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Monday Monday

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Monday Monday
Genrecomedy drama
Written byBen Edwards[1]
Rachel New[1]
Jack Lothian[1]
Malcolm Campbell[1]
Harry Wootliff[1]
Directed byRoger Goldby[1]
Nick Laughland[1]
Martin Dennis[1]
StarringFay Ripley
Morven Christie
Holly Aird
ComposerSimon Lacey[1]
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes7
Production
Executive producerMargot Gavan Duffy[1]
ProducerAlison Davis[1]
EditorsMatthew Tabern[1]
Peter Oliver[1]
Steve Singleton[1]
Running time45. minutes approx
Production companyTalkback Thames
Original release
NetworkITV1
ReleaseJuly 13, 2009 (2009-07-13)

Monday Monday is an ITV comedy drama. It stars Fay Ripley, Jenny Agutter, Neil Stuke, Holly Aird, Morven Christie and Tom Ellis.

It is set in the head office of a supermarket that has fallen on hard times and had to re-locate its staff from London to Leeds.[2] The show was initially announced as part of ITV's Winter 2007 press pack, but was "iced" until 2009 due to falling advertising in the wake of the economic downturn.[2][3]

Background

The show is named after The Mamas & the Papas song with the same name, though does not feature the song as a theme tune.

The show was commissioned by ITV's director of drama, Laura Mackie.[1] Mackie said that the show aimed to "entertain, engage and strike a chord with the audience”.[1] Although the show was initially announced as part of ITV's Winter 2007 press pack, it was put on hold until 2009 due to falling advertising rates in the wake of the economic downturn.[2][3] According to Broadcast, the show aimed to "shed light on a world of alcoholic HR bosses, power-crazed managers and sexually unfettered PAs".[2]

Plot

The show features a group of head office workers for struggling supermarket chain Butterworths.[4] As a result of down sizing, the workers are forced to move cities, relocating from London to Leeds.[2]

Cast

  • Fay Ripley - Christine Frances, head of human resources
  • Holly Aird - Alyson Cartmell, chief operating officer
  • Morven Christie - Sally, PA to Christine
  • Neil Stuke - Max Chambers, acting head of marketing
  • Peter Wight - Roger Sorsby, chief executive of Butterworth’s
  • Jenny Agutter - Jenny Mountfield, PA to Roger Sorsby
  • Tom Ellis - Steven, PA to Alyson Cartmell
  • Laura Haddock - Natasha, PA to Vivienne Wyatt. With Vivienne off sick recovering from cancer, Natasha is seconded to Max Chambers
  • Saikat Ahamed - Vince, PA to Max Chambers

Broadcast and reception

The show did not receive good reviews. Tim Walker of The Independent stated that the shows rival in the same timeslot, BBC One show The Street was "a darn sight more interesting than watching Fay Ripley walk into doors". Walker said that the show was filled with shots of Leeds, saying that the show was purely "advertising it as an attractive nightlife destination".[5] Sam Wollaston of The Guardian also criticised the show saying that it was "lame and laboured, tired and predictable".[6]

The poor reception was reflected in the shows ratings, the show bringing in 3.7 million, a 16% viewing share, six percent and 1.3 million viewers lower than The Street. The show, however, was second in its timeslot, beating the other three terrestrial channels in the slot.[7] Despite being second in the timeslot, the show was down on the 5.6 million for ITV1's channel slot average so far in 2009.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Monday Monday Press Pack Summer '09" (PDF). ITV/Talkback Thames. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
  2. ^ a b c d e Rogers, Jessica (2007-11-14). "Shaps hails new era in ITV drama". Broadcast. EMAP. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
  3. ^ a b McMahon, Kate (2009-02-11). "ITV vows 'iced' dramas will go out this year". Broadcast. EMAP. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
  4. ^ "Monday Monday". ITV. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
  5. ^ Walker, Tim (2009-07-14). "Last Night's Television - Monday Monday, ITV1; The Street, BBC1". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  6. ^ Wollaston, Sam (2009-07-14). "Last night's TV: The Street, Monday Monday". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  7. ^ Roberts, Tom (2009-07-14). "TV ratings: The Street cleans up amid news of likely demise". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  8. ^ Rogers, Jon (2009-07-14). "BBC1 is right up the viewers' Street". Broadcast. EMAP. Retrieved 2009-07-14.