It’s a rare thing to find a comedy-drama that can take you on a journey that on one hand makes you feel strong emotion but can then produce side-splitting humour. In my mind, only one TV show has ever managed this to perfection, and that is After Life by Ricky Gervais, that is until now. G’wed is a comedy-drama set on Merseyside, following the lives of teenagers who whilst obsessed with sex are dealing with huge issues such as Anorexia, Suicide and Sexual Assault. Not things you would expect from what is essentially a sitcom.
It’s only natural to immediately compare this with The Inbetweeners, mainly because it is a group of teenage friends in a school setting for the majority of the time. It would be fair to compare the two, but G’wed has a special something that makes it stand out from shows like The Inbetweeners. The main character of Reece struggles with a father who one moment is impressing the boys with his football skills, and the next minute he is letting his son down. This is a struggle that a lot of people have and Reece (played by Dylan Thomas-Smith) plays the emotions of this very well, that line between being annoyed whilst showing his more vulnerable side. The rest of the gang each have their own issues, including an episode focusing on the struggles of Anorexia. I think what I love about G’wed is that it’s set in Merseyside and the characters are as quick-witted as you’d expect.
The whole cast is perfectly picked. Apart from Louis Emerick and Leanne Best, the cast is relatively unknown. This works well as there are no expectations or they haven’t been stereotyped just yet. G’wed is now in its second season and the cast has remained the same. Harry Gilbert is the casting director, he’s really shone with his choice of actors in this show.
I’m not going to go into what happens in the show as I don’t wish to create spoilers, so you’ll just have to trust me that you do not want to miss it. The writer Danny Kenny has excelled in the art of mixing laughter with tears. He has created a bunch of loveable teenagers, we’ve all been there so we can resonate with them. It’s fantastic news that there’s going to be a 3rd season, as their stories are far from finished. G’wed is nailed on for some awards, definitely the best character comedy-drama since After Life. In fact I would go as far as saying that this is on par with After Life, making it one of the best TV shows there have ever been. It’s perhaps not Only Fools and Horses or Fawlty Towers, but G’wed does a different thing, it’s that combination of laughter and drama that is rarely seen on TV, certainly not done in this perfect manner. Season 2 was an improvement on season 1, so hopefully season 3 will be even better. Once you start watching, you’ll instantly want more.
My recommendation is not to miss it, it’s on ITV X at the moment for free. As the word gets out there more, this show will be a bigger ratings hit than it is already. Keep going Danny Kenny, you’ve written a classic.
The Perfect Blend of Laughter and Tears
Name: G'wed
Description: Comedy about working class Liverpudlian teenagers, tackling big issues like grief, sex, diversity and class differences.
Summary
It’s a rare thing to find a comedy-drama that can take you on a journey that on one hand makes you feel strong emotion but can then produce side-splitting humour.
Comedy writer with Steve Smith. Author of the book & Satire Website, ‘The Daily Skid – The best bits’ also Beat About the Bush
