The Book Group

"The Book Group" is the sort of show that is completely unique, not in its content matter or style but in the way it makes you feel. This is the second of Annie Griffin's series I've gotten into after the very similarly themed "Coming Soon" and I can't quite decide which one I like, or hate, more.

Essentially it's a look at several unhappy characters, I won't go into them here. But they're all unhappy, or insecure, or sexually frustrated in some way, and the combined misery of all the members of this 'book group' formed by the Ohio depressive Claire all seem to clash in every meeting they have. The first series all dealt with each one's attempts to hit onto each other one; Claire was in love with Barney, Kenny in love with Claire, Dirka & Fist both in love with Kenny, it was quite a vicious love triangle. We've just started screening the second series in Australia and it seems this time everybody has found someone but naturally is still unhappy.

But that's not the way the show seems to deal with it. All the characters are portrayed as pathetic, almost ludicrous in many ways, despite the fact that the feelings they are expressing are not in any way unknown to anybody. But it's black comedy, it makes you laugh even though there's nothing funny about it. And for that reason, while I might spend an entire episode cackling away non-stop, every episode always leaves me with a hollow, empty feeling. Maybe it's the un-finite nature of every episode ending, or maybe it's the haunting theme music or just the fact that the things I'm laughing at end up striking a nerve with me, either way, it's a unique experience.

One thing that has to be noted; very little of the series has to do with books: there are occasional references to the books they are reading for the week, often in the form of a member of the group's fantasy or dream, but apart from that it is simply a character study and fun-poking at some of the most depressing and heart-breaking human emotions set in the surroundings of a group of people gathered together to talk about books. For one thing, you have to realise that at least quarter of each episode deals with professional football given that one member is obsessed with it and three others are married to professional footballers.

Personally I think that Annie Griffin is one of the most under-rated writers/directors around today. She blends comedy and drama in a way that nobody else can do and weaves such intricate, almost psychological plots, around such a simplistic premise. I eagerly anticipate each episode and her next project. 4 stars out of 5.

The premise is so simple that it would seem likely to be a snowballing success.

The fact that the first episode was such a well structured, delicately written and well acted piece, meant that it appeared there was every possibility it could be a well thought through character study over a six week, or however long, period.

Perhaps I am missing something as I have not read all the books that have so far been discussed by the group, but in any case the first episode was the only one that even touched upon the book at any level.

Since then the programme has descended into the characters outside of the group. More about how they react in other environments and the experience that the book group may have had on them. The episodes appear to have been cut very harshly. There are great wapping gaps, with no explanation.

The stuff about Kenny and Claire and the kiss has been forgotten. Barney and Claire and their immediate chemistry. The female obsession of Kenny's hands.

It has to be said that the acting is very accomplished and it is a pleasure to see new actors proving their worth. Perhaps at the end of the run all of the loose ends will be tied up and it will make sense as a whole?

Even so though it needs to be judged on each episodes merits, and doing that is so hard as each episode is so vastly different in genre and style.

It feels like it should have been a two part series, just like Men Only which is one of the best things Channel 4 has ever shown.

I really like this the first time, and have been staying up late to watch the midnight re-runs on Irish TV.

I always liked this show, because of the (sometimes unbelievable) pretension of some of the characters, and the excellent acting throughout, particularly from Michelle Gomez, who I adore.

And, aside from the stories, and the dialog, and the acting, what had me bouncing up and down in glee was that Dirka and Fist, when alone with their husbands, spoke their native languages. This pleased me no end, as I always find it slightly ridiculous when foreign characters speak English, even when alone.

'The Book Group' is one show which certainly didn't seem to offer anything. Channel 4 seem to have sat on it for at least a year (the IMDb entry has a production date from last year) and in pre-publicity it seemed to be trading upon the title of the preceeding series in the slot 'Black Books'. Which is a shame, because it's certainly that show's equal but in different ways.

The premise is promisingly simple. American Clare (Anne Dudek) is living in Glasgow and in a bid to make new friends advertises a 'Book Group' in a local book shop. The show is about what happens at each monthly meeting and is told in 'real time' The twist is that that the people who arrive seem totally mis-matched for occasion and are obviously there for something other than the book - footballer's wives, a smart-arse student, a wheel-chair bound fitness instructor and the slightly shady Rob whose job has yet to be revealed. On reflection there are similarities with 'Dear John' - in that show there was similarly motley crew of sitcom characters.

Here, there is a definite understanding of humanity. Strangely these people never appear to be cartoon character, a strength of writer/director Annie Griffin. True this feels like theatre at times, but this means there is a rhythm to the writing, for example the breaking up of scenes by one of the wives asking if people want tea or the subject of football coming up now and then. In some ways I'm reminded of the 'Friends' episode all set in Monica's apartment as they all get ready for speech Ross is giving. That had a nervousness about it, as though this team of writers don't know how to break up the action. In Griffin's work, this never happens, there is the surety you would expect from someone who had been writing for years.

Clare is not an intensely likeable character, coming across as the sort of control freak who would give Heather of 'The Blair Witch Project' a run for her money. She had an obvious picture of how this thing was going to turn out and these aren't the people she was expecting to meet. She's sarcastic and neurotic (best line - 'Oh soccer? You can make money from that?'). But its to Dudek's credit that we don't completely hate her - that there is a spark of pluckiness we might root for. Of the rest of the actors, James Lance (as the student) does his usual smart-alec patter, but here it seems less forced. Rory McGann (fitness instructor) is also particularly good - we feel for him, but don't feel sorry for him.

This is a show that will develop with time. By keeping back all of the important revelations about the characters we have something to return to. And I will.

I don't usually start my contributions like that, honest - but it's entirely merited. I've just watched the whole of the first series on DVD and been perhaps even more impressed coming back to it after a long gap. One of the things I love about the programme is that although the books they're reading aren't that important, the book group setting itself *is* crucial to the programme.

There are several laugh-out-loud scenes in the first series, none of them revolving around standard gags or punchlines. One scene gets its laughs from repeated use of the "c" word, which is an extremely hard trick to pull off!

The characters are beautifully drawn, starting with the pivotal figure of Claire, who is at once hugely irritating and sympathetic. All the actors are fine, though I particularly liked the louche and laconic Rab. The minor parts are well done too, for example Ben Miller as the writer, the guys who play Fist's and Dirka's husbands, and the vicar, whom we see in one episode.

One other thing: it's really exquisitely filmed.

I can certainly imagine myself getting more than one viewing out of this DVD (I am intrigued to know what the audio commentary will be like), and will certainly look to get the second series eventually, if nothing else for the interplay between Claire and her sister.