"Coupling" (2000) TV series 2000-2004

User Rating:

9.2/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

1 September 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Up for a threesome?

Plot:

On average, men and women think about sex every six seconds. Shorten that to every second, and you've got Coupling...

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Friend | Aging | Commitment | Boyfriend

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Jack Davenport	...	Steve Taylor / ... (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Gina Bellman	...	Jane Christie / ... (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Sarah Alexander	...	Susan Walker / ... (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Kate Isitt	...	Sally Harper / ... (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Ben Miles	...	Patrick Maitland / ... (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Richard Coyle	...	Jeffrey 'Jeff' Murdock (22 episodes, 2000-2002)

(more)

Series Directed by
Martin Dennis		(28 episodes, 2000-2004)

Series Writing credits
Steven Moffat		(28 episodes, 2000-2004)

Series Produced by
Beryl Vertue	....	executive producer (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Sue Vertue	....	producer (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Sophie Clarke-Jervoise	....	executive producer: BBC (13 episodes, 2002-2004)
Nick Mortimer	....	line producer (9 episodes, 2001)
Geoffrey Perkins	....	executive producer / executive producer: BBC (7 episodes, 2000-2001)
Murray Peterson	....	line producer (7 episodes, 2002)
Jo Kay	....	line producer (6 episodes, 2004)

Series Original Music by
Simon Brint		(28 episodes, 2000-2004)

Series Film Editing by
Mykola Pawluk		(28 episodes, 2000-2004)

Series Casting by
Jane Davies		(28 episodes, 2000-2004)
John Connor		(22 episodes, 2001-2004)

Series Production Design by
Andrew Howe-Davies		(28 episodes, 2000-2004)

Series Art Direction by
Nic Pallace		(24 episodes, 2000-2004)
Gabriel Mossa		(4 episodes, 2001)

Series Costume Design by
Caroline Pitcher		(28 episodes, 2000-2004)

Series Makeup Department
Polly Fehily	....	makeup artist (22 episodes, 2001-2004)
Helen Barrett	....	makeup designer (20 episodes, 2001-2004)
Daniel Phillips	....	makeup designer (6 episodes, 2000)
Nichola Bellamy	....	makeup designer (4 episodes, 2004)
Diane Chenery-Wickens	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 2000)

Series Production Management
Rebecca Cotterill	....	production manager (6 episodes, 2000)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie Sykes	....	first assistant director (13 episodes, 2002-2004)
Cordelia Hardy	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 2000)

Series Art Department
Peter Hallam	....	property master / prop master (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Bernard Heyes	....	title sequence (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Lee Turnham	....	properties (26 episodes, 2000-2004)
Nicola Painter	....	production buyer (22 episodes, 2001-2004)
John Rook	....	properties (14 episodes, 2001-2002)
Paul Michel	....	properties (9 episodes, 2001)
Mark Addison	....	properties (7 episodes, 2002)
Derek Bryett	....	properties (6 episodes, 2000)
Ian Cooper	....	properties (6 episodes, 2000)
Cathy Cosgrove	....	production buyer (6 episodes, 2000)
Harry Cable	....	properties (6 episodes, 2004)
Oli van der Vijver	....	properties (6 episodes, 2004)
Keith Warwick	....	properties (3 episodes, 2001)
John Dashfield	....	property master (3 episodes, 2004)
Paul Carter	....	properties (2 episodes, 2004)

Series Sound Department
Keith Nixon	....	studio sound supervisor / sound supervisor (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Bob Newton	....	location sound supervisor (6 episodes, 2000-2004)
Richard Pilcher	....	location boom operator (3 episodes, 2004)

Series Visual Effects by
Peter Zacaroli	....	video effects / visual effects (2 episodes, 2002)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Graham Rimmington	....	lighting director (22 episodes, 2000-2002)
Mike Tanner	....	gaffer (22 episodes, 2000-2002)
Chas Watts	....	studio camera supervisor (21 episodes, 2000-2004)
Andy Newton	....	vision controller (14 episodes, 2000-2001)
Dave Harvey	....	vision controller (13 episodes, 2002-2004)
John Rosenberg	....	location lighting camera operator (8 episodes, 2000-2001)
Martin Kempton	....	lighting director (6 episodes, 2004)
Roy Winfield	....	gaffer (6 episodes, 2004)
Andy Hollis	....	location lighting camera operator (4 episodes, 2002-2004)
Tony Keene	....	studio camera supervisor (4 episodes, 2002)
Paul Barlow	....	gaffer (3 episodes, 2004)
Roy Easton	....	studio camera supervisor (2 episodes, 2002)
Martin Hawkins	....	location lighting camera operator (2 episodes, 2002)

Series Casting Department
Janie Frazer	....	additional casting (1 episode, 2004)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gill Shaw	....	wardrobe supervisor (12 episodes, 2000-2001)
Sara Meek	....	wardrobe supervisor (7 episodes, 2002)
Jane Batt	....	wardrobe supervisor (6 episodes, 2004)

