Oh Oh Oh (Gavin and Stacey)

Member Name: wendz86

Product:	Gavin and Stacey
Date:	09/06/09 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very funny, great characters

Disadvantages: None in my opinion

I hadn't heard of Gavin and Stacey until my sister said she loved it. We tend to have quite similar taste in what we watch on TV so I thought I would give it a watch and immediately fell in love with it. I have now watched all the episodes of both series and the Christmas special numerous times.

Gavin and Stacy is a comedy programme that started on BBC Three. The show is actually written by two of the stars James Corden (who plays Smithy) and Ruth Jones (Nessa). Their two characters are best friends with the two main characters Gavin (Matthew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page). The story follows Gavin and Stacey as they meet for the first time after getting chatting on the phone through work. Stacey is from Barry in Wales and Gavin is from Billericay in Essex and the two decide to meet for the first time in Leicester Square London. As they haven't met before they think it is best they both bring a mate along. So Stacey brings her best mate Nessa and Gavin brings Smithy. Stacey and Gavin immediately hit it off. The same cannot be said for Nessa and Smithy though, although the more alcohol the pair have the more they seem to get on. The rest of the two series follows Gavin and Stacey's relationship as it develops. We also see Nessa and Smithy's relationship take an unexpected twist.

The story of this show is really simple but that is what makes it so good. It seems like a normal situation that could happen to anyone so you can really emphasise with the characters. There are some dramatic twists to the story but this does not happen often as it is not really needed. There are a lot of recurring jokes throughout the two series and so it is better if you watch them from the first episode as you will understand these more.

The characters are what really make this show so good. The way they interact with each other really adds comedy value and I think James and Ruth have come up with some great characters.

The main characters as I previously said are Gavin and Stacey. Gavin is an only child who has been brought up by his parents in a very middle class family in Essex. He is a bit of a lad and loves his mates especially his best mate Smithy. He falls for Stacey straight away and is a bit of a romantic with her. Stacey lives with her Mum in Barry, Wales. Her Dad died a few years before but her Uncle Bryn (Rob Bryden) is always there to help guide her in life. She is a bit of a home girl and can't really imagine leaving Barry.

Nessa is a very mysterious woman. We are not really sure how old she is as although she is Stacey's best friend, her stories make it seem she has been around forever. She talks about relationships with the prime minister, Richard of Richard and Judy and many others. She works in the local arcade in Barry and is a very outgoing woman, who dresses often in leather outfits. She is definitely one of the funniest characters and is famed for some of her phrases including 'I'm not being funny' and her use of the word 'oh' for many occasions.

Smithy is Gavin's best mate. Another proper Essex lad, he works as a tiler and lives at home with his Mum and sister, also known as Smithy much to his disgust. He is not too pleased when Stacey and Gavin get together as he feels he is losing his best friend but he grows to accept it. He has a girlfriend called Lucy which is a bit of a recurring joke throughout. He often mentions her extracurricular activities like Guides and trampolining and you wonder how old this girl is until they tell you. His relationship with Nessa is also very funny especially when it goes in a direction neither of them imagine.

Gavin's parents and Stacey's Mum and Uncle are also brilliant characters. Gavin's Mum Pam (Alison Steadman) is the typical over protective Mum of her 'little prince' Gavin. She is a bit of a gossip and uses names for people, which the whole family know so you can tell she gossips a lot! Gavin's Dad Mick (Larry Lamb) is a bit calmer and is always there to provide a bit of advice to Gavin. Stacey's Mum Gwen (Melanie Walters) is always making omelettes. She loves her daughter and will do anything for her. Her Uncle Bryn has taken on the role of her Dad since he passes away. He is very into technology and gets very excited over his sat nav. All of the parents add a great element and their contrasts make for some great arguments.
There are a few other characters that come in as well, who really add to the humour of the programme.

The programme really is quite funny. I think it is hard to see why it is so good to begin but then you get into it and see how cleverly it has been written. I like the way that Ruth and James are able to not to take their selves so seriously and therefore play their characters brilliantly. These two really make the show. Matthew and Joanna also play their characters well but their role isn't the one of comedy like the others.

There have now been two series of the show and also a Christmas special. The Christmas special was showed on BBC1 which shows how far the show has gone since it began. There are rumours now that there is going to be a third series which I absolutely cannot wait for. You can watch the previous two series on BBC I player, as episodes are often available on there. You can also now buy both on DVD.

Overall Gavin and Stacey is a brilliantly clever comedy.

Summary: A very enjoyable comedy