Beautiful People
- TV sitcom
- BBC Two
- 2008 - 2009
- 12 episodes (2 series)
Sitcom about the young family life of window-dresser Simon Doonan, based upon the memoirs of the fashionista of the same name. Stars Olivia Colman, Meera Syal, Aidan McArdle, Luke Ward-Wilkinson, Layton Williams and more.
Streaming rank this week: 1,115
Episode menu
Series 1, Episode 3 - How I Got My Beads
Further details
New York City 2008 and Simon and Sacha are putting the finishing touches to a festival-inspired window display. Simon holds his hippy beads, grinning...
The narrative switches from New York 'now' to Reading 'then'. Back in 1997, Debbie announces that she is officially psychic and can hear voices from beyond the grave. Andy is unconvinced but has more pressing matters to deal with - his mother, Narg, is returning from hospital. But, much to the Doonans' shock, the Narg (Gran spelt backwards) that they know and love has changed.
Gone are the saintly acts, Narg is now an acidic rollercoaster of a woman who has got herself engaged to Big Barry. In an unfortunate accident, Narg causes the kitchen to blow up while cooking Big Barry a fry-up, and the Doonans wonder if Debbie's psychic premonitions could possibly be real after all.
Notes
Music: She's Gone written by Daryl Hall and John Oates. Performed by The Feeling.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Thursday 16th October 2008
- Time
- 9:30pm
- Channel
- BBC Two
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
| Olivia Colman | Debbie Doonan |
| Meera Syal | Aunty Hayley |
| Aidan McArdle | Andy Doonan |
| Luke Ward-Wilkinson | Simon Doonan |
| Layton Williams | Kyle |
| Sophie Ash | Ashlene Doonan |
| Sarah Niles | Reba |
| Samuel Barnett | Adult Simon |
| Gary Amers | Sacha |
| Brenda Fricker | Narg |
| Howard Coggins | Paramedic |
| John Delaney | Mr Cartwright |
| Ram John Holder | Big Barry |
| Jonathan Harvey | Writer |
| Gareth Carrivick | Director |
| Justin Davies | Producer |
| Jon Plowman | Executive Producer |
| Mark Lawrence | Editor |
| Dennis De Groot | Production Designer |
Press
Apart from the irritating narration, I liked this when it started and since then it's been growing on me even more. The second episode improved on the first and we were even treated to some CGI trickery, as the street where the main characters live was transformed briefly into the yellowbrick road. The gran character in episode three, who turned from nice to nasty after an operation, was tremendous fun, as is the show itself. Bright, colourful and beautiful, the Doonan's are possibly the best sitcom family since the Royles. Without doubt one of the week's top highlights.
Cool Blue Shed, 18th October 2008