Two Doors Down (TV series)

Two Doors Down
Genre Sitcom
Created by Simon Carlyle
Gregor Sharp
Directed by Simon Hynd
Starring Arabella Weir
Alex Norton
Doon Mackichan
Jonathan Watson
Elaine C Smith
Sharon Rooney
Jamie Quinn
Harki Bhambra
Grado
Joy McAvoy
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 3
No. of episodes 20
Production
Executive producer(s) Steven Canny
Ewan Angus
Myfanwy Moore
Production location(s) Glasgow, Scotland
Camera setup single camera
Running time 28 minutes
Production company(s) BBC Scotland
Release
Original network BBC One Scotland (2013)
BBC Two (2016–)
Original release Pilot: 31 December 2013
Series: 1 April 2016 – present

Two Doors Down is a Scottish television sitcom, produced by BBC Studios that is broadcast across the UK at prime time.[1] It was created by Simon Carlyle and Gregor Sharp and stars Arabella Weir, Alex Norton, Doon Mackichan, Jonathan Watson and Elaine C Smith.

Following a pilot broadcast in 2013, the first series began airing April 2016.[1] A second series began airing on 21 November 2016.[2][3] The show was recommissioned in December 2016 for a third series by BBC Two which aired in early 2018, as well as a Christmas special in December 2017.[4] The show is set to return for a fourth series in Early 2019.

Two Doors Down won the Best Comedy award at the 2017 Royal Television Society Scotland Awards[5].

Background and plot

Two Doors Down largely focuses on the story of neighbours living side by side in a typical set up Glaswegian neighbourhood. BBC Scotland describes the characters as "not so happily living together" which is a main point of comedy focus throughout the series, largely due to the neighbours constantly visiting (and overstaying their welcome) and Beth and Eric's house[5], which usually results in Beth being taken advantage of by her neighbours (frequently having to make tea, pour drinks for Cathy and even prepare food in some cases whilst the remaining characters chat in the living room). Due to this, Eric and Beth Baird try and avoid their neighbours as much as possible so they have led an easy life and enjoy some peace and quietness in their own home, however, as the series progresses, it does not usually happen[5].

Perhaps much of Two Doors Downs success has been that to many of the Scottish viewing audience, it is a relatable programme, with many neighbours showing similar traits to that of the characters. As the series creator, Simon Carlyle states, "Two Doors Down is about crazy neighbours. We’ve all got them. They seem ok, but when you scratch the surface they’re a bit nuts"[5].

Cast



Main cast

Character Actor Episode count Series
Pilot (2013) Series 1 (2016) Series 2 (2016) Series 3 (2017-18) Series 4 (2019)
Eric Baird Alex Norton 19 Main
Beth Baird Arabella Weir 19 Main
Colin Whyte Jonathan Watson 19 Main
Cathy Whyte Doon Mackichan 18 Main
Sophie O'Neal Sharon Rooney 13 Main
Christine O'Neal Elaine C Smith 18 Main
Ian Baird Jamie Quinn 18 Main
Jaz Harki Bhambra 11 Main
Gordon Kieran Hodgson 6 Main
Alan Grado 1 Main
Michelle Joy McAvoy 1 Main

† Ian is played by Kevin Guthrie in the pilot episode.

Guest cast

Ratings

Episode Aired Viewers Consolidated viewers Channel
Pilot 31 December 2013 3.00 3.28 BBC One
Series 1 (2016)
Episode 1 1 April 2016 1.62 1.80 BBC Two
Episode 2 8 April 2016 1.25 1.36
Episode 3 15 April 2016 1.05 1.14
Episode 4 22 April 2016 1.06 1.15
Episode 5 29 April 2016 1.01 1.13
Episode 6 6 May 2016 0.98 1.14
Series 2 (2016)
Episode 7 21 November 2016 1.12 1.49 BBC Two
Episode 8 28 November 2016 1.41 1.58
Episode 9 5 December 2016 1.49 1.69
Episode 10 12 December 2016 0.96 1.16
Episode 11 19 December 2016 0.79 1.00
Episode 12 19 December 2016 0.83 0.90
Christmas Special (2017)
Episode 13 26 December 2017 0.73 1.04 BBC Two
Series 3 (2018)
Episode 14 29 January 2018 1.81 2.11 BBC Two
Episode 15 5 February 2018 1.35 1.50
Episode 16 12 February 2018 1.57 1.69
Episode 17 19 February 2018 1.54 1.63
Episode 18 26 February 2018 1.66 1.72
Episode 19 5 March 2018 1.69 1.81

Production

The pilot episode was shown on 31 December 2013[6]. It was shot with all the crew and cast in a cramped, medium-sized living room.[1] After the pilot was deemed successful, filming was moved to purpose-built sets in Dumbarton.[1] Exterior scenes are filmed in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire.

Critical reception

Two Doors Down has received mixed reviews. Writing for The Guardian, Ben Arnold said the pilot for the series was "a mundane set-up, not helped by a woeful lack of laughs."[7] Writing again for The Guardian at the beginning of the second series, Arnold called the series "woeful".[8] The Arts Desk wrote that the series "owes an awful lot to both Abigail’s Party and The Royle Family, as well as socially awkward characters from any number of sketch shows, with equally broadly defined characters – only without the bits that make you laugh out loud."[9] Writing for RadioTimes, David Butcher said "Sometimes Two Doors Down is so uneventful it almost vanishes" but called it a "nicely sour-edged sitcom".[10] Conversely, writing for The Guardian, Zoe Williams said "this endearing ensemble BBC Comedy about a sort of Scottish neighbours has something-for-everyone humour."[11] Claudia Connell in the Daily Mail said "a beautifully observed, genuinely funny comedy about the hell of feeling compelled to socialise with people just because you inhabit the same stretch of pavement".[12] Euan Ferguson wrote in The Observer in December 2016 "BBC Two's Two Doors Down has it all. Wit, delight, long awkward silences, burps, bacon-farts."[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Spowart, Nan (March 28, 2016). "Hit comedy Two Doors Down is back after winning fans on both sides of the Border". www.thenational.scot. The National. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  2. ↑ "BBC Two 'plans second series for Two Doors Down' after ratings success". Express. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Two Doors Down". Facebook. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  4. ↑ Guide, British Comedy (19 October 2017). "Two Doors Down to return with cast changes". Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "BBC Scotland - Why Two Doors Down is Britain's best-kept sitcom secret". BBC. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  6. ↑ "Two Doors Down". 31 December 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2018 – via www.imdb.com.
  7. ↑ "Friday's best TV: Easter 1916: The Enemy Files, Billy Connolly's Tracks Across America and Boomers". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  8. ↑ "Monday's best TV: The Last Miners; Back in Time for Brixton; Our Guy in China". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  9. ↑ "Two Doors Down, BBC Two". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "Two Doors Down Series 2-Episode 2". RadioTimes. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "Doon Mackichan: 'We were sexy, funny women – perhaps that was a bit much' | Television & radio". The Guardian. 2014-03-13. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  12. ↑ Connell, Claudia (2016-11-21). "Two Doors Down and The Last Miners: CLAUDIA CONNELL reviews last night's TV | Daily Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  13. ↑ "https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/two_doors_down/press/
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.