"The Book Group" (2002) TV series 2002-2003

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

11 February 2003 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

American Clare Pettengill, newly arrived in Glasgow, starts up a book group in order to make some new friends...

Plot Keywords:

Books | Gay Interest | Love | Scotland | Loneliness

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Anne Dudek	...	Clare Pettengill (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Bonnie Engstrom	...	Dirka (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Michelle Gomez	...	Janice McCann (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
James Lance	...	Lachlan Glendenning / ... (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Rory McCann	...	Kenny McLeod (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Saskia Mulder	...	Fist de Grooke (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Derek Riddell	...	Rab (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Des Hamilton	...	Jackie McCann (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Gotti Sigurdarson	...	Lars (7 episodes, 2002-2003)
Henry Ian Cusick	...	Miles Longmuir (6 episodes, 2003)
Jack McElhone	...	Wee Jackie (6 episodes, 2002-2003)
Karen Kilgariff	...	Jean Pettengill (5 episodes, 2003)
Lars Oostveen	...	Bart van Dongen (5 episodes, 2002-2003)

(more)

Series Directed by
Annie Griffin		(12 episodes, 2002-2003)

Series Writing credits
Annie Griffin		(12 episodes, 2002-2003)

Series Produced by
Anita Overland	....	producer (6 episodes, 2002)
Derrin Schlesinger	....	producer (6 episodes, 2003)

Series Original Music by
Robert Hodgens		(12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Scott Fraser		(6 episodes, 2002)
Marcus Rea		(6 episodes, 2003)

Series Cinematography by
Daniel Cohen		(6 episodes, 2003)
Tim Palmer		(5 episodes, 2002)

Series Film Editing by
Fergus MacKinnon		(11 episodes, 2002-2003)
Patrick Doherty		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Abi Cohen		(unknown episodes)
Des Hamilton		(unknown episodes)
Jennifer Low Sauer		(unknown episodes)
Annie Teague		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Mike Gunn		(6 episodes, 2002)
Mark Leese		(6 episodes, 2003)

Series Art Direction by
Laura Donnelly		(6 episodes, 2002)
Caroline Grebbell		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Ewan Robertson		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Rhona Russell		(11 episodes, 2002-2003)

Series Makeup Department
Cicoly Connelly	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Laura Hill	....	hair stylist / makeup designer (unknown episodes)
Julie MacKay	....	assistant hair stylist / makeup assistant (unknown episodes)
Lesley Matthews	....	trainee makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Alexis McDougal	....	makeup assistant (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Jane Harrison	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bob Wilkins	....	first assistant director (1 episode, 2003)
Tim Bain	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Gus Maclean	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Fiona MacMillan	....	second assistant director / third assistant director (unknown episodes)
Jaynie Miller	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Anne-Marie Coulter	....	production buyer (6 episodes, 2002)
Phil Bowen	....	construction manager (unknown episodes)
Paul Campbell	....	dressing props (unknown episodes)
Liam Collins	....	stand-by props (unknown episodes)
Susan Collin	....	art department trainee (unknown episodes)
Piero Jamieson	....	property master (unknown episodes)
John Knight	....	dressing props (unknown episodes)
Clare McDonald	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)
Martin McNee	....	stand-by art director (unknown episodes)
Mark McNeil	....	dressing props (unknown episodes)
Rhian Nicholas	....	art department assistant (unknown episodes)
Lee Porter	....	production buyer (unknown episodes)
Alex Robertson	....	stand-by carpenter (unknown episodes)
Marion Sate	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Mike Cooper	....	sound recordist (2 episodes, 2003)
Cy Jack	....	dubbing mixer (unknown episodes)
Louis Kramer	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Davy Lees	....	sound trainee (unknown episodes)
David MacMillan	....	sound maintenance (unknown episodes)
Alan MacNicol	....	sound maintenance (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Michael Scott-Law	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Julie Bills	....	first assistant camera / second assistant camera (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Sean Barclay	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)
Julio Billie	....	focus puller (unknown episodes)
Lewis Buchan	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Stuart Bunting	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Denise Cochrane	....	camera trainee (unknown episodes)
Neil Davidson	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)
Ewan Epton	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Alan Fraser	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Campbell McIntosh	....	best boy (unknown episodes)
Scott Napier	....	best boy (unknown episodes)
Scott Nepler	....	best boy (unknown episodes)
Paul Shirley	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Mark Sneddon	....	camera loader (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Kahleen Crawford	....	casting associate (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sally Campbell	....	wardrobe trainee (unknown episodes)
Elaine Roberts	....	wardrobe mistress (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Gerry Brogan	....	on-line editor (unknown episodes)
Aidan Farrell	....	colorist (unknown episodes)
Lucy Marr	....	post-production coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Roddy Dolan	....	driver: props (unknown episodes)
Christine Gibson	....	driver: art department (unknown episodes)
Michael O'Neil	....	driver (unknown episodes)
Paul Zieleniee	....	driver (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Abigail Howkins	....	production coordinator (6 episodes, 2002)
Mark Devlin	....	production coordinator (6 episodes, 2003)
Layla Mall	....	runner (6 episodes, 2003)
Derek Ritchie	....	location assistant (6 episodes, 2003)
Michael Campbell	....	location assistant (unknown episodes)
Sarah Carewell	....	production secretary (unknown episodes)
Sarah Carswell	....	production secretary (unknown episodes)
Lloret Dunn	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Martin Henderson	....	location assistant (unknown episodes)
Emma John	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Gavin Kinnaird	....	runner (unknown episodes)
Mark McGree	....	location assistant (unknown episodes)
John McKain	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)

