Mutual Friends (2008– ) User Reviews (3)

"Thirty / Forty Something" from a Stereo typed BBC point of view.

[RedRoadster · 6/10 · 25 March 2009]

The story essentially revolves around the events that follow the suicide of one member of a group of friends and the subsequent revelations that come to light about his true self and the other members of the group as the story unfolds.

At face value this is a reasonable BBC production which attempts to be a comedy with a conscience about youngish Brits living in the South east of England (the series was filmed in Henley on Thames.) I certainly found quite a bit to laugh at whilst watching this show but also a lot to find quite irritating. The problem with the majority of BBC shows such as this, is that there are so many stereo types and "Politically correct" characters and situations in the script. From the hopeless wimpy lawyer with a wife far sexier than he deserves to the token black family to the brain dead widow removed from reality in every sense. It all adds up to a "hotch-potch" of what the writers think is the norm these days.

The saving grace in the whole proceedings is Alexander Armstrong who does a great job as Patrick the entrepreneur / Lothario of the gang. He is concerned mostly with losing his business "cucumber" which acts as a media agency to his arch rival ( the rival also happens to be after his girlfriend Liz.) As animated as his character is, his reactions to the issues faced come across as the more realistic and he alone keeps the show fun.

The best jokes and ideas come in the first half of the series after which you noticeably see the script and story run out of steam. The finale, which is largely concerned with which of the two suitors Liz will choose (Patrick or his business and personal rival Harry) is not particularly satisfying and whilst it provides you with a resolution of events, it isn't the fireworks that you'd hoped for.

I'd be surprised if the show is renewed for a second series.

(21/10/09 - "The show was not recommissioned by the BBC due to low ratings. Anil Gupta also attributed the demise of the series to the departure of Peter Fincham, the controller of BBC One, in 2008." - Wikipedia.)

Watch it just for Patrick

[arthurdaley69 · 7/10 · 9 September 2011]

I picked this up recently in a DVD bargain bin and seeing as I hadn't caught it on TV I threw it on the DVD player yesterday to see what it was like. I found it reasonably entertaining if a little clichéd. The story centers on a group of 'middle class' friends and their various interactions following the suicide of one of the gang. Martin & Jen (Marc Warren & Keeley Hawes)have been married a few years with one child and things have gone stale between them. I really liked Keeley Hawes in both 'Spooks' and 'Ashes to Ashes' but her character in this is so shallow, whiny and self absorbed she is totally unlikeable. Her useless lawyer husband Martin is more likable in some ways but you still find yourself wanting to give him a good shake to cop himself on a bit. Leigh (Claire Rushbrook) is the grieving widow and she carries the part off reasonably well without ever looking like she's particularly upset. Liz (Sarah Alexander) is the ex of Patrick (Alexander Armstrong) sand there are some brilliant scenes involving both of these actors. Liz is a bit of a spoiled type who never seems entirely content with her lot no matter what. Alexander Armstrongs 'Patrick' saves the whole kit and caboodle even though this seems unlikely given his feckless free spirit / would be layabout outlook on life. Armstrong is perfect for the role and to be fair he accounts for at least 5 of the 7 stars I give this programme. Interestingly from about the 2nd episode on I was wondering if it was meant to be a continued series or would it have a neat 'one off' 6 episode arc with things all neatly tied up at the end. I have to say the ending surprised me a little - particularly since a lot of the content was fairly predictable at times - but it worked for me. I was quite please to find here on IMDb that there was intended to be a continuation ie another series but I for one am glad there wasn't. Not because it was bad, just because I think sometimes less is enough. Finally I think 'Sarah' (Martin's boss) deserves a mention. Emily Joyce was very watchable as a vampish domineering solicitor.

Spritely but shallow

[paul2001sw-1 · 7/10 · 2 October 2008]

'Mutual Friends', BBC1's latest drama, tells the story of Marc Warren's terminally useless solicitor Martin, whose life is thrown into turmoil as a consequence of his friends' various mid-life crises, most notably that of suave chancer Patrick (played with a certain verve by Antony Armstrong). The series is fitfully amusing, but suffers in comparison with BBC3's recent relationship comedies, the true-to-life 'Gavin and Stacey' and the splendidly acerbic 'Pulling': only Martin feels real, there's certainly no-one else remotely sympathetic and Patrick's outrageousness isn't quite entertaining enough when set against the rest of the thinly drawn and unlikeable dramatis personae. Each episode is quite good fun, but there's little new after the first couple of parts. It's a shame, because there are some good ideas in the scripts; but they never altogether leave behind their more obvious companions.