901:, that it's funny for that very reason). But Milly falling in love with a shadow – actually more like a projection of a man on to the side of a van that miraculously happens outside her flat every night – well, that's just stupid. And I don't like its irritating jazzy soundtrack, or how small and British it all feels (and I mean both in the worst possible way).
615:
Alice finds herself the centre of attraction from the man living in flat number 12, and is asked to sign a petition to get a "Talking gravestone" removed. Gil is asked to join a comedy writing team to write a sitcom pilot for a talentless documentary star, and starts to become attracted to a fellow
881:
this was subsequently rendered redundant as Alice began to move in media circles via her association with Lloyd, Douglas and Fae. Walton also wrote however that, "Renwick does his usual professional job with the script, and Greig is as good as ever at registering various shades of disappointment."
880:
commented negatively about the loss of Landes saying, "In the first series Gil's job as a TV scriptwriter meant that
Renwick could always add a bit of edge by attacking modern television. Without that, and with Alice remaining so utterly lovely, the tone is often surprisingly soppy." The basis for
847:
When
Douglas fails to contact Alice after 12 days; she begins to believe that their relationship is over. When Lloyd's relationship ends, Alice stops him from committing suicide. Lloyd gives Alice a CD containing Gil's diaries, which she reads and is moved to tears by. She later visits Gil's house
816:
father is getting married. He asks Alice to pray for him, and the prayer gets answered, with it being revealed that he is going to live after all. As a result, his wife blames Alice for interfering with God. Douglas is trying to cope with the break-up by having acupuncture, taking drugs and dating
381:
In the third episode of the second series, Alice arranges a date through a personal ad in a magazine. When he fails to turn up she returns home and rips up his photograph. She receives a phone call from Lloyd, telling her that his friend could not make the date. The reason is not stated on screen,
649:
The wife of Alice's cousin
Stephen is going to jail, and she asks to keep an eye on him and their daughter, but Alice starts to wonder about Stephen's intentions towards her. Irene and Bob get back together, and tell Gil that Bob's mother wants to see him. She later passes away, leaving a £17,000
377:
The series follows both Alice and Gil's somewhat forlorn attempts to find the perfect partner, while it is clear to the viewer that they would be the ideal couple. The series itself follows each plot separately, cutting from Alice's story to Gil's throughout the episode. The only exception is the
382:
but Alice, clearly shaken, picks up the torn photograph and reassembles it, it is a photo of Gil. The next episode, it is revealed that Gil died of a heart attack. In the seventh episode of the series, Alice is invited into Gil's world via Lloyd, where she begins a relationship with a writer,
772:
Alice and
Douglas begin to have a physical relationship and end up in trouble over an answering machine message. They have dinner with Douglas ex-girlfriend, who is working on a cartoon series, whom Alice later discovers features an unflattering character that looks like her. Guest stars
346:), always seem to have more success with men, though their relationships never really last more than a week. Cleo and Milly try to pair her up with several men, but to no avail. She does have some family members (at least one cousin), but her parents, Arthur and Grace, are both dead.
270:. This was the last programme that Lambert produced before she died. The programme was initially a critical success although its audience figures were steady rather than spectacular, netting an average of five million viewers an episode. Renwick and his former scriptwriting partner
678:) visits her, who is suspected of being a lesbian. She also worries about the intentions of her driving instructor. During one lesson, Alice is carjacked. Milly is in love with a shadow and Cleo discovers her boyfriend has made negative comments about her in a journal.
708:), an old-school friend who has since become a lecturer. However, she worries that one of his students may be stalking him. Alice goes on a date with a man she meets through a lonely hearts column. He doesn't turn up, and when she reaches home she tears up his photo.
329:
to London, where she is the regional manager of a perfume company concession in a department store. She is trying to sell her flat and move, without success. Her love life is no success either. She can never find the perfect man. What is worse, her colleagues,
760:
Alice is so short of money that she is forced to rent out her flat in
Brighton and find cheaper accommodation in London, which ends up with her living with Milly. Lloyd meets Alice and introducers her to Douglas McVitie (Mark Heap), a writer who worked with
361:
and he has been asked to write one of them. Things started badly for Gil when he arrived at his house (15 Carpenters Lane, Larch End), and discovered his girlfriend was seeing another man as soon as they arrived in the country. His next door neighbours are
894:
writing, "I don't like the fact that so little happens. Or how implausible the few things that do happen are. I know it's meant to be comedy, not a reflection of real life; but it helps if comedy can keep a toe in plausibility (unless it's so crazy, like
836:) appears to be too much to handle, especially after news reports circle about him and a dead prostitute. However, Douglas agrees to go to Marty's villa for six weeks to write the pilot. Lloyd ends up having a one-night stand with a woman with no arms.
