Vicious is a British television sitcom shown on ITV. The series stars Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi as Freddie and Stuart, an elderly gay couple who have been together for 50 years but endure a love/hate relationship.[1][2] The series premiered on 29 April 2013[3] with 5.78 million viewers.
Vicious | |
---|---|
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | Mark Ravenhill Gary Janetti |
Written by | Gary Janetti |
Directed by | Ed Bye |
Starring | Derek Jacobi Ian McKellen Frances de la Tour Iwan Rheon Marcia Warren Philip Voss |
Opening theme | "Never Can Say Goodbye" performed by The Communards |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 2 + 1 Christmas special + 1 Final special |
No. of episodes | 14 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers | Jane Featherstone Gary Janetti |
Producer | Gary Reich |
Production location | The London Studios |
Editors | Chris Wadsworth Mark Wybourne |
Running time | 30 minutes (inc. adverts) |
Production companies | Brown Eyed Boy Kudos Bartleby Inc. |
Original release | |
Network | ITV |
Release | 29 April 2013 16 December 2016 | –
On 14 May 2016, McKellen and Jacobi appeared as Freddie and Stuart during the Eurovision Song Contest where they are seen watching the contest.
In December 2015, the show was cancelled by ITV and a finale special aired on 16 December 2016.
Vicious is set around the lives of ageing partners Freddie and Stuart, who have lived together in their Covent Garden flat for 49 years. Freddie was a struggling actor and Stuart worked in a bar when they first met. While Stuart is now retired and manages the household, Freddie still takes acting jobs occasionally and waits for his unlikely breakthrough. Their lives consist of entertaining their frequent guests, making sure that their aged dog Balthazar is still breathing, and hurling antagonising comments towards each other.
Total no. |
Series no. |
Title | Original air date | Viewers (millions)[4] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Wake" | 29 April 2013 | 5.78 | |
Freddie and Stuart host a wake to mark the passing of an old friend. Joined by their small circle of elderly friends, the couple manage to create a splendidly awkward evening of very little food and biting insults. They are also joined by their young new neighbour Ash, who spends the evening attempting to be a good guest whilst fending off the advances of Freddie and Stuart's best friend Violet. | |||||
2 | 2 | "Shopping" | 6 May 2013 | 3.82 | |
New neighbour Ash seeks advice from them on winning back his ex-girlfriend, and Violet and Penelope take Ash shopping for a gift. Spotting Stuart working in a men's outfitters, the trio suspects him of having an affair, but Stuart admits that he has taken a job because Freddie's acting career is currently not bringing in enough money. Later, Freddie goes to the shop and makes the same discovery, but pretends to believe that Stuart is having an affair because he does not want to hurt his pride. Ash tells Violet that he won his girlfriend back, but after witnessing the sacrifices of Freddie and Stuart, admires their closeness and ends his frivolous relationship. | |||||
3 | 3 | "Audition" | 13 May 2013 | 2.78 | |
Freddie has an important audition coming up whilst Ash frets over his own career direction. Freddie suggests that Ash pursue acting and teaches him the tricks of the trade, only to injure his confidence when Ash immediately secures an acting role; noting Freddie's new state of depression, Stuart schemes to renew his confidence. Meanwhile, Violet seeks advice from Freddie and Stuart on her sordid love affair with her Hungarian internet boyfriend. | |||||
4 | 4 | "Clubbing" | 20 May 2013 | 2.55 (overnight†)[5] | |
Ash invites Freddie, Stuart, Penelope and Mason to go clubbing, which Freddie and Stuart turn into a popularity contest. After becoming more popular with Ash's friends than Stuart, Freddie boasts his success, only to feel out of place due to his age. Realizing his inappropriate behaviour and selfishness, he then apologizes and makes up with Stuart. Meanwhile, Violet heads abroad to Argentina in order to meet her new online partner. | |||||
5 | 5 | "Dinner Party" | 3 June 2013 | 2.53 | |
Freddie, feeling low as his acting jobs appear to be drying up, invites Ash and his vegan girlfriend Chloe (Alexandra Roach) for one of Stuart's dinner parties. Finding Chloe both naïve and irritating, Stuart and Freddie endure the young couple's saccharine behaviour, only to later relish the bickering that develops. Meanwhile, Violet visits her internet boyfriend in Argentina, only to be handcuffed and robbed of her money and passport, stranding her in South America. | |||||
6 | 6 | "Anniversary" | 10 June 2013 | 2.77 | |
Freddie and Stuart are having a party to celebrate their 49th anniversary. Ash accidentally tells Stuart's mother Mildred (Hazel Douglas) about the party so Stuart decides that it is time he told her the truth about his relationship with Freddie. Freddie meanwhile attempts to invite Judi Dench, whom he worked with in a commercial 40 years ago. |
Total no. |
Series no. |
Title | Original air date | Viewers (millions)[4] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | 7 | "Christmas Special" | 27 December 2013 | 3.15 | |
It's Christmas and Freddie and Stuart have invited the whole gang for a traditional Christmas dinner. The only problem is that Ash is cooking, Violet is bringing a new lover and Freddie has an incredibly demanding new acting gig (as Father Christmas). |
Total no. |
Series no. |
Title | Original air date | Viewers (millions)[4] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | 1 | "Sister" | 1 June 2015 | 3.00 | |
Violet panics when her wealthy sister Lillian (Celia Imrie) - whom she has not seen in years - announces a visit. Worried that Lillian will discover the truth about her circumstances, Violet and friends set in motion an elaborate plan to save her from humiliation. Meanwhile, Ash is keen to introduce the group to his new girlfriend, Jess (Georgia King), but he is in for a surprise. | |||||
9 | 2 | "Gym" | 8 June 2015 | 2.40 | |
Feeling unfit, Freddie and Stuart join Ash at his gym, where a young fitness instructor persuades the pair to sign up for an expensive membership. With Freddie and Stuart spending so much time at the gym, Violet and Penelope discover how pleasant their flat can be without the bickering pair in it. | |||||
10 | 3 | "Ballroom" | 15 June 2015 | 2.38 | |
The gang decides to join Ash and Jess (Georgia King) at a ballroom dancing class. Nimble on his feet, Stuart quickly becomes teacher's pet, leaving Freddie in a huff, while Violet becomes a hit with the amorous teacher in other ways. | |||||
11 | 4 | "Stag Do" | 22 June 2015 | 2.25 | |
Finding themselves both single, Violet and Ash consider dating new people, Violet has already met someone on the internet, while Ash's ex, Chloe (Alexandra Roach), returns. Freddie, meanwhile, feels under pressure from Stuart to land a new acting role. | |||||
12 | 5 | "Flatmates" | 29 June 2015 | 2.17 | |
After Freddie and Stuart have a falling out, Stuart moves in with Ash and Violet moves in with Freddie. | |||||
13 | 6 | "Wedding" | 6 July 2015 | 2.06 (overnight†)[6] | |
Freddie and Stuart's wedding day arrives, but Mason and Penelope have problems getting the cake, Violet's wayward husband Jasper finally turns up to cause trouble and Stuart's mum Mildred dies at the wedding ceremony. |
A one-off special, and was the show's final episode. It aired 19 June 2016 in the US, and 16 December 2016 in the UK.[7]
Total no. |
Series no. |
Title | Directed by | Original air date | Viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | 7 | "A Year" | Ben Kellett | 16 December 2016 | N/A | |
In spring, Freddie and Stuart attempt to hide their recently gained inheritance, which they got in Mildred's will. Violet has financial troubles after her recent divorce and Ash struggles to meet his rent. Signs of Freddie and Stuart’s expenditure soon threaten the pretence as their home is overrun with guests. In summer, it's Freddie's birthday party and an unexpected card arrives. Stuart prepares a very special present, Violet has a surprising announcement, and Ash and Penelope share a secret. In autumn, Ash arrives at Freddie and Stuart's flat with news that he is going to attend university in America, whilst in winter the gang gather round at Christmas to experience Freddie’s latest acting job. |
Vicious premiered on 29 April 2013[3] and garnered 5.78 million viewers. The first series ended on 10 June 2013, and was released on DVD on 20 November 2013.[8][9] On 23 August 2013, it was confirmed that Vicious had been renewed for a second series, which began airing on 1 June 2015 and concluded on 6 July 2015.[10]
Starting in late June 2014, the first series began airing in the United States on various PBS stations.[11]
It was confirmed in December 2015 that the series would be ending in 2016 with a Final Special. The special was filmed at The London Studios on the 22nd and 23 December 2015.[12]
On 19 June 2016 the Finale Special was aired in the United States on PBS and six months later on 16 December 2016 in the UK.[13]
Vicious was met with generally positive reviews from critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an 80% "Fresh" rating based on ten reviews.
Keith Watson of Metro wrote a favourable review, calling Vicious "nostalgic fun".[14]
Morgan Jeffery of Digital Spy wrote a mixed review, finding the show an "uncomfortable blend of coarse humour and '70s sitcom-style cosiness".[15] Describing the script as "lazy", he thought that the show couldn't "decide if it wants to be edgy and rude or traditional fun for all the family", but praised the "strong" cast, ultimately awarding the series two out of five stars.[15]
Kevin O'Sullivan of the Sunday Mirror called it a "horrible half-hour of 1970s-style net curtain cosiness" in a negative review of ITV's Monday night comedy offerings.[16] In a 29 April 2013 review in the Telegraph, Benjamin Secher claimed it is "the least funny new comedy in recent memory", giving it 1 out of 5 stars. He also wrote that "the script fell disastrously flat".[17] Writing in the London Evening Standard, Brian Sewell described the series as "a spiteful parody that could not have been nastier had it been devised and written by a malevolent and recriminatory heterosexual".[18]
The series was twice nominated for the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series while the finale was nominated for Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series.[19]
The first series of Vicious was released on DVD in the UK on 20 November 2013 by 4DVD. The second series was released on 13 July 2015. Neither release contains the 2013 Christmas special which remains unreleased on DVD in the UK so far (though it is available on the North American release).