Episode #2.5 (18 Nov. 2008)

Gwen's birthday is coming up and Bryn wants to organize a surprise party for her but is dismayed that nobody seems to want to come, so he has to consider asking people she dislikes. ... See full summary »

Director:

Christine Gernon

Writers:

James Corden (by), Ruth Jones (by),

Stars:

Joanna Page, Mathew Horne, James Corden

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Joanna Page	...	Stacey
Mathew Horne	...	Gavin
James Corden	...	Smithy
Rob Brydon	...	Bryn
Ruth Jones	...	Nessa
Alison Steadman	...	Pam
Larry Lamb	...	Mick
Melanie Walters	...	Gwen
Anthony O'Donnell	...	Ted
Steffan Rhodri	...	Dave
Margaret John	...	Doris
Robert Wilfort	...	Jason
Pluck and Squeeze	...	Band

Storyline

Gwen's birthday is coming up and Bryn wants to organize a surprise party for her but is dismayed that nobody seems to want to come, so he has to consider asking people she dislikes. Eventually he manages to get together a line-dancing evening, where he and Nessa perform 'Islands in the Stream' but the real surprise of the evening is the unexpected arrival of Stacey's musician brother Jason. For Gavin the shock of the night is when Stacey tells him she feels isolated in Essex and is leaving him to remain in Wales.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 November 2008 (USA)

Filming Locations:

All Saints Church Hall, Victoria Road, Penarth, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Baby Cow Productions, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

References Hollyoaks (1995)

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Soundtracks

"Barry, Don't Tell Me"
(uncredited)
By The View

User Reviews

No More Please!!!

The first series of Gavin & Stacey was fresh and sweet and very funny. But this second series is none of the above. This is a very lazy, indulgent second series from Cordon and Jones who have been found wanting as both writers and actors. Relying on weak themes per episode and completely unfunny and embarrassing set-pieces (the home- gymnasium, the radio-mast protest, the foam party, the line-dancing etc., to name a woeful few) this series has remained laughter free. Cordon seems to rely on the Dawn French myth that because he's very fat he's very funny. He isn't. And Jones who was sparkling in the first series has become a mono-syllabic bore. Then we have the roll-over gags that are gag-free and stale - Steadman's vegetarianism, the slower-than-snail gay incident with Rob Brydon, the mum's omelette's (OK we get it!!!) - it's all so forced and bland. Do the words flog and horse mean anything to Cordon & Jones? And Gavin and Stacey themselves are now just annoying dullards. We don't believe their relationship, we don't believe the love and we certainly don't believe that either would even like the other. Surely Mathew Horne deserves a script that requires him to do more than his Martin Freeman bemused stare. There are many fans of the show in the UK - I was one too, but this second series was poor. Please do not make a third series!