Think of the comically ill-fated Gallagher family in Shameless, the absurd circumstances that beset Vinnie and his mates in , or the perfect actorly duet between Olivia Colman and Julian Barrett as Deborah and Maurice in Flowers. Whether it's deeply depressed protagonists, poverty-stricken desperados, or couples battling to keep their family from destruction, there are still gallons of deep chuckles to be found in the resonating pains of living. As the old saying goes, if you don't laugh, you'll cry (a lot).
In that spirit, we welcome back Am I Being Unreasonable? for a second season. The dynamics between Jen and Nic are the heart of this series. Everyone has had that friend who you love to bits, but they're also kind of hopeless. The hilarity of Nic’s downbeat hubby Dan and poor son Ollie are just as captivating as the murder plot that may blow everyone's life apart.
If there was any trace of doubt that Daisy May Cooper and Selin Hizli could bring those zinger one-liners – and Cooper’s priceless facial expressions - while kneading thriller, comedy and drama into concise episodes, that doubt would be thoroughly blitzed by season 2.
As a recap, Nic (Cooper) was thrown out of her and Dan’s house for conducting an affair with her husband's late brother, Alex, and discovered - too late - that her best friend, Jen (Hizli), records their private conversations. Importantly, Alex was killed by - that's right! - Nic. However, this is all revealed in flashbacks, both real and illusory, so for viewers with memories like Swiss cheese (full of holes, that is), you won't be left in a state of confusion.
L-R: Jen (Selin Hizli) and Nic (Daisy May Cooper). Source: BBC / Boffola Pictures
Poor Jen faces a challenging dilemma that pales in comparison to Nic's murder-cover-up issues, though it keeps her up at night. Has her new friend murdered someone, and is she complicit? Where do her loyalties lie?
Let's not forget Dan, either. Dustin Demri-Burns veers between hard-done-by hubby and rotten, neglectful ratbag. Some of the most entertaining conversations in this series are between Nic and Dan, verbally battling in the way that only people who really love - and really hate - each other can.
L-R: Ollie (Lenny Rush) and Nic (Daisy May Cooper). Credit: BBC/Boffola Pictures
For fans of previous Cooper outing This Country, fear not! In this season, there is more than a nod and wink to Kerry and Kurtan in that series. And like This Country, Am I Being Unreasonable? fully deserves to be lauded amongst the best British dark comedies of all time. Slotted in there with Nighty Night, Shameless, Flowers, The League of Gentlemen, In The Loop, and The Young Ones, this is unmissable viewing for anyone who likes to laugh, cry, bemoan the state of the world, and fall in love with all the flawed, fabulous creatures on screen.
Two seasons of Am I Being Unreasonable? are streaming now at SBS On Demand.
Stream free On Demand
Am I Being Unreasonable?
