Brit TV corner

[teapotgirl]

My local PBS station has been airing Vicar of Dibley, and I'm so loving it. I have a vague memory of Sean Bean having a cameo, but he hasn't popped up yet. I was totally sold on the show when one of the characters said--in what could be my favorite insult ever--"she's one teat short of an udder." It's also introduced me to what may be the prettiest word for "slaughterhouse".

The series finale is airing next week (PBS has been showing the episodes out of order) and I'm really looking forward to it, least of which for the random Dr. Who references: the matron of honor dressing up as the Tenth Doctor and the Dalek bridesmaids (Alice as 10 at 2:31, Daleks at 7:52).

The entire series is now out on Region 1 DVD. I'll probably Netflix it since I'd like to see the series the way it aired, plus it will have the all Comic Relief specials.

PBS has also been airing Coupling, and I've been watching that--which is silly since I own the DVDs so I can watch all the Jeff I want and completely ignore Oliver. The last episode aired back in 2004 and it ended on a bit of cliffhanger so I've been a bit peeved that Steven Moffat and all the actors have been too busy to make series five.

Thankfully, Moffat has posted epilogues for all the characters (on wiki via a Dr. Who message board which is why it took me so long to find it):

Sally said yes to Patrick, they got married and are very happy ... especially as Sally beat Susan to the altar and finally did something first. Patrick is now a completely devoted husband who lives in total denial that he was anything other an upstanding member of the community. Or possibly he's actually forgotten. He doesn't like remembering things because it's a bit like thinking.

Jane and Oliver never actually did have sex but they did become very good friends. They often rejoice together that their friendship is uncomplicated by any kind of sexual attraction - but they both get murderously jealous when the other is dating. Jane has a job at Oliver's science fiction book shop now - and since Oliver has that one moment of Naked Jane burnt on the inside of his eyelids, he now loses the place in one in every three sentences. People who know them well think something's gotta give - and they're right. Especially as Jane comes to work in a metal bikini.

Steve and Susan have two children now and have recently completed work on a sitcom about their early lives together. They're developing a new television project but it keeps getting delayed as he insists on writing episodes of some old kids show they recently pulled out of mothballs. She gets very cross about this and, if he says, "Yeah, but check out the season poll!" one more time, he will not live to write another word.

Jeff is still abroad. He lives a life of complete peace and serenity now, having taken the precaution of not learning a word of the local language and therefore protecting himself from the consequences of his own special brand of communication. If any English speakers turn up, he pretends he only speaks Hebrew. He is, at this very moment, staring out to sea and sighing happily every 38 seconds.

What he doesn't know, of course, is that even now a beautiful Israeli girl he once met in a bar is heading toward his apartment, having been directed by the only Hebrew speaker on the island. What he also doesn't know is that she is being driven by a young ex-pat Englishwoman, who is still grieving the loss of a charming, one-legged Welshman she once met on a train. And he cannot possibly suspect that (owing to a laundry mix-up and a stag party the previous night in the same block) he is wearing heat-dissolving trunks.

As the doorbell rings, it is best that we draw a veil.