GameFace
GameFace | |
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![]() Title card for episode 1 | |
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | Roisin Conaty |
Written by |
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Directed by | Andrew Chaplin |
Starring |
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Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 2 |
No. of episodes | 12 + pilot |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producer | Charlotte Lewis |
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 22 minutes |
Production company | Objective Fiction |
Original release | |
Network | Channel 4 (pilot; series 2) E4 (series 1) |
Release | 23 April 2014 12 October 2017 – present | (pilot)
GameFace is a British sitcom created by, written by and starring Roisin Conaty. The pilot aired on Channel 4 on 23 April 2014. The first series began on E4 on 12 October 2017; the second started broadcasting on Channel 4 on 17 July 2019. The show follows Marcella's (Conaty) life as she takes life coaching and attempts to find acting work.
Plot
Marcella Donoghue is trying to make it as an actress and is generally struggling through life. She is finding it hard to get acting parts and has a string of short-term jobs which she dislikes. She cannot find love since having broken up with her boyfriend of 12 years. She is in serious debt, and is living in a house share. In the meantime she spends most of her time with her life coach – attempting to find solutions to her problems – and her driving instructor.
Cast
- Roisin Conaty as Marcella
- Caroline Ginty as Caroline
- Nina Toussaint-White as Lucie
- Dylan Edwards as Billy, Marcella's brother
- Damien Molony as Jon, Marcