Joking Apart

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Joking Apart was a bittersweet comedy written by Steven Moffat and broadcast on BBC Two. The show initially followed a dual structure of Mark (Robert Bathurst) and Becky (Fiona Gillies) meeting/falling in love, juxtaposed with the break up of their marriage. The theme was Chris Rea's "Fool If You Think it's Over", arranged and performed by Kenny Craddock.

It is quite autobiographical, and is loosely based on the breakup of Moffat's first marriage. (He refers to this unhappy time in the commentaries on the Press Gang DVD).

The series was directed by Bob Spiers and was produced by Andre Ptaszynski.

Contents

1 Pilot
2 Series one
3 Series two
4 Reception and DVD release
5 External links

Pilot

The series started as a pilot, broadcast in the Comic Asides (a series of pilot shows) strand on 12 January 1991. It was directed by John Kilby, and filmed at Pebble Mill in Birmingham. It is practically identical to the first episode of the series proper: some scenes are even reused (hence episode one's shared director credit between Spiers and Kilby).

Series one

The first series of six episodes began on 7 January 1993

Most of the first series of six episodes opened with Mark, a sit-com writer, using his relationship as material for stand-up performances. Episodes regularly cut back to Mark's performances, designed as fantasy sequences.

Mark, in a fantasy stand-up sequence

The first episode showed the couple meeting at a funeral, marrying, going through the honeymoon phase, and in programme 2, Becky admitted she was an adultress. Although she inadvertently admitted this fact before realising that all of her friends were hiding around her living room before the surprise party was started, the performances of Bathurst and Gillies took the scene above mere farce. This episode was basically a re-recorded version of the pilot, with a revised set design.

Series two

After being postponed from the autumn schedules, even though the show had won an award at Montreux, the six episodes of the second series begun transmission on 3 January 1995.

In this series, Becky was cheating on Trevor with her solicitor, Michael. Mark fantasizes about killing Trevor, exposes himself to his elderly Aunt and meets his conscience.

Reception and DVD release

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The show attracted a small audience, but the internet is helping elevate the show to cult status. The first series was released on DVD on 29 May 2006 [link]. It contains commentaries on four of the episodes from Moffat, Bathurst, Gillies and Bennett, and new retrospective interviews. The DVD is notable as it has been released by a fan who bought the rights from the BBC [link].

External links

Becky and Mark discuss their marriage

[Joking Apart] Unofficial Site, with episode guides and extended interviews with Moffat and Bathurst
[ReplayDVD] Web site of the fan who bought the program's rights
[BBC minisite]
[British Sitcom Guide]
[Robert Bathurst Fans] Robert Bathurst fan community with a forum for Joking Apart
[Manchester Online: Robert's fatherly fear] Interview with Robert Bathurst, and comments about the DVD release

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