You know your getting old when they start making shows from an era you grew up in. As you watch it you start to point out the cars, clothes, music and haircuts the 80's really were the time that fashion forgot. The makers of the show have nailed that period in time superbly, and the script by Inbetweeners creator Damon Beesley is equally good. Anyone who lived through that period would have come across the lead character Vince Swan played by the impressive Ed Weswick. In the case of White Gold we have double glazing salesman all pushing for that big end of month bonus. But it could just as easily been Estate Agents Car Salesmen the 80s were all about excess and earning as much money as you could and that's really the premise of the show in a nutshell. There are natural comparisons to the Inbetweeners as Joe Thomas and James Buckley play pretty much play the same characters Jay and Simon in this show, nothing wrong with that the Inbetweeners was one the funniest sitcoms of recent years. And whilst White Gold may not reach those dizzy heights it's not far behind.
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Overall, a very good series to watch on a rainy day but not one to stay up for!
If you're looking for something like "The Inbetweeners", this is probably NOT the series you would have hoped for. Though Joe Thomas and James Buckley's characters certainly have similar personas in this series, the whole show being dominated by Ed Westwick's imposing character means that the overall vibe is less childish and juvenile without turning dark.
A clever and comic plot, with hints of irony and at times bitter humour, whilst keeping some with some scenes being humorous in a rather vulgar way. The plot is quite memorable, and some scenes certainly have a deeper meaning to them; the final episode leaves one thinking about the ending for a some time afterwards. You certainly want to binge watch all the episodes at once, but perhaps not as much as "Cuckoo" or "Fresh Meat".
Despite this, I would not say it is as funny or accomplished as other British comedies with similar target audiences ("Cuckoo", for example is much funnier in my opinion). The main problem with this new show is that we hardly feel any empathy for characters, Ed Westwick's character is quite unlikable and the only character we really feel sorry for is Sam Swan (Lindsey Cocker). We understand that the others are quite irritating and annoying figures, but that's about it!
The other reason I find that this show is not as funny as it could be is because its seems a bit restrained in terms of use of language and insults. The show was shown at 10pm, and words such as "c**t" are used throughout the series. Vulgarities are then certainly present, yet it feels as though Joe Thomas and James Buckley's insults are quite restrained. And those two characters' vulgar and overly-offensive insults were some of the most hilarious parts of "The Inbetweeners".
"White Gold" is then certainly good, but did slightly disappoint after shows like "The Inbetweeners" where I felt that Thomas and Buckley were at their best. -
NJLinfo28 August 2017Lets see more of these UK shows on Netflix. There's a huge expat market in the USA and we miss the type of telly we know and love from the UK.
No one from England should have any trouble understanding an Essex accent. I saw the review where someone had trouble understanding the dialog. Bless. -
khunkrumark27 May 2017Damon Beesley is primarily a TV producer but when he does write, it's gold... and in this case - White Gold! The brains behind 'The Inbetweeners' hits the mark again with this comedy-drama (emphasis on comedy) about the lives of three Essex double-glazing salesmen.
Ed Westwick plays fast-talking Vincent who narrates directly to the camera to keep us in tune with what's going on in his world. It's an excellent rip-off of Michael Caine's 1966 'Alfie' device (and character... which Jude Law failed to pull off in 2004.)
The opening gag from the first episode sets the tone for the series... it's crude, tacky, rude... and very, very funny. If you liked 'The Inbetweeners' then you'll feel right at home here. The only difference is that the swearing here is real and not a made up language to beat the watershed.
Just drooling over a rare sighting of the drop-dead gorgeous Linzey Cocker playing ''er indoors' is another good reason to stick around. She's great fun as Vincent's sassy, foul-mouthed missus.
James Buckley and Joe Thomas team up again, and fill the screen with remarkable chemistry while they spar off each other effortlessly. Beesley should re-write 'The Odd Couple' for these two!
The musical inserts are spot on and a fantastic reminder of an unremarkable time in the UK where wide boys drank Stella from sleeve glasses and thick hair and thin ties were de rigueur!
