British Comedy Guide

The Trouble With Maggie Cole

Does anyone recognise where this is set?

The ruined castle in the photo looks to be Launceston Castle in Cornwall:

Image

Didn't Dawn French do something else set in Cornwall?
Probably lives there - or has a bijou fisherman's cottage, stolen from a bijou fisherman.

Thanks BB.

Her accent would suggest she is either from Devon or Cornwall.

Quote: Lazzard @ 19th February 2020, 10:25 AM

Didn't Dawn French do something else set in Cornwall?
Probably lives there - or has a bijou fisherman's cottage, stolen from a bijou fisherman.

Wild West.

She does live in the south-west, yes. I believe Devon.

Did anybody else watch this? I really tried, but if something hasn't hooked me by the second ad break then I'm certainly not going waste time on five more episodes. The tone seemed very uneven, not quite funny enough for a comedy, not quite dramatic enough for a full on drama or thriller if that's the way it's heading.

I did. It was commissioned by the comedy department so we're rather forced to cover it, but, like the BBC's Guilt, it sadly seems to have ended up as pretty straight drama. Another bloody drama, with scarce comedy money! Argh!

I have to say I thought most of it was very good and thoroughly enjoyable.

The little bits I didn't enjoy were firstly the scene in which a primary schoolboy was dragged before the headmaster for the serious offence of coming to school with a dead magpie in his bag. Would that really have been regarded as serious? I would have thought it absolutely trivial. Perhaps currently serving primary schoolteachers among the BCG readership might comment?

The second and infinitely more important little bit I didn't enjoy was the alcohol-fuelled faux pas that Maggie Cole would never have committed in this universe or, I'm willing to bet, in any other universe (if one accepts the existence of multiple universes). It would never have happened - never, ever, ever.

The huge problem is, of course, that the above-mentioned faux pas appears to be the foundation upon which the series is going to be built.

What we're left with, therefore, is some very entertaining writing being totally wasted on an absolutely ridiculous plot.

This is one of those rare TV programmes which is very good and bloody awful at the same time.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 5th March 2020, 2:32 PM

The second and infinitely more important little bit I didn't enjoy was the alcohol-fuelled faux pas that Maggie Cole would never have committed in this universe or, I'm willing to bet, in any other universe (if one accepts the existence of multiple universes). It would never have happened - never, ever, ever.

The huge problem is, of course, that the above-mentioned faux pas appears to be the foundation upon which the series is going to be built.

What we're left with, therefore, is some very entertaining writing being totally wasted on an absolutely ridiculous plot.

This is one of those rare TV programmes which is very good and bloody awful at the same time.

I agree and I think it's fair to say that in any other universe too such libellous statements wouldn't get anywhere near broadcast given that the radio station could very easily face legal action.

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