6 x 45 adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel, by Morwenna Banks, for Sky. Blackpool lass with penchant for comedy Gemma Arterton arrives in 1964 London with hopes to make it in showbiz, ends up landing part in sitcom. She's great - must have been mid-thirties when it was filmed, but has bags of youthful exuberance, matched by much amusing dialogue.
Slightly marred by some unnecessary split screen tricks and a curiously distracting shape on the left hand of the 4x3 border.
With Arsher Ali (above), giving quite a subtle performance, with Tom Bateman her co-star, Rupert Everett and Morwenna Banks (agent and wife), Matthew Beard and Leo Bill (younger and older writers), Alexa Davies (friend from department store), Clare-Hope Ashitey (journalist), Alistair Petrie (Head of 'TVC', from Sex Ed), Rosie Cavaliero, David Threlfall.
Nice production design by Jacqueline Smith, making the sixties look authentically seedy, photography Matthew Wicks, some inventive editing by Mike Jones (The Beast Must Die) and Agnieszka Liggett (Maternal).
Has left enough strands for a second series, and would look forward to one if commissioned. The collaborative and creative writing process is well caught as are the changing attitudes - politics, sex, drugs, race, what's acceptable on TV - of the time (if 'Interstellar Overdrive' is playing in the night club we must have reached 1967 - how time flies by).
'Butter on both sides?' Really?? Also liked the fact that if there's nothing for dinner, your only option is to 'pop out for a fish and chips' - I wonder when home delivery came in?
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