I'd love to see the show renewed but I'm not sure it could be. Things seemed to tie up nicely at the end and maybe there's only so much eighties nostalgia any one man can tolerate!
I loved this program and it made a fantastic change from the insipid rubbish churned out masquerading as comedy over the last few years. The BBC doesn't do comedy very well anymore but on this occasion, they have hit the mark! -
DirkDiamond20 March 2020I really liked Season 1, great set up, however it really did seem to drop the ball in season 2. Season 2 wasn't terrible, but as far as writing goes seemed quite lazy. It looks great, something that can be said for both season's, and has a very strong 80's feel to it - clothing and all that really well done. With a shift to the aspect ratio I might even have believed it could have been made in the 80s.
Season 1 is an easy 8/10. Season 2 more 6/10 (liked the characters, however the story lost its legs a bit).
I would like to see a season 3, though I wouldn't know where they'll go with it. End of season 2 didn't feel as though it was open to a season 3 that could include all of the same characters. I won't say why.
I would say if you like things like Benidorm (first couple of season), and or the Inbetweeners, then this might be up your street. -
This is a one of a kind show that should NOT be canceled. The actors, witty scripts and awesome 80s tunes were a winning recipe if I ever saw one.
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gibbs-1817218 March 2020Yeah its original (ish) Sometimes its like watching Jay from the inbetweeners with a tash and a job and simon with the same problems and a job.
Theres only so far you can take something when you are recycling the same material within a series so to stop this from dying an undignified death it may be better to let it be.
However i have a feeling that timeshare will be next on the list and unless the writing at BBC2 comes up with something better a lower score might be applied later.
However some humour and laughter, good enough for a 7 even. Just no more. -
glennhyde23 June 2017This series was outrageously enjoyable. It made even the best telly drama and comedy look insipid – think of Only Fools and Horses with realism, Men Behaving Badly with pathos, Sherlock with engaging vulgarity and Bluestone 42 you couldn't add to that because it was similarly uncompromising. All the cast were terrific but it was Ed Westwick's take on Vincent, the leading character, which did the heavy-lifting. The usual compliments for a good performance aren't sufficient – 'electrifying and totally committed' get nowhere near - all art is artifice so how about, 'So real you could smell the b.o. breaking through the cheap deodorant. I loved the way he did asides to the audience and, once again (like Alfie, Flashman, Richard lll) was seduced by an appalling character's honesty in his villainy. However, as most of the other cast were almost as atrocious, and no one died, it was all utterly compelling. Sad, funny, serious and disgusting – it was brilliant and strictly for adults.
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PennyReviews14 August 2020White Gold is a series that uses twists and the historical setting pretty well. If you enjoy British comedy, especially, you'll probably like it. However, it does get a bit too much and hard to believe after a while. The performances were good though and the soundtrack spot on.
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ozmickeyjake29 August 2019What else can I say? It's the perfect marriage of Only Fools & Horses with Wolf Of Wall Street.
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White Gold...it's a mash-up as I see it. A kind of combination of several shows It brings to mind some prime indignant ingredients of Jason Priestley's off-kilter Call Me Fitz series combined with a bit of Trailer Park Boys brain-dead haze. Ha! Maybe The Brits and The Cannucks are still conjoined somehow? This is nuts and the cast plays it to perfection. Then there's the huge nod and the wink. The Jude Law-ish cool cat who narrates and gives constant monologues to the the camera/viewer. His off-the-charts narrating drives the comedy into the sublime depraved idiot level. How these people dress themselves is a small wonder. They're clueless save for a penchant for keeping on day after day - somehow achieving more bad behavior. This is irreverent funny stuff as The Brits do so well. No need for spit and polish here...it's a fairly light-heart-ed debauchery fest plumbing the depths while hovering above rock bottom.
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jeyaj07822 May 2020The writers of the show have written these episodes in ways that make you hate/like the protagonist but, enjoy seeing his world crumble as an act of Karma whilst listening to his whitty remarks he says about situations he gets into. I can imagine this not being everybodies cup of tea but don't turn away without watching one episode as the protagonist himself indirectly tells you that you will hate him.
The writers create the show to imitate those people that anger you by getting everything they want whilst they go on hurting people. However they may get everything they want at the price of getting everything they deserve. -
No spoilers, not many will have seen them all yet. All I can say is that after the spot on 80s setting, the brilliant soundtrack, and the beautiful comedy and drama mix of season 1, season 2 is a disappointment. After a strong start the episodes seem disjointed, contradictory, and rushed as the story reaches its climax. There's still some really good comedy in here, but it's almost as if they've concentrated on too many cast members at the expense of really following anything meaningful. I honestly think the creators rushed it and really just wanted to get us to the very different setting they've got planned for season 3. Worth a watch, but fans of the 1st season will be left feeling short changed.
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bpilgrim-4622926 August 2017This TV series, which just premiered on Netflix, is basically a chance to see Ed Westwick play the part of Chuck Bass again. If you loved the arrogant asshole that Chuck Bass was in Gossip Girl, you'll definitely love Vincent Swan. The cast in this show is absolutely great. Ed Westwick, James Buckley and Joe Thomas are an incredibly funny trio that you will for sure grow fond of over the episodes. If you've ever worked or been in contact with sales, you'll definitely relate to the characters and the situations that they find themselves in. It is a great example of a smart comedy. What I think makes the series so funny and interesting is the fact that the main character, Vincent, talks a lot to the audience, becoming also some sort of narrator. The soundtrack is also great, featuring a lot of amazing songs from the 70's and 80's , such as Another One Bites the Dust, by Queen. However, something that I've wondered is : How will the writers continue the series without making it boring, since, well, a salesman's life can be interesting only to an extent. There's one thing that,to me, isn't much of a problem, but I can understand why some people have complained about it is that, even if you are a fluent English speaker, but don't understand very well people that speak with a heavy Essex accent, you'll definitely have trouble understanding everything they say, which means you'll have to pay a great deal of attention to what's being said.
Pros - Great acting - Funny, but not stupid - Great soundtrack
Cons - How will they continue the story ( not necessarily a con) - Heavy accent -
DagRos3 September 2018This is an enjoyable easy watch with many laughs, sometimes vulgar under the belt. A little trashy and filled with eighties nostalgia. There is no refinement, subtleties or finesse. Just raw spot on cynical comedy without political correctness. Be warned.
It is a fun way to spend some time off watching this if you have lots of free time to fill. Each episode is also short so easy watch now and then.
Some might love this kind of humour, others will be a bit offset by the crude style and dialogue.
Update 010619: After -
alistair_christie24 June 2017This comedy series is very funny , I don't laugh at much on TV but this is spot on ! saw the first episode and had to watch the whole series in one go , if you like the inbetweeners type comedy with a bit more rudeness and swearing you are going to love this ....roll on the second series definitely a classic in the making
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majormadmax31 December 2017The comparison with 'Alfie' was pretty accurate, Vince Swan (played by Ed Weswick) breaks the fourth wall continuously to keep the plot movie. It provides some of the character's insights, but it can be distracting as it is hard to feel any compassion for Swan who is pretty much a self-centered jerk to his wife and coworkers.
Secondly, there is the annoyance of the constant 80s music. Trust me, I love 80s music but it seems to be overused in this series. And it's not just background music, it blares at the end of every scene. Just look at the playlists on the official website, there are 15-20 songs per episodes. It's just too much, and appears to be added just to draw in more viewers.
Overall it's not a bad show, James Buckley and Joe Thomas recreate their 'Inbetweeners' roles and interactions which are about the best thing going. Linzey Cocker gives a pretty good performance as Swan's suffering wife.
Weswick's recent legal troubles (he was accused by three women of sexual assault in November 2017) put season two in question. BBC2's announcement of the second season was before this news broke. I am not sure if the show will survive without Weswick, it does center on him despite his character's unappealing antics. Why he couldn't have been just a con man is beyond me, extending his sleaziness to his personal life wasn't necessary unless the intent was to garner hatred towards him.
Obviously it's tough trying to follow up a great series such as 'Inbetweeners' and Damn Beesley didn't do so with 'White Gold,' but even mediocre BBC shows can be worth watching. This is one of them, just don't expect too much... -
irishdancergrl18 August 2017I was a huge fan of 'The Inbetweeners' (definitely go watch that if you enjoyed White Gold) so I was pleasantly surprised to see this show on Netflix when I logged in today. Very funny, very entertaining, and if you enjoy British and sarcastic humor you will enjoy this show. I told my friends my recommendation to them that it had a bit of "the big short" mixed in.
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bgsmall18 January 2019UPDATE ON S2 - 07/04/20
Just completed S2, again brilliantly written and cast, capturing that quintessential 80's theme of 'veneer of shinyness coating over what was crap underneath'. The addition of Jo as a foil to Ed Westwick's character was a master stroke. As things ended in ep 6, there's more than enough room to commission S3, go on BBC, you know you want to!
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The title here alludes to one of the tracks off Blur's album the 'Great Escape'. I couldn't help when watching this to have the lyrics to that particular track waltz around my brain.
Essex, the early eighties complete with XR3i's, perms and stilettos (white) for the ladies, Sony Walkmans and (improbably) UPVC windows that the title of said sitcom alludes to.
The central character is a suave, roguish (caddish?) chancer who upon being relieved of his employment sees an opportunity to 'make it big' selling Windows. It's difficult not to be charmed by the actors portrayal, plus the excellent supporting cast (in-betweeners anyone) make their ensuing escapades both hilarious and occasionally tragic.
I'm hoping the BBC will look to make a Series 2, as a license fee payer I endorse! -
email-104410 February 2019Ok, so it's easy to compare something to The Inbetweeners, especially when it stars two of their cast (Joe Thomas and James Buckley), but the humour is pretty much the same in many parts. It's almost like we're watching Jay and Simon live out their lives in the 80s after finding a time machine and getting stuck back there. The attention to historical detail is brilliant, and the soundtrack is awesome if you love the 80s vibe. If you were a child of the 80s, you will definitely spot the little added bits of detail - Look In magazine, Little Chef, various logos, cars, technology of the time - the set designers have worked hard on this. Overall, don't take this too seriously, it's good, solid, British comedy at its dirtiest, and it's here to make you laugh. Roll on Season 2, which is currently filming!
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daniellefrancis7 June 2017If you loved the 80s and 80s music then you will probably enjoy this programme. There's quite a few catchy 80s songs that plays throughout the episodes. It does take you back to that time. The script could be a bit funnier though. The main guy isn't really likable as he cheats on his wife. But I still enjoy the show as I like the actors from the inbetweeners. Plus it's nice to go back in time for half an hour!
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hussanijaz3 June 2022Excellent comedy, brilliant music and very surprised it was cancelled after 2 seasons. Reminds me of a cross between the Inbetweeners and the wolf of Wall Street.
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scottm18522 August 2018A good easy watch to pass the time with the odd laugh out loud moment. Fails to match Joe Thomas and James Buckley's previous roles.
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Hollywood_1521 July 2019Full disclosure - At the time of posting this, I've only seen the first two episodes. And, listen... I get the whole "anti-hero" thing. But shouldn't the protagonist be at least SOMEWHAT likeable? Like, a smidge, maybe? I mean, Deadpool is funny and self-deprecating and even occasionally helps others.
But, don't worry, peeps! I'm solution-oriented. Get rid of Ed Westwick and the whole "Vincent" character, and bring in Simon Bird and/or Blake Harrison to play a character is actually funny. You're welcome, show! -
bshaef21 May 2019Loved it. Laughing out loud S1 Ep1 and laughing harder ins S2 Ep6. The chemistry between the three salesmen and the wives and the other women was perfect. Maybe I liked it so much because we don't have anything remotely as funny in America. I wish there were many more episodes to come. I also think America should introduce the word "wanker" into the American language. I can think of so many people I could use that word on. The best episode was S2 E1 especially when the two salesman were making fun of Walshy's sales efforts on behalf of w.windows. I laughed so hard, I dribbled tea out of my mouth and down the front of my shirt. Thank you BBC/Netflix.