British Comedy Guide

Green Wing - Ask the writers

Following the broadcast of the special we'll be conducting an exclusive interview with some of the Green Wing Writers.

UPDATE: I'm a total idiot and forgot to mention this in the latest Jan 4th newsletter. I'll promote this thread properly soon but do post your questions as this is still going ahead!

There are a few questions I would like to ask.

1) Which of the characters do you most assoicate with?

2) Is there anything you regret?

3) What are the rules to Guyball, and where can I find a good topmiler?

Were there any major disagreements about how a scene should go/a key plotline, and how were they resolved? *pictures the writers taking to the Guyball pitch to settle it like Men*

Did you regret choosing the ambulance on the edge of a cliff ending at the end of series one, when you started writing series two?

Thanks - these are just the sort of interesting questions I was looking for. Come on everyone else, more please!

Can I ask another question?

If I can, I would like ask a question relating to the Mac/Holly relationship. In the show, Mac was angry that Holly had an abortion. Was this meant to be a statement about abortion in general? Are you pro-life, pro-choice, or was there no message at all?

Ok, one more question. In the show, there is one scene where Martin wears a fake tail. In another, Sue is dressed as a squirrel. Is there any reason why the characters dress as animals so often?

Don't forget the shark's fin! Though I think the answer's just going to be cos they're mad....

How many of the ideas for season 2 were in place, and so had seeds planted for them, in season 1?

1) Do you regret not being able to make a third season?

2) What was your favourite scene to write?

I heard that it was Stephen Mangan's idea to have Guy fall in love with Caroline, so that the character of Guy could develop. Firstly is this true? Secondly, if that storyline had not taken place, what other main storylines involving Guy, Caroline and Mac were considered for series 2 instead of this?

ooh i have some that i would like to ask.
1)Did you have any particular actors in mind to play the characters before you started writing or was it based solely on auditions?
2)What is your favourite chatchphrase from any character?
3)If you ever argue over what should happen in a scene, who gets final say?
and just one more that i am dying to ask if you don't mind;
4)What character do you feel should be more developed (eg.life outside work/ family etc.)
thank you for your time. Wave

oh me! me!
1) Which of the actors do you think relate most to their chracters, and gave the most input?
2) Which characters would you most like to make a spin-off with?
3) Which sitcoms inspired you to write in such a surreal way, and what made you write the second series so more surreal?

4) and possibly, what is your settle rate in Guyball? :D

1) As I don't know much about the UK medical system and how long it takes to move up the ladder, what age are the doctor characters supposed to be (mac, caro, martin, guy, boyce..), or,

1a)...was age even relevant to anything you thought about the character bios?

2) From your perspective, did joanna really love statham or did she really only just tolerate him (even that's debatable from her actions!)

Thank you!

My questions are:

a)When series 2 ended, there was considerable strength of feeling over the plot lines ( what the characters should or should not do/have done etc). Did the writers ever feel that their creation had dislocated itself from them and had become the property of the audience?

b)Did public opinion shape the way the story unfolded? I felt that the audience was teased by the script writers in the same way that Caroline was teased by Mac.

b) Was it a deliberate ploy to have series two end so unsatisfactorily (subjective opinion of course)? Or was it a more mundane case of the last episode being not quite ready?

d) This is not a question but a compliment. (I hope that's allowed).
I was really impressed with the resolution of the main story lines whilst keeping each character strictly within their expected behaviour (e.g. Guy at the wedding, unable to resist asking Caroline to marry him because he looked fantastic in his kilt, and she looked ok....)I think it was genius, to go with the rest of the writing.

Thanks

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