Happiness (TV series)

Happiness is a British sitcom with dramatic, melancholy overtones written by Paul Whitehouse and David Cummings with Whitehouse in the lead role.

Happiness
GenreComedy
StarringPaul Whitehouse
Fiona Allen
Mark Heap
Clive Russell
Pearce Quigley
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original language(s)English
No. of series2
No. of episodes12 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time30 minutes
Release
Original networkBBC Two
Original release20 March 2001 –
18 February 2003

There were two series broadcast on BBC2, the first running in 2001 and the second in 2003. Whitehouse has stated that there will probably not be a third.[1]

Synopsis

Whitehouse plays Danny Spencer, a successful voice artist for a popular cartoon bear called Dexter. Spencer is trying to come to terms with the death of his wife, though much of his concern is that he finds he isn't feeling the loss as deeply as he should.

Approaching his fortieth birthday he is independent and single and the programme's themes are largely bound up with the opportunities and problems that this situation creates. His friends are a disparate group, ranging from the strait-laced Terry and Rachel (Mark Heap, Fiona Allen), through the down and outs - Charlie and Sid (Johnny Vegas and Pearce Quigley), to the archetypal man in a mid-life crisis, Angus (Clive Russell). To varying degrees these friends offer Spencer inspiration and cautionary tales as to how Spencer can fill his life.

Episodes

Series 1
#TitleOriginal air date
1Personality Crisis20 March 2001
2I'm Doing It for Me27 March 2001
3Chained to an Idiot3 April 2001
4Desperate Dan10 April 2001
5Celebration17 April 2001
6Forty24 April 2001

Series 2
#TitleOriginal air date
1A Little Bit of Love14 January 2003
2A Nice Person21 January 2003
3Real Dancing28 January 2003
4Perspective4 February 2003
5Old Bloke at the Door11 February 2003
6People Move On18 February 2003

Awards

Critical reception

Simon Hoggart described the series as "part of that newish genre, the situation tragedy",[2] and Andrew Billen criticised it for the "emptiness at its heart and not enough going on peripherally to make up for it".[3] Nicholas Barber thought it "an impressive leap from catchphrase-heavy sketch comedy" with "topnotch supporting actors".[4] Many reviews singled out Johnny Vegas's performance as being the strongest among the cast.[5][6]

References
  1. "News sept01 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  2. Hoggart, Simon (2001). "Upfront misery | Spectator, The | Find Articles at BNET". Findarticles.com. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 November 2004. Retrieved 30 August 2005.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Ian Hyland's TV week: Happiness | Sunday Mirror | Find Articles at BNET". Findarticles.com. 19 January 2003. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
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