William and Mary (2003) came highly recommended, and since the character of William is played by Martin Clunes, whom I enjoyed so much in Doc Martin, I decided to give it a shot.
From the beginning, there’s something captivating and endearing about William Shawcross. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s an undertaker, so women don’t usually stick around to find out much about him. He’s also a widower with two teenage daughters.
William meets Mary Gilcrest, played by Julie Graham, who is a midwife and a single mother of two teenage boys. They entangling of two families is such a manner is predictable, but any such predictability is fine because the characters are realistic and engaging.
One aspect of the show I enjoy is that William’s job as an undertaker is not made fun of. He’s good at his job, and deals with grieving people with calm empathy.
William and Mary is quite an enjoyable show, and definitely worth checking out, especially for those who enjoy the odd English show.
2 comments
Comment by carole woiwode on February 3, 2012 at 12:13 am
I would see this because of his “calm empathy.”
Comment by Laurel on February 4, 2012 at 5:17 pm
Martin Clunes somehow manages to exude empathy without seeming dramatic or weak. It’s quite a talent!