Starstruck (2021)
dw99 -1 points 3 years ago*.

This show is a major disappointment. Unlike the other commenter, I like (and have watched loads of) British comedies; I was primed to like this, but it absolutely falls flat.

The major problems are that

  • the female lead is massively unlikable (the character is an “I hide my insecurities behind my BIG PERSONALITY!” type, but she pushes it so far that she’s grating); and
  • the show relies on several implausibilities to push the plot forward, not the least of which is that

    • the man is famous enough to be accosted by fans everywhere, yet the woman — who works at a cinema! — doesn’t recognize him when they start talking; and
    • there’s no way that someone who has enough ambition and talent to make it as an actor would be drawn to someone who has no core, no spark/sparkle, no ambition, no creativity, and who is significantly less attractive (couples are almost always matched in attractiveness — an observation made by sociologists — and when they aren’t, the one without power is never the one who’s less good-looking).

I virtually always watch everything to the end, but by the start of Ep 5, I was done. If you want a comedy with quirky characters, skip this and instead try Rosehaven (whose female lead, Australian comic Celia Pacquola, does pull off big-personality-is-compensating-for-insecurities), Detectorists, The Letdown, or Fisk.

lockdown 0 points 2 years ago. (Contains Spoilers)

I don’t agree on any of those points. For one the lead actress is the writer and she’s from New Zealand. So although it’s set in England I definitely get the down under vibe from it.

I really like the lead character, she’s big and bold and doesn’t hide her flaws. I also don’t think she’s significantly less attractive than her. I think she looks great and he looks a bit sickly. Also she meets him when she’s drunk so the fact she doesn’t recognise him isn’t a big deal. I also think the chemistry between them works well it’s not a stupid Hollywood sexually loaded bit it’s more of a banter that shows in their silliness and joy just being together along with a shared sense of humour, reminds me of the joy in finding someone who ‘gets you’ in amongst the millions wandering the streets.

I do agree that the list of Aussie comedies are great, most BBC fans would love as well.