooo slow. May give up. I've watched 2/4. No empathy for the characters, acting pretty dire. Not a patch on One Day or Normal People.

I was not a fan of Normal People. Couldn't get past the first episode.

But I was invested in this

The book is so much better, the series is just strangely paced - really slow to start with and then is rushed off like a story written by a 10 year old ".....and then they woke up and it was all a dream"

No I didn't get all the fuss about Normal People, I found nothing much happened and I was bored. On that basis I didn't read the book.

Mix Tape book really is worth reading however. T

Agree with the posters saying some things didn't make sense in the drama version. Silly plot manipulations are annoying and just undermine the dramatic effect in the end. I think his wife looked more like a how grown up Alison might, facially at least.

I don't understand why they changed his wife's name and Dan's surname from Lawrence to O'Toole! It's not necessary at all and just pointless.

But wasn’t the music great?!

I loved the music! The young Alison reminds me of the Dwp woman on phoenix nights who was investigating Brian potter for benefit fraud . (Niche reference, if not seen is worth checking out the episode! )

I really enjoyed this series, made a change from crime dramas. Haven't read the book, do agree that the older Alison actress was miscast. Loved the music too

Also agree that the actor playing older Alison wasn't great. Looked nothing like her and different personality altogether. Wouldn't she have a little bit of her old accent still? I know it's been 25 years but I think I'd still have some of mine. Her old neighbour who also moved to Oz still had a Sheffield twang (or at least, to my non-Sheffield ears) I did enjoy the show when it was the younger actors. Think I'll give the book a read.

I just thought she wasn't like she used to be exactly in personality because of everything she'd been through.

I can believe you'd lose your accent after having lived somewhere long enough yes

I've watched about 1.5 episodes. The 80s were 'my era' so the nostalgia is strong. I havent read the book but i might. My only comment was that where they've moved the story forwards 10 years, some of the music is early 80s not late 80s. Rave was a thing in 1989, though may not so much in the north.

I love the younger actors and the 80s story. Trying to get into the 2015 storyline.

I've just started it (haven't read the thread) & the actress playing the older Alison was Sophie in The Last Anniversary wasn't she?

Yes, I'm just watching that at the moment. She was also Diana in A Discovery of Witches.

I finished it last night and enjoyed it as a light, romantic drama. I agree that the adult Alison didn’t look remotely like the young one, but it looks like it was primarily made/funded by an Australian company so I wonder if they needed to use an Aussie actress to get it greenlit?.. I enjoyed it but I don’t think it will stay with me as long as Normal People has.

I've just watched the 4 episodes, literally just finished the last one.
I haven't read the book. I really enjoyed the scenes set in the 80s with the young Alison and Dan. They could have at least got the adult actress to look even a bit like the younger one!
Also the adult actress sounds like she's actually got a New Zealand accent a bit, I've no idea who she is, will need to look up the cast. I don't think her accent could have changed that much ( I lived in Australia for a while).
DD informed me the younger Alison was in Bridgerton.
Overall I enjoyed it for the 80s nostalgia as I was around the same age at the time.

I gave up too, also it's MIXED tape surely?