List of Joking Apart episodes: Difference between revisions
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This is a list of television episodes from the British television sitcom '''''Joking Apart'''''. Broadcast on [[BBC2]], |
[[Image:Joking Apart Comms 1.jpg|thumb|Writer Steven Moffat, and actors Fiona Gillies and Robert Bathurst recording the audio commentary for the first series in January 2006]] |
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This is a '''list of television episodes''' from the British television sitcom '''''Joking Apart'''''. Broadcast on [[BBC2]], ''Joking Apart'' was written by [[Steven Moffat]] about the rise and fall of a relationship. It [[Juxtaposition|juxtaposes]] a couple, Mark ([[Robert Bathurst]]) and Becky ([[Fiona Gillies]]), who meet and fall in love before getting separated and finally [[divorced]]. The series was directed by [[Bob Spiers]] and was produced by [[Andre Ptaszynski]] for independent production company Pola Jones. |
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The show is semi-autobiographical, being inspired by the then-recent separation of Moffat and his first wife.<ref>{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Sternbergh |title= Selling Your Sex Life |work=New York Times |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A03EFD61538F934A3575AC0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2 |date=[[2003-09-07]] |accessdate=2008-04-01}}</ref><ref name="ott">{{cite web |first=Graham |last=Kibble-White |title="Fool If You Think It's Over" |work=Off the Telly |url=http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/comedy/jokingapart.htm |date=May 2006 |accessdate=2006-12-22}}</ref> Some of the first series followed a non-linear dual structure, contrasting the rise of the relationship with the separation. Other episodes were [[Ensemble cast|ensemble]] [[farce]]s, predominantly including the couple's friends Robert ([[Paul Raffield]]) and Tracy ([[Tracie Bennett]]). [[Paul Mark Elliott]] also appeared as Trevor, Becky's lover. |
The show is semi-autobiographical, being inspired by the then-recent separation of Moffat and his first wife.<ref>{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Sternbergh |title= Selling Your Sex Life |work=New York Times |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A03EFD61538F934A3575AC0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2 |date=[[2003-09-07]] |accessdate=2008-04-01}}</ref><ref name="ott">{{cite web |first=Graham |last=Kibble-White |title="Fool If You Think It's Over" |work=Off the Telly |url=http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/comedy/jokingapart.htm |date=May 2006 |accessdate=2006-12-22}}</ref> Some of the first series followed a non-linear dual structure, contrasting the rise of the relationship with the separation. Other episodes were [[Ensemble cast|ensemble]] [[farce]]s, predominantly including the couple's friends Robert ([[Paul Raffield]]) and Tracy ([[Tracie Bennett]]). [[Paul Mark Elliott]] also appeared as Trevor, Becky's lover. |
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Revision as of 12:20, 7 April 2008
This is a list of television episodes from the British television sitcom Joking Apart. Broadcast on BBC2, Joking Apart was written by Steven Moffat about the rise and fall of a relationship. It juxtaposes a couple, Mark (Robert Bathurst) and Becky (Fiona Gillies), who meet and fall in love before getting separated and finally divorced. The series was directed by Bob Spiers and was produced by Andre Ptaszynski for independent production company Pola Jones.
The show is semi-autobiographical, being inspired by the then-recent separation of Moffat and his first wife.[1][2] Some of the first series followed a non-linear dual structure, contrasting the rise of the relationship with the separation. Other episodes were ensemble farces, predominantly including the couple's friends Robert (Paul Raffield) and Tracy (Tracie Bennett). Paul Mark Elliott also appeared as Trevor, Becky's lover.
Although the show attracted a low audience because of scheduling problems, scored highly on the Appreciation Index and it accrued a loyal fanbase. One fan acquired the rights from the BBC and released it on his own DVD label.[3] The first series was released in May 2006, and the second on 17 March 2008.
Pilot: 1991
The pilot, directed by John Kilby, was filmed at Pebble Mill in Birmingham on 9/10 August 1990.[4] It is practically identical to the first episode of the series proper: some scenes are even reused, notably the scene with Mark and Becky meet when he accidentally turns up at a funeral (hence episode one's shared director credit between Spiers and Kilby).[5] The stand-up sequences were shot against a black background. Although this made it clearer that they were not 'real', Moffat thought that it looked odd.[6] The pilot was transmitted on BBC2 as part of its Comic Asides series of pilot shows on 12 January 1991.[4]
| Episode # | Original airdate | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | 12 July 1991 | Mark accidentally arrives at a funeral, where he meets Becky. The narrative jumps forward in time to their marriage, in which they have a healthy sexual relationship. Mark fails to recognise that the relationship is deteriorating, as Becky becomes annoyed at his constant jokes and his sarcasm towards her friends. As she arrives home, unaware that her friends are hiding around the house for a surprise birthday party, Becky announces to Mark that she wants a divorce. |
Series 1: 1993
| Episode # | Original airdate | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 January 1993 | See pilot. |
| 2 | 14 January 1993 | Robert and Tracy sit with Mark after Becky's departure. He reminisces about their first date, and how he met his friends. |
| 3 | 21 January 1993 | Mark arrives at Robert and Tracy's for dinner on the wrong night. Shortly afterwards, Becky and new-lover Trevor (Paul-Mark Elliott) arrive for the dinner, in which avocado is a starter. |
| 4 | 28 January 1993 | Mark recalls the time he proposed to Becky. |
| 5 | 5 February 1993 | When Mark returns Robert's mobile telephone, he ends up in bed with Tracy. |
| 6 | 11 February 1993 | Mark takes a drunken woman back to his flat. |
Series 2: 1995
| Episode # | Original airdate | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 January 1995 | Mark and Becky bump into each other again in a newsagents as he is browsing the top shelf. When Robert and Tracy accidentally give away her new address, Mark finds himself trapped under his ex-wife's bed. |
| 2 | 10 January 1995 | Concerned that Becky is now cheating on him, Trevor visits Mark. Mark's psychiatrist (John Fortune), Robert and Tracy become convinced that Mark has enacted his fantasies of killing Trevor. |
| 3 | 17 January 1995 | Robert is caught visiting a prostitute (Diane Langton). |
| 4 | 24 January 1995 | Mark's Aunt Helen (Barbara Keogh) arrives from Australia, unaware of his separation. He also acquaints himself with his new neighbour (Nina Young). |
| 5 | 31 January 1995 | Mark comes round after suffering concussion to find that he is able to have a conversation with a part of his anatomy (Kerry Shale). |
| 6 | 7 February 1995 | Tracy phones a morning television phone-in show (hosted by Michael Thomas and Helen Atkinson-Wood, with appearances by Rachael Fielding and Johnathon Barlow), unaware that the expert (Tony Gardner) is in her bathroom. |
References
- ^ Sternbergh, Adam (2003-09-07). "Selling Your Sex Life". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Kibble-White, Graham (May 2006). ""Fool If You Think It's Over"". Off the Telly. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
- ^ Jarvis, Shane (2006-05-08). "Farce that rose from the grave". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Gallagher, William. "Joking Apart", Inlay booklet, Series 2 DVD, ReplayDVD.
- ^ "Comparing the Pilot and Episode One". jokingapart.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
- ^ Fool if You Think It's Over, featurette, Joking Apart, Series 1 DVD, Dir. Craig Robins
External links
- Joking Apart Unofficial Site, with episode guides and extended interviews with Moffat and Bathurst
- Joking Apart at IMDb