We may live in an age of political sleaze, financially skull duggery, etc etc, but is still comforting to know that the world of romance is far from dead.
And with recent TV Dramas and films, you don’t have to have the stereotype couple without a blemish to their name.
Now following the screening of last year’s hit show, William and Mary, British TV has a new romantic hero, not in the Richard Gere looks department, deals in death, but still craves for a happy ever after ending.
Enter undertaker William Shawcross, played by Martin Clunes (Goodbye Mr Chips, Men Behaving Badly), a widowed father of two teenage daughters, finds the only women he meets are already dead.
So as loneliness really starts to kick in, he tries his luck at a dating agency where he is captivated by dark haired beauty Mary Gilchrist played by Scots actress Julie Graham (At Home with the Braithwaite's, Butterfly Collectors).
Dedicated Midwife Mary, a single mother of two teenage sons has barely enough time for herself and takes a more ambivalent approach to the whole idea of dating. But she is cautiously prepared to enrol with a dating agency to find the right man to stop
Their first date barely fans the flames of romance and with Mary’s mother Molly, played by Cheryl Campbell, having our own designs on Mary's love life and four angst ridden teenagers between them, this quest for love is set to take many twists and turns.
Ever since the end of the hit TV drama Cold Feet, TV bosses have been working hard to find a programme of similar calibre that reflects real life with scripts that not only tug the heart strings but also have you in stitches as well.
The chemistry of Martin Clunes and Julie Graham along with superb scripts from actor writer Mick Ford re-enforces the quote once made by composer Marvin Hamlisch that when it comes to dramas “the British are best at it”.
With the second series started yesterday, Sunday (March 8th), fans can relive the original story of two lonely hearts looking for love with full first series to be released on Video and DVD.
The on screen chemistry and humour between Clunes and Graham continues with an extra 40 minutes interview only on the DVD, where they talk about their time on the show and their aspirations for William and Mary in the new series.
Clunes explains how close he and his co star are and how it ultimately reflects in their characters.
He says: “I cant speak for my colleague, but I absolutely adore her! We were getting told off at the end of the second series for kissing too much!”
“As we had to do a lot of scenes separately I’m pleased to see her again. They had to throw water over us once like a couple of old dogs.”
William and Mary is available on Video and DVD from Granada Video VCI from 15th March 2004 (£16.99 VHS & £19.99 DVD)
