Marriage.

Shirley48

I think the premise of it - showing the layers behind a long marriage - was a good idea, but it didn’t work for me, so far. There seemed - to me - to be no depth to the characters; I had little interest in what was going to happen, if anything.

I agree with this. A good plot can compensate for thin characterisation, and deep characters can make up for a sketchy plot, but this had neither. I haven't checked the schedules for tonight, but of there is nothing interesting on the other channels I might give it another go, but if it doesn't improve I'll give up, I think. It's a shame, as both actors are good.

I think the premise of it - showing the layers behind a long marriage - was a good idea, but it didn’t work for me, so far. There seemed - to me - to be no depth to the characters; I had little interest in what was going to happen, if anything.

I wasted an hour of my life watching that last night. Most disappointing. Being a glutton for punishment, though, I will try again with tonight's episode.

Very slow first episode but I will binge watch the remaining 3 episodes on I player today,
Fingers crossed I'll be in for a treat

Disappointing to say the least!! In fact a load of cr*p!

Luckygirl3

I was going to watch it then saw a trailer and decided not to - it would seem that I made the right decision!

Even the trailer was boring, and that’s usually where they show the best bits ?

Oh I forgot part two of that interesting programme about the Indian partition was on Bluebell, I did know Mountbatten's wife had a fling with Nehru, he was one of a long line of her flames on the side ......allegedly! Must catch up with that.

“Mum” had characters who were funny when they didn’t know they were being IYKWIM and that was down to Stefan G’s writing.
There is no humour in “Marriage” so far, despite Nicola Walker’s best efforts. It needs a spark of something - too many boring people.

rubysong

You can come here and watch me load the dishwasher if you want.

Love it ?

Didn’t realise it was on I like Sean Bean and Nicola walker but I probably skimmed over the word ‘ marriage’ on my tv menu ?
Anyway I won’t bother now I was watching the programme about the Indian partition very interesting I had never realised Mountbatten s wife had a thing with Nehru but there was a photo, never seen before and there was definitely some secret hand holding going on …….apparently it was well known but never acknowledged

I see it was written by the writer who wrote "Mum" which I thought managed to be clever, poignant and funny. I also thought, in that, he captured suburbia well.

I'm still puzzling over the many aspects of this one, as others have said it didn't ring true in parts. I also read that Nicola is a solicitor in "Marriage". I've been in many solicitors offices, I worked for a firm that had one attached, no way did her office strike me as being a legal establishment, and her boss didn't resonate as presumably the partner in the firm, much too Jack the Lad.

Hope down the line Jessica the daughter off loads that awful controlling boyfriend. That was an awkward evening which again seemed contrived.

I've got mixed feelings about this. The 'jingly-jangly' voices at the beginning and the end must signify inner conflict I suppose but I found them horrendously irritating.

It's on again tonight, not sure how many episodes there are but I'll tune in to see what happens next. I only ever saw a few minutes of 'Mum' and I couldn't take to it.

Oh, silly me! Of course Nicholas would be the dead child. I had assumed (wrongly probably) that it was a daughter. And obviously a birthday anniversary with the card.

It all felt very contrived, not at all natural. Nicola Walker is known for her brooding, rather stilted, gazing into the far distance type roles, this will suit her very well.

I must be a glutton for punishment, or a cock-eyed optimist. We recorded it and even after all these comments I’m going to give it a go later….

Hmm. Reading all the comments I'm wondering did I really watch. Will give tonight a try.

FlexibleFriend

That was complete and utter crap.

That was my DH's opinion Flexible. He insisted we watch it to the end as I'd wanted to see it. We were doing crosswords and scrolling on phones, well before the end - and it was still tedious.

I assume visiting Nicola? was the grave of a dead child who they grieve separately for some reason and that the daughter is an adopted replacement child.

I thought to start with Ian was fantasising about the girl at the gym but perhaps he sees his dead child in her. I think he's having a quiet breakdown after the redundancy.

And that Emma's brother doesn't talk to her (because of the death of the first child?) which is why he took himself upstairs.

There's an awful lot which could be going on but it was sooo slow most of the clues probably past over me whilst I was scrolling! It seems that they're being held together only by some awful thing in the past which neither of them can talk about or share. It's going to be a sad ending whatever happens.

I think the viewing figures for the rest of it will be much lower than last nights.

I found it irritating and it reminded me why I didn't enjoy Mum, but as Nicola Walker and Sean Bean are excellent actors I shall persevere.

When they said they were visiting Nicholas I assumed that was the dead child, possibly an anniversary of the child's birthday, she had a card? Maybe?

I agree it was, for me, very unrealistic. But maybe for others it rang true.
I may have nodded of at times. I might replay it to see if I missed any relevant bits, that would make more sense!

Another dissappointed viewer here. Didn't like the music at all- had to turn sound down whenever it came on.
Scene at the grave (apparently of a lost child) didn't ring true. They each sobbed separately but no attempt to comfort each other.
Same thoughts as Calendargirl about the meal.

I will add to the ‘disappointing’ reaction.

If I hadn’t read a précis of it in my TV guide, I wouldn’t have twigged half of what went on.

The creepy bit with Ian ‘stalking’ the girl in the gym? Was he associating her with his adopted daughter? The visit to the cemetery, that must have been a daughter who died, but I thought at first it was his deceased mum’s grave they were going to.

The bloke who hid upstairs, I assume was Emma’s brother, as he called James Bolam ‘dad’. But who was ‘Nicholas’ who they said they were going to visit, which sounded like an excuse to get away?

As for the excruciating meal with the new controlling boyfriend, what were they eating? Looked like Ian finally got his jacket potato, and the tomato ketchup was thankfully in evidence, but would you eat that with salad? The whole meal looked like a scene from Corrie, at Jack and Vera Duckworths.

And do you come home from a Spanish holiday, and are soon lolling on the sofa? I am opening windows, getting the suitcases unpacked, going through the post (thoroughly), not casually rifling through it and chucking it in the recycling.

There are 4 parts to it, I assume it will pick up, but at the moment, to me it’s definitely on a par with the ghastly ‘Mum’.

It didn’t draw me in, in fact I couldn’t wait for the hour to end.
The “music” was strange, nothing about it will make me want to put myself through it again.

I pay my licence fee for a bit of escapism where drama is concerned. If I want humdrum I’ll put the bins out or check down the bottom of the garden for unspotted dog poo.

Well you have all decided that for me! I read the blurb about it in the Radio Times and thought I must record that. I forgot it was on until I saw your posts. I'm not going to bother as I can look at a dishwasher any day of the week. I read that Sean and Nicola had to do about twenty takes in order to get the most realistic robotic movement of placing your breakfast bowl in the machine. I'm not watching Van Der Valk either, I gave up after ten minutes of the first episode, he was so bloody miserable.

I found all the characters a bit creepy. The husband hanging around the young girl at the gym. The wife with the other office staff and the daughter with a man who is obviously controlling. Who was the man with the father that hid upstairs???