"The Book Group" (2002)TV series 2002-2003

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

11 February 2003 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

American Clare Pettengill, newly arrived in Glasgow, starts up a book group in order to make some new friends...

Plot Keywords:

Footballers Wife | Biscuits | Disability | Tea | Friendship

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Anne Dudek	...	Clare Pettengill (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Bonnie Engstrom	...	Dirka (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Michelle Gomez	...	Janice McCann (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
James Lance	...	Lachlan Glendenning / ... (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Rory McCann	...	Kenny McLeod (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Saskia Mulder	...	Fist de Grooke (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Derek Riddell	...	Rab (12 episodes, 2002-2003)
Des Hamilton	...	Jackie McCann (8 episodes, 2002-2003)
Gotti Sigurdarson	...	Lars (7 episodes, 2002-2003)
Henry Ian Cusick	...	Miles Longmuir (6 episodes, 2003)
Jack McElhone	...	Wee Jackie (6 episodes, 2002-2003)
Karen Kilgariff	...	Jean Pettengill (5 episodes, 2003)
Lawrence Ray	...	Bart van Dongen (5 episodes, 2002-2003)

Runtime:

24 min (12 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

New Zealand:R13 (season 1) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK

Company:

Pirate Productions

Quotes:

Lachlan Glendenning: She talks about you in her sleep, you know Kenny.
Kenny McLeod: Does she?
Clare Pettengill: Do I? What do I say?
Lachlan Glendenning: Kenny... Kenny... Kennykins...

Slowly downhill

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.