Series Thanks
Paulo Coelho	....	thanks (1 episode, 2002)
Watty Piper	....	thanks (1 episode, 2002)

Production Companies

• Pirate Productions

Distributors

• Channel 4 Television Corporation

Other Companies

• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Runtime:

24 min (12 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

New Zealand:R13 (season 1) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK

Company:

Pirate Productions

Quotes:

Jean Pettengill: Oh, that's my other news. I'm getting married.
Clare Pettengill: Oh, I didn't realize you were seeing anyone.
Jean Pettengill: I'm not. It's just a visa thing.
Clare Pettengill: What? Oh, just ignore those letters.

Has anyone actually read the book?

'The Book Group' is one show which certainly didn't seem to offer anything. Channel 4 seem to have sat on it for at least a year (the IMDb entry has a production date from last year) and in pre-publicity it seemed to be trading upon the title of the preceeding series in the slot 'Black Books'. Which is a shame, because it's certainly that show's equal but in different ways.

The premise is promisingly simple. American Clare (Anne Dudek) is living in Glasgow and in a bid to make new friends advertises a 'Book Group' in a local book shop. The show is about what happens at each monthly meeting and is told in 'real time' The twist is that that the people who arrive seem totally mis-matched for occasion and are obviously there for something other than the book - footballer's wives, a smart-arse student, a wheel-chair bound fitness instructor and the slightly shady Rob whose job has yet to be revealed. On reflection there are similarities with 'Dear John' - in that show there was similarly motley crew of sitcom characters.

Here, there is a definite understanding of humanity. Strangely these people never appear to be cartoon character, a strength of writer/director Annie Griffin. True this feels like theatre at times, but this means there is a rhythm to the writing, for example the breaking up of scenes by one of the wives asking if people want tea or the subject of football coming up now and then. In some ways I'm reminded of the 'Friends' episode all set in Monica's apartment as they all get ready for speech Ross is giving. That had a nervousness about it, as though this team of writers don't know how to break up the action. In Griffin's work, this never happens, there is the surety you would expect from someone who had been writing for years.

Clare is not an intensely likeable character, coming across as the sort of control freak who would give Heather of 'The Blair Witch Project' a run for her money. She had an obvious picture of how this thing was going to turn out and these aren't the people she was expecting to meet. She's sarcastic and neurotic (best line - 'Oh soccer? You can make money from that?'). But its to Dudek's credit that we don't completely hate her - that there is a spark of pluckiness we might root for. Of the rest of the actors, James Lance (as the student) does his usual smart-alec patter, but here it seems less forced. Rory McGann (fitness instructor) is also particularly good - we feel for him, but don't feel sorry for him.

This is a show that will develop with time. By keeping back all of the important revelations about the characters we have something to return to. And I will.