Good start, but then it gets ruined

A Brilliant Conflict

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

This smart, dark UK comedy series showcased the fabulous Anne Dudek a couple of years before she made her bones playing meanies or crazies on American TV (most notably the hyperintense Dr. Amber Volakis on "House"). Here she's Clare, a prickly American expat and the instigator of the book group; another heavy hitter, Rory McCann (Sandor Clegane, "The Hound," on "Game of Thrones"), is exceptional as Kenny, a sweet-natured giant now confined to a wheelchair by a climbing accident; James Lance is suitably repulsive as Barney, a temperamental grad student, in the first season and again as Lachlan, Clare's overattentive boyfriend, in the second. Inspired by the group's first book, Kerouac's "On the Road," Clare and Kenny start writing novels (or pecking out their romantic fantasies) on their laptops; the fantasy sequences don't always add much, but Anne Dudek looks great when she lets her hair down as a tweedy Dryden scholar. A lot of the stuff aboot the fitba' went right by me, and the sexy soccer mamas are a bit over the top at times, but Michelle Gomez has some nice moments as Janice, a Real Housewife of Glasgow who goes all out for self-improvement, and Derek Riddell is adorable (if not always comprehensible) as Rab, a shifty guy in a tracksuit wha disnae much care for buiks. The first season has real momentum as the characters get involved (mostly in pursuit of unrequited crushes) in each other's lives, the second's a lot less focused, though partly redeemed by the presence of comic Karen Kilgariff as Clare's tough-talking sister. The second season ends on an ambiguous but upbeat note, and Anne D. gets to show her softer, gentler side with a little karaoke number in the series closer. Final grade: eight stars for the first season, six for the second, docked one star for the unsubtitled Dutch, Swedish, Spanish and Arabic. Finally, this is a bit off topic but how many would like to read a fanfic about a coed kickball league in Hell featuring rival captains Amber Volakis and Sandor Clegane (he must be dead by now, right?)? No longer available on streaming Netflix, I'm sorry to say.

Not all British comedies are great, but the seasons are short! So there was ample time to watch all of it and judge it harshly. I only wanted to watch this because one of my favorite characters/actress from Green Wing is in this (Michelle Gomez).However, this just turned out to be a complete disappointment. There was only 1-2 likable characters, and the plot was overly disappointing. Some scenes were way over drawn. And the "cold hearted bitch" (also known as Wilson' dead girlfriend) from House was the leading character. There was no coherent love lines or interpersonal relationship.There were a few good lines and scene, but I was sorely disappointed. The writing is haphazard and the characters are randomly underdeveloped. Apparently there are failing shows in ever country, even in England. Sadness abounds. I HATE LIFE sometimes.SORE DISAPPOINTMENT.

Hey! I have been sitting watching the TV series "The Book Group" (2002) & thinking how much I love their sarcasm & wit. And now I have found that Annie Griffin directed an earlier series "Coming Soon" (1999) and 'The Book Group' (2002-3). Both series have that same brew of almost reality, where life is acted out through the comedic antics of the winners & losers within the screenplay.The tone of truly delightful, witty sarcasm and creamy cutting wit is the thing that I unwittingly connected with in both series, and it is the characters in 'Coming Soon' (1999) & The Book Group's characters' continuous unveiling of how they try to remain true to themselves, & FAIL GLORIOUSLY that brings out what I love about the two series. Gradually, we begin to get an idea of what is behind the characters' closed doors and understand that there could be a tenuous connection to what most people consider 'normal' but within these people there are many shades and depth of how we all try to connect with reality, maybe miss the mark, then struggle, but move onwards & upwards.You know I did not know till I checked IMDb! that "The Book Group' was connected to my old favourite series "Coming Soon". AND here it is! Sorry about all the exclamation marks !!! but I am SO elated to find Annie Griffin's gooey, blueberry coated finger in both wonderfully told tales of Scottish (Glasgow) extremist, eccentric behaviours. "The Book Group" brings us the great work of Derek Riddell as Rab: taciturn tracksuit wearer, who reveals little about himself, has stubble, and literally loves footballers. The wonderful James Lance (from TV's 'Absolute Power') as Barney Glendenning- pretentious, opinionated post-graduate student with blonde highlights & drug problem. Karen Kilgariff as Jean Pettengill Claire's awful, overbearing older sister, who arrives in Glasgow wanting to share Claire's exciting lifestyle and Rory McCann as the wheelchair bound Kenny. James Lance also plays Lachlan Glendenning- pretentious, bearded, bespectacled brother of Barney, who claims to be an installation artist. Their lives are wonderfully wacky and I recommend you all try to find them on DVD & see how great both series really are.

'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.