378:
final scene of the first series, which shows Alice in the theatre watching a comedy where she is the only person in the entire audience not laughing – apart from Gil, who is sitting two rows behind her. They still do not find each other.
800:
written by the German playwright Stefan (Patrick
Monckeberg). Alice decides there is no spark in her relationship with Douglas, and calls it off, but Douglas believes that the break-up is not working and they get back
574:, and is then asked on a dinner date by a rather sexy actress. Alice bumps into an old friend, but later regrets their reunion, whilst Milly is blissfully unaware that her new boyfriend looks almost exactly like
452:
Alice becomes worried about her security after she discovers her estate agent has been doing her washing in her flat. Gil causes his next door neighbours to split up, and goes on a date with a TV executive.
832:
Alice has problems coping with Fae's behaviour. A long-forgotten film script written by
Douglas looks as if it will be finally produced. However, the actor who is due to play the lead role, Marty Cady (
749:
In an attempt to find Alice her perfect partner, Milly and Cleo health-screen every available man in the department store by looking at their confidential prescription records at the store's pharmacy.
738:
Alice falls for
Matthew Carter, who sends her into a world full of smart cars, up-market restaurants and posh parties. Cleo and Milly fight over the same boyfriend and other more trivial matters.
277:
The second series started on 1 March 2008 and finished on 17 May 2008. This series contained changes from the first, including a switch from six 60-minute episodes, to 12 episodes of 30 minutes.
949:
318:) are perfect for each other. They like the same things, respect the same things, and share the same beliefs. The only problem is that they are completely unaware of each other's existence.
848:
and rests on the gate like Gil did in series 1. As she does this, Gil appears resting on the gate, she looks his way, doesn't see him, looks back to the house and he disappears.
390:). After a while she feels that there is little love in the relationship so she tries to break it up; Douglas, however, is determined to stay with her. Alice also moves in with
871:, Alice is meant to represent a bunch of prevailing attitudes. In fact, like him, she is entirely implausible. Happily, this fundamental error makes her no less funny."
980:
374:), who split up after Gil accidentally exposes Bob's affair with a prostitute. Afterwards, Gil becomes increasingly worried about Irene's intentions towards him.
719:
A web of romantic deceit leads to Alice accidentally being caught up with the
Metropolitan Police anti-terrorism unit. Cleo discovers some people taking part in
486:
Alice receives a disturbing text message from her Godson, and Milly has problems with her boyfriend after reading a magazine article. Gil toys with his
1116:
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The first series was released on DVD Region 2 on 3 December 2007. The second series (and a boxset containing both series) was released on 10 May 2008.
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idea where
Britain is run by tabloid newspapers, and gets in a tricky situation at a dinner party at Irene's.
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Cleo attempts to fix up Alice with a sales rep, but the date ends in failure. She then becomes involved in a
693:
romance. Cleo also offends Milly by her attempts to put a man off her by claiming that Milly is a man.
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Gil is asked to open a swimming pool, and meets a fan of his work, later discovering she used to be a
349:
Gil is an American comedy writer, who has moved to England to start a new project with TV producer
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have cameo appearances in one episode as members of a television sitcom scriptwriting team.
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games in a recycling centre. Milly has a relationship with a man who is half
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Alice is worried when her predatory regional manager Catherine Sumpter (
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981:"Weekend on television: Mad Men (BBC4, Sun) – Love Soup (BBC1, Sat)"
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Alice is a modern woman with old-fashioned values, who lives in
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said that, "Like David Renwick's previous sitcom creation,
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Gil is forced to watch a rather poor all-woman version of
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writer. In the meantime, Bob asks Irene for forgiveness.
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as Gil Raymond (series 1 only). The series is written by
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as Alice Chenery (a role written especially for her) and
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Alice moves in with actress Fae Maddison, whose dying
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featuring one of her lifelong heroes, Gordon Bexter (
426:
357:). It is a series of six romantic comedies called
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821:) – but there is more to her than meets the eye.
905:is insipid broth and I've had enough already."
650:fortune all to him, "For picking up my spoon."
1117:British English-language television shows
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266:and Christine Gernon and was produced by
1107:2000s British romance television series
1102:2008 British television series endings
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1112:British comedy-drama television shows
1097:2005 British television series debuts
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18:2005 British TV series or programme
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925:. BBC Press Office. Archived from
434:There Must Be Some Way Out of Here
14:
1128:
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950:"Mad Men; Love Soup: Weekend TV"
250:in the autumn of 2005. It stars
1010:Wollaston, Sam (3 March 2008).
948:Billen, Andrew (3 March 2008).
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979:Walton, James (3 March 2008).
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1083:interview, 28 September 2005
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721:dominance and submission
238:is a British television
808:Whose God is it Anyway?
246:and first screened on
364:Bob and Irene Andrews
284:is "Alley Boogie" by
1077:at British TV Comedy
1068:British Comedy Guide
874:James Walton in the
715:The Menaced Assassin
685:Integrated Logistics
529:Martin Luther King's
985:The Daily Telegraph
929:on 18 February 2008
704:Alice meets Mitch (
505:The Reflecting Pool
160:Executive producers
817:his ironing lady (
745:Sophisticated Lady
344:Montserrat Lombard
280:The theme tune to
187:30 min. (series 2)
185:60 min. (series 1)
66:Montserrat Lombard
1012:"Last night's TV"
884:Sam Wollaston in
670:Smoke and Shadows
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571:Waiting for Godot
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210:27 September 2005
118:Country of origin
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100:"Alley Boogie"
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578:. Guest stars
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1081:Woman's Hour
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1019:. Retrieved
1016:The Guardian
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993:. Retrieved
989:the original
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962:. Retrieved
958:the original
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931:. Retrieved
927:the original
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887:The Guardian
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840:Episode 12:
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734:Ragged Claws
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392:Fae Maddison
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252:Tamsin Greig
240:comedy drama
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182:Running time
110:Ending theme
70:Owen Brenman
58:Tamsin Greig
38:comedy drama
24:
15:
933:20 February
923:"Love Soup"
828:Human Error
819:Joanna Page
798:necrophilia
790:Royal Court
781:Episode 9:
775:Bill Bailey
765:Episode 8:
756:Green Widow
753:Episode 7:
742:Episode 6:
731:Episode 5:
712:Episode 4:
697:Episode 3:
682:Episode 2:
667:Episode 1:
631:War Is Heck
525:Hells Angel
420:Written by
332:Cleo Martin
312:Gil Raymond
220:17 May 2008
166:Jon Plowman
140:of episodes
1091:Categories
909:References
898:Green Wing
691:Dickensian
535:" speech.
224:2008-05-17
214:2005-09-27
155:Production
92:(series 2)
87:(series 2)
82:(series 1)
77:(series 1)
44:Written by
1074:Love Soup
1063:Love Soup
1052:Love Soup
1046:bbc.co.uk
1041:Love Soup
954:The Times
903:Love Soup
892:Love Soup
864:The Times
859:Love Soup
857:Views of
853:Reception
801:together.
597:Take Five
488:Love Soup
388:Mark Heap
359:Love Soup
299:Situation
282:Love Soup
235:Love Soup
129:of series
85:Mark Heap
25:Love Soup
661:Series 2
407:Series 1
402:Episodes
327:commutes
323:Brighton
172:Producer
54:Starring
35:Romantic
1066:at the
1021:3 March
995:3 March
964:3 March
288:singer
248:BBC One
222: (
218: –
212: (
207:Release
201:BBC One
197:Network
113:Reprise
814:Jewish
417:Title
338:) and
325:, and
310:) and
31:Genre
1057:IMDb
1023:2008
997:2008
966:2008
935:2008
843:Home
761:Gil.
370:and
286:jazz
1055:at
1044:at
244:BBC
143:18
138:No.
127:No.
102:by
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