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Coupling - The Complete First Season

Coupling - The Complete First Season

List Price: $24.98
Your Price: $19.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best of British Comedy - in Widescreen
Review: This is one of the best British TV series I have ever watched. Comments on the BBC America ads make references to Friends and Sex in the City. I don't watch either one. The series focuses on how obsessive we are about things when dealing with relationships. In fact, it's based (loosely I'd imagine) on a real relationship. (Hint: look at the production credits - including the opening titles. The answer is in the extras on the DVD.)

The series focuses on 6 friends - Steve, Susan, Jane, Sally, Jeff, and Patrick. However, the primary focus of the series is the development of the relationship between Steve and Susan. The first episode begins with their old relationships ending. Jane and Patrick are the exs, and they stick around as friends.

Steve and Susan are the more "normal" ones of the group. Steve has a habit of getting into awkward situations. Susan is very open with sexual topics. (more so in later seasons)

The others are a bit different. Each set of male and female friends have similar personality types. Although I've paired them up for comparison purposes, they are not in relationships with each other.

Sally and Patrick are somewhat self-obsessed. Sally is totally focused on her appearance and even counts Susan's wrinkles. She seems to talk the most about her neck although bottoms and noses do get mentioned in later episodes. (Nose in second season.) Patrick is more self-centered. He is the stereotypical male who likes cars (assumes everyone else does too) and thinks every woman is a potential date. He feels he can convert lesbians. Also, as Susan puts it, Patrick is "a very big boy indeed." You'll find out what I mean in the second episode.

Jane and Jeff are the odd ones with their own unusual views on life. Jane is probably also like a female version of Patrick, but Patrick doesn't seem insane. Jane views reality as centered on herself. Plus, she has her own unique views of reality. She is definitely not politically correct. She believes homosexual males still date women from time to time and heterosexual males may cuddle at times when convenient. However, this view may come from the fact she is bisexual, and, of course, reality must agree with her. Season 1 focuses on her getting over Steve's break-up with her. She is over it in season 2.

Jeff is the one with extremely unusual theories and insights. When Steve talks about a long pause in a phone conversation, Jeff compares the pause to The Blob. He introduces us to The Giggle Loop (a type of feedback loop for laughter) The Sock Gap, and Nudity Buffer. He also has a few theories about celebrity marriages. Since he tends to always say the wrong thing (*really* wrong thing!), his best potential date is someone who doesn't speak English.

This series was actually shot in 16x9. I had never really thought about the framing of the scenes. This is the first TV comedy I'd ever seen shot in a widescreen format. If you simply watch the BBC America broadcasts, I'm guessing about 1/4 of the image is missing (as with many full screen edition of movies on TV and video).

The extras include the photo shoot (for the DVD packaging), the usual bio info on cast and crew, and interviews with cast members plus Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue.

Trivia:
Steven Moffat also worked on Comic Relief's Dr. Who: The Curse of the Fatal Death.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: it's what american TV aspires to be, funny and intelligent
Review: I caught this show one night on BBC America, and became instantly hooked ... yes, there is some superficial resemblence to Friends, but there's a difference. This is witty and intelligent, instead of going for the lowest-common-denominator, which is so common in American TV. Now having seen the entire series 1 on DVD, I'm hopelessly addicted. Each show is hysterical in its own way, and I only wish more shows were this funny while still being intelligent and even silly. When's season 2 coming out????

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: soooooooo gooooooooood
Review: this is one of the best shows on tv. period. gotta love it. it's just so funny and true. the episode where susan finds out that patrick taped over their sexual interlude is just classic. this show is available in the states on both bcc america and sporadically on some pbs stations, but i would think that the dvd is worth it. i mean, we all need a good laugh every now and then. i've some of these episodes several times and they never get old.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Coupling is excellent!!!!!!!!
Review: Since watching a Coupling marathon on BBCAmerica Christmas 2002, I have been hooked on this show. One episode after another had me rolling with laughter. The writing is amazing. The characters are hilarious (especially Jeff). Definitely one of the best comedies on TV.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: If you have never seen this.. You are in for a treat
Review: I've been on the BBCAmerica Discussion groups and the posts have been flying back and forth about "Friends" vs "Coupling" and the dreaded evil of an Americanized version. The truth is that there is an obvious, if not superficial, "Friends" type of foundation for this show. But that is truly where the comparison ends because "Coupling" is unlike anything we see on Network television (the Brits get away with so much!!).. and it is naughty without being filthy which, IMHO, adds to the hilarity of the show.

The Americanized version is in the works and is utilizing the same writers of the British version who have said they have the green light to keep it just as naughty. I reserve judgement. However, if it is done well, people who have never seen "Coupling" (or don't like British TV) and can get passed the "Friends" foundation, are in for a treat. For the rest of us, there simply can be no replacement for the original.

If you want to laugh, and laugh hard... this is a great DVD to own.

Hope this helps.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: foe to 'friends'
Review: please STOP comparing this to the biggest bunch of garbage ever produced, 'friends.' if that ... nbc show were tummy button lint, it would be whisked away with a q-tip as it should have had done long alone. to compare this bit of brilliance with a show with ugly, boring, stupid characters is to repulse many an intelligent soul who harbour as much hatred for 'friends' as do i. if you REALLY like 'friends,' then this is far too intelligent for you, so don't waste your time trying to understand it. go back to 'central perk' where you belong...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Lots of big laughs...
Review: The best compliment I can pay this BBC series is that each episode contains at least one huge side-stitching, beverage-spraying belly laugh. When was the last time you got that from an American tv series? It's been a while for me, even from Friends. I'm hooked!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best of recent British comedy!
Review: Forget the comparisons to Friends...this one stands on its own with superb writing, honest comedy, and some great eye-candy in the female characters. Geoff's quirky theories and catch phrases are both funny and truthful...you'll find yourself thinking of the "giggle loop" and "nudity buffer" at the strangest times.
This USA version of the Season 1 DVD includes the extras from the European version of the Season 2 DVD...go figure.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Absolutely the funniest show on television!!!
Review: A remedy for all those sickened by the banality of "reality tv" and the copycat Murdockian stupidity of todays network sitcom offerings. Smart, intellegent, original series that is nothing like Friends by the way. Also try the series, Manchild which is also on BBC America. These shows have kept me from killing my television.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Forget Friends - Coupling does it better!
Review: You don't have to be an Angliphile to enjoy this series but it will help. If there is one drawback for US viewers it will be the use of British slang. The actors are charming and the situations they get themselves into are hilarious without feeling contrived as so many US comedies seem to be these days. The Brits are much more straight foreward when is comes to sex and sexual situations and their treatment of this subject matter may put some people off. For the rest of you, if you want a fresh new approach to the interactions of modern men and women you won't find anything better than Coupling. [...]


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