Coupling (TV Series) 9½ Months (2004) User Reviews

Season Four

[ametaphysicalshark · 8 May 2008]

Season/Series 4 of "Coupling" is certainly not as bad as some make it out to be but it is definitely more along the lines of one might expect from a solid sitcom rather than the frank genius of "Coupling". Oliver is a good character that was reacted to unfairly by fans because he was replacing just about everyone's favorite, Jeff.

This series had only one truly great episode in my mind, "Night Lines", which I probably only like this much because it's very 'fanwank-ish' writing from Mr. Moffat, but I don't mind that at all. The series finale is okay but watching it makes me glad that a fifth series was never made because it's very reminiscent of what an ordinary sitcom feels like.

Of course, this season doesn't provide closure, and when pressured to on the Outpost Gallifrey Doctor Who forum, the show-runner Steven Moffat presented some conclusions to outstanding plot lines. Now, I don't think that was designed to be official and he probably thought most of it up on the spot, but it's actually a surprisingly good and solid ending, and maybe a bit better than a fifth series might have been.

Season average based on ratings for all episodes: 7.83

Average for the whole show: 8.78

Overall rating: 10/10

Love coupling and Spiro is hilarious

[sinthemix-49649 · 10/10 · 9 February 2022]

I adored this TV show and watching back in the 00s I was only 20 when it first came on TV. Now I appreciate the humour even more and can relate to parts I couldn't back then as the characters were all at least a good 10 yrs older than me at the time.

This episode had me absolutely crying laughing as Samantha Spiro playing Jeffina. She had Coyle's character mannerism down to perfection and she was amazing. And the hug between her character and Davenport's when she's saying can you feel my milky stallions was hilarious.

Such a shame it got cancelled after just 4 series.

I think the character of Oliver was a breath of fresh air. He was nothing like Jeff which is fantastic as a lot of shows make the mistake of just replacing a character either with just another actor to play the same role or just have another character that's similar to fill the gap but this wasn't the case. He had confidence with women but was a little gun-shy. He was clumsy both physically and intellectually and it was just a shame he was only in the last series as even with Coyle's character there was room for one more.

I know Coyle left because he was worried of being type cast but I don't think that would have happened if he stayed for 6 more episodes!

This episode had two really sweet moments in it too. Among all the birth chaos the moment where Jane tells Steve she was crazy about him and utterly broken when he left her for Susan plucked at my heart strings and shows her vulnerable side just for a brief moment because as Oliver previously said she just makes up so much BS to cover up her fear of being boring and being hurt.

Then there is the birth. When Davenport's character goes to check on the baby and it's the last dialogue of the entire show. Just brilliant writing. Funny, loveable and tear jerking.

Last thing from me. I'm glad the US remake tanked. There have been so many great UK shows being bastardised by them to try and make cash out of. And it rarely works.