20/25
Essex and Wales collide as Gavin and Stacey fall in love, taking their friends, family and luggage with them. Apart from scenes filmed in London in the first episode, the entire series was filmed in Wales, including scenes set in Essex. The house used as the Shipmans’ (Gavin’s family) home is in Dinas Powys, a village 1 mile north-west of Barry, where the Wests (Stacey’s family) live. In Series 3, Bryn and Gavin’s cars have completely different registration numbers to the previous series. Gavin’s blue Saxo has changed from a T-reg (MY 1999) to an X-reg (MY 2000). Bryn’s green Picasso has changed from a CV02 (model year 2002, registered in Cardiff) to an HV54 (model year 2004, registered in Portsmouth). They are, of course, different cars. He appeared in Gavin & Stacey: Outtakes (2007). Cast: Stephen Fretwell Cast: Stephen Fretwell. This was a delightful, minimally-engaged short film that took me two or three days to watch. There’s nothing mind-blowing, mountain-moving or paradigm-shifting about it. It’s more of a character study of two (extended) families who come together – one from Wales, the other from England – after the couple merges and gets married. It’s an easy, enjoyable and friendly film to watch. I wish there were more shows like this, where every character is kind-hearted, loving, community-minded and thinks about and loves those in their lives, despite their flaws. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s not artificial either. It’s an honest slice of life and it’s lovely. It’s not a laugh-out-loud, slapstick comedy, like so many British comedies are. It’s more character-driven. I highly recommend it.
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