BBC’s Coupling [tv]

Self-dubbed “Hilarious, Mature, Intelligent”

Coupling is a fist-sized diamond in the rough among poorly drawn American sitcoms and overly-dry British exports. Premised on the familiar Friends format of six friends in London, the comparison ends there. It’s a warm, witty, and welcome show that stretches any number of sitcom conception and does so with excellent characterization, sharp writing, and heart.

The reviews of the show I’ve seen start as I have by wildly comparing Coupling to the familiar. Friends comparisons are inevitable, because it’s 6 friends in London and it’s ultimately about the romantic relationships and misadventures of the group, with others and with each other. It’s also frequently dubbed a union between Sex In The City (that does equal justice to the men’s camp) and Friends, because it’s clearly more about sex than Friends could be. Thank god for the lack of puritanism across the pond for that.

While not inaccurate, these comparisons also call attention to what Coupling is not. In some ways, the Friends parallel is frighteningly similar — there’s a “Ross & Rachel” in the incarnation of “Steve & Susan” which provides a bit of arch to the show and some of the glue that holds it together. There’re also two off-the-wall characters who provide some of the zaniness a la Phebe and Joey. But the Coupling cast and writing staff endow these characters with a plausibility that is lacking in other sitcoms, particularly Friends. Phoebe and Joey have an unreality too them (Phoebe is too zany to be plausible and Joey is often too stupid to be plausible, as demanded by the “bit” that the writers needed to run for a given show). Comparing them to Richard Coyle’s “Jeff” and Gina Bellman’s “Jane” and it’s clear who is a sketch and who is a character. That’s the critical difference between Coupling and much of the other sitcom fare, and why it is comparatively successful: the characterizations drive the plot rather than being subordinate to it. They are truly set loose, and the comedic fall-out follows from their movement in the imaginary dating scene of London.

Add to that the truly superb writing and the typically Office-like use of discomfort comedy and you have a show that succeeds in a way that few other comedies can claim. It’s only unfortunate that it unravels with the loss of Richard Coyle after the second season, and the plug is justifiably pulled after the third (where “Jeff” must be resurrected/reincarnated (yes, both, because they can’t get Richard Coyle) in order to close the series). Still, like Firefly whose 1.5 seasons continues to generate continual commentary, Coupling creates a comedic landscape worthy of repeated visits.

(Oh, and it’s always available for instant viewing on Netflix, if you’re into that — you should be.)