Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps...
Coupling is a hilarious British comedy that ran from 2000 to 2004 on Britain's BBC2 and won "Best TV Comedy" at the 2003 British Comedy Awards.
The show focuses on the lives and relationships of the six main characters. They are all connected to one another either as best friends, co-workers, currently dating or ex-dating.
Some reviewers have described it as a cross between "Friends" and "Seinfeld". It does have some similar elements to them but I think Coupling is better than either of those shows.
NBC unsuccessfully attempted an American version of Coupling in 2003.
Contents at a Glance
Meet The Characters
- Steve - Best friend of Jeff, boyfriend to Susan and ex-boyfriend of Jane. Steve's a fairly normal guy but a bit insecure and prone to rants on the differences between men and women. Played by Jack Davenport, best known for his role as Commodore Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and currently in ABC's new drama, Flash Forward.
- Susan - Best friend of Sally, girlfriend to Steve, ex-girlfriend of Patrick and a co-worker to Jeff. Susan is said to have "slept with Australia" while on holiday there. Played by Sarah Alexander.
- Jeff - Best friend of Steve and a co-worker of Susan. Horrible at talking to women and obsessed with sex, you never know what will blurt out of Jeff's mouth. Played by Richard Coyle who unfortunately left the series after season 3 to pursue other acting interests.
- Jane - Ex-girlfriend to Steve. Jane is a self absorbed and possibly insane helicopter traffic reporter for a local radio station. Played by Gina Bellman.
- Sally - Best friend of Susan and a beautician who is obsessed with the effects of aging and her own ever expanding bottom. Played by Kate Isitt.
- Patrick - Ex-boyfriend of Susan. Most of Patrick's relationships last one night...good thing he videotapes them. Played by Ben Miles.
- Oliver - A comic book store owner who joined the gang in season 4 to fill the void left by Jeff's departure and a possible love interest for Jane. Played by Richard Mylan.
Clips from the show...
Coupling Websites
- The BBC Coupling Homepage
- The official Coupling homepage complete with info on seasons 1-4: pictures, interviews, quotes, etc.
- Comedy - Coupling
- The UK's "Radio and Telly" site contains a summary of each season, a discussion forum and plenty of other information.
- Coupling on Wikipedia
- Contains a very good overview of the show, character descriptions and short notes from the writer/creator about the characters after the show.
- Jeff Quotes
- A comprehensive listing of Jeff's crazier quotes from each episode.
Coupling Is Addictive
Jeff-isms
The words of Jeff Murdock
- "Your best friend is dead, but there's a bright side"
- "When we finally get our hands on the gear, let me tell you, it's not a drill. We're supposed to fly those babies the first time we get in them"
- "To know about the giggle loop, is to become part of the giggle loop"
- "Do you know what would be the best way to wipe out all of human kind if you were a space alien with a special kind of mind ray..?..make all women telepathic. Because if they suddenly found out about the kind of stuff that goes on in our heads they would kill us all on the spot. Men are not people - we are disgustoids in human form"
- "She's leaving the country...she doesn't speak English...I insulted her friend's breasts...and she thinks I collect women's ears in a bucket"
- "No you're not dead, you look, you look great. You're not decomposing or anything...I'm not just saying that"
- "I get very tense around apples... Well, I get very tense generally. I think I've fallen into the trap of blaming fruit."
- "Maybe women are completely different when we're not with them. Maybe they're not cross all the time."
British to English Translations
Angus Deayton - British comic actor and television show host. Also the object of Susan's fantasies.
Mariella Frostrup - A popular British television presenter, once voted as having the sexiest voice of female tv personalities. Also the object of Steve's fantasies.
cupboard - closet
flat - apartment
loo - toilet, bathroom
snog - kiss, making out
torch - flashlight
1471 - telephone caller ID number (*69 in the US)
Bum Bags and Fanny Packs : A British-American American-British Dictionary
This book will help you understand what other English speakers are saying...no matter which side of the ocean (pond) you're from.
Coupling on North American TV
- BBC America
- Check out the BBC America page for show times and information about Coupling.
- Your Local PBS Station
- Some PBS stations are playing episodes of Coupling. Enter your zip code on this site to find out if your local PBS affiliate does.
- BBC Canada
- There's no "search" feature on this site, so you'll have to look at the listing schedule. Last time I looked, Coupling airs at 9pm on Thursdays.
Vote For Your Favorite Coupling Character
Other British Comedies
The Office - The Complete Collection BBC Edition (First And Second Series Plus Special)
The BBC's original "The Office" that the American version was based on.
Benny Hill Complete and Unadulterated - The Naughty Early Years, Set One (1969-1971)
The Benny Hill Show in its complete format as it aired on the BBC.
Monty Python's Flying Circus: Set 1, Episodes 1-6
And now, for something completely different, check out the odd, absurd and incomprehensibly funny episodes of Monty Python.
Sites About Other Hit BBC Shows
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The Office - Is the US or UK Version Better?
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I've watched the entire series for the American and British versions of The Office. They're both hilarious but the US version is better. David Brent might say "Yeah, he's American and watched the US version first so who cares what...
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The Kumars at No. 42
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The Kumars at No. 42, is a hilarious britcom, now found on BBC America. The Kumars are an Indian-British family in North London, who host a talk show, hosted by son Sanjeev, in the TV studio they build in the backyard. It is part scripted, part impro...
Comments
Share your thoughts on the show...
hayleylou wrote...
Great show, nice lens, 5 stars. I have added a link to your lens on my Blossom Comedy lens
SteveWilliams wrote...
Hi there! I Really love coupling and Richard Coyle is just amazing as Jeff. I loved when they brought him back as a woman, though it wasn't ever really the same after Jeff left. I really like your lens and think it's set out really well. Thanks for putting this up.
Kanga wrote...
Great lens. I love this show!
Hmmm... I'll have to get the DVDs and make my boyfriend watch them :-P
Mac33 wrote...
Hi Vince, season 4 is the last season. Totally agree with you about the British accents and slang. Enjoy watching the show!
Vince wrote
I'm a new fan. Started watching it on BBC America. One of the best shows ever! Not only funny, but, I think the British accent and thier slang makes it even funnier. Can anyone tell me, is the show no longer being made? Is the DVD collection up to season 4 the last season?
Thnaks for the info!
by Mac33
A big fan of this show. I have every season on DVD and have watched every episode at least twice. My wife and I still crack up laughing ev...
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