William and Mary

Martin Clunes and Julie Graham star in this series as the title roles. William; widow and father of 2 daughters works as an undertaker and in his spare time is a member of a choir and R&B rock band. Mary; single mother of 2 sons works as a midwife and has very little free time on her hands.

After the two meet through an Internet dating agency, all seems to be going well .. Until their careers collide on account of a mutual client.

If you're a Martin Clunes fan, you may possibly enjoy this series. However, don't expect William to be anything like Doc. Martin. The two are nothing alike. (Both characters have their good side AND their less than desirable side, shall we say!) This series is definitely NOT a comedy/romance/drama as IMDB has described. More like your typical modern-day trashy drama. Honestly, I was very unimpressed!

Very well acted and moving at times, William And Mary is one of those TV mini-series that ITV1 is so good at turning out these days. Martin Clunes as a dissatisfied undertaker is particularly good, acting his way through so many emotional troughs and peaks that you're surprised his character doesn't end up in an asylum. The only let-down is the ending, which is rather too neat and unrealistic for my taste.

Mary's character is a pain, but still fun to watch. Love the contrast between birth and death situations.

All characters are fine on this show - that is already running out of new ideas in the middle of series 2 - except, in my opinion, Mary. She seems so abrasive, crude and out-of-place with her line of work, and the themes that have been present in every episode are being used too often and often in too heavy-handed a fashion.. I am beginning to see why it lasted only three series. Nevertheless, there are enough pleasant surprises and good dialogue to keep it watchable and I'll watch all the episodes. I never thought I'd like Rueben, but he's quite a study in a conflicted man. My criticisms are not towards the actors, they are all very good actors; it's just that Mary is a scene-stealer for me...and not in a good way.

The series is interesting and entertaining with many wonderful characters, but unfortunately Mary is an impossible b---ch. She's rude, and vulgar. She wants another child but never spends any time with her little boy. At a rare dinner with her husband she spends the whole time on her cellphone. She is more respectful of the panting women she attends than all the rest of her family. (And such a fuss over childbirth. Thank God I did not have these women pawing and patting me while I was giving birth.) She is riddled with class hatred. She thinks she knows better than anyone.

I find these kind of women are taking over television. Always ranting at others. I stopped watching Coronation St. because the women were all know-it-alls and always shouting at the men. Who is writing these characters and why?