Series Editorial Department
Peter Phillips	....	vision mixer (28 episodes, 2000-2004)

Series Other crew
Angela Morgan	....	production assistant (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Mary Motture	....	stage manager (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Anya Noakes	....	unit publicist (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Holly Bowcott	....	production coordinator (22 episodes, 2001-2004)
Allen Davies	....	production accountant (22 episodes, 2001-2004)
John Cummins	....	production team (16 episodes, 2001-2002)
Julie Sykes	....	floor manager (15 episodes, 2000-2001)
Tim Mannion	....	production team (15 episodes, 2001-2004)
Ed Suter	....	location manager (14 episodes, 2000-2004)
Bernard Heyes	....	title sequence (11 episodes, 2000-2002)
Mark Nunn	....	production team (9 episodes, 2001)
Richard Waiting	....	vision control (7 episodes, 2001-2004)
Rachael Monteleone	....	production team / production assistant (7 episodes, 2002)
Rebecca Wulff	....	production assistant (7 episodes, 2002)
Lucy Gleeson	....	production team (6 episodes, 2000)
Nick Martell	....	production team (6 episodes, 2000)
Iain Rise	....	production team (6 episodes, 2000)
Kate Thornton	....	production co-coordinator (6 episodes, 2000)
Sarah Daman	....	production team (6 episodes, 2001)
Kieran Baine	....	production team (6 episodes, 2004)
Gemma Kyprianou	....	production team (6 episodes, 2004)
Lita O'Sullivan	....	production accountant (3 episodes, 2000)
Nigel Wood	....	production accountant (3 episodes, 2000)
Mark Turner	....	production team (3 episodes, 2002)
Rob Ellingham	....	location assistant (3 episodes, 2004)

Production Companies

• Hartswood Films

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2000) (UK) (TV) (original airing)
• BBC Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Epix Media (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• RTL Film Klub (2007-) (Hungary) (DVD)
• Cool TV (2006) (Hungary) (TV) (repeats) (seasons 1-3) (original airing) (season 4)
• Pan Vision Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• TV2 (2003) (Hungary) (TV) (original airing) (seasons 1-3)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:TV-14 | USA:TV-MA (one episode) | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:13 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-7 (DVD) | Australia:M | UK:15 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Chiswick, London, England, UK

Company:

Hartswood Films

Trivia:

In season 4, during a usual bit of wackiness, Steve comments that this kind of thing doesn't happen as "this is not an American sitcom". In fact, there was an extremely short-lived American version of the series ("Coupling" (2003)) that was abhored by viewers and critics alike, resulting in the show's cancellation after only four episodes.

Quotes:

Steve: Jeff, every morning I wake up glad I'm not you.
Jeff: Me too.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Doctor Who Confidential: Do You Remember the First Time? (#3.10)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps

The UK trumps the Yanks in the sitcom dept.

I'm an American who just saw Season 1 of "Coupling" on DVD for the first time. Based on those first six episodes, I think the BBC's "Coupling" -- along with a new US series over here called "Arrested Development" -- is possibly the sharpest, funniest, and best-written situation comedy since the golden days of Norman Lear and MJM Productions.

The cast chemistry is amazing. The archetypes are extremely identifiable, even over here, which is why the series translates so well. In comedies the subject of sex is often treated adolescently, and it's true that the characters in "Coupling" have some childish, "American Pie" reactions to sexual politics, but they're still, clearly, adults. As with "American Pie," there's a big heart behind the hormones and phermones. But the gags in "Coupling" are brilliantly written and executed. The writers don't take the easy way out; the bawdiness of their humor is cut with intelligence and a really, REALLY great sense of left-field punch lines. Maybe naysayers have to wander through the bereft nature of many American sitcoms to understand why "Coupling" is so appreciated by a cult American audience, but it's the real deal.

Episode 4 of Season 1, called "Inferno," contains an extended monologue in which an embarrassed male character attempts to outline the plot of a lesbian porn film. He is forced to defend his affection for the stuff by being asked to give a cogent plot summary. He's squirming under this challenge -- he's got to defend his proclivities, maintain a balance between self-defense and self-effacement, and STILL intellectualize the plot of the film enough to prove he's smart enough to rise above it. This whole sequence is, possibly, the best-written and funniest 5-minute quasi-monologue ever to be televised.

"Coupling" takes a traditionally pubescent subject matter, the puerile male fascination with sex, opposes it with the progress of rational thought, and is extremely funny in the process. Lots of US sitcoms (and some UK ones) are lucky if they get one horse laugh from the viewer every three minutes. "Coupling's" ratio is more like one horselaugh every thirty seconds. It's that good.

(I never saw the NBC version of this show, incidentally, and have no interest -- apparently it sucked. I can understand why someone would want to use the BBC version as source material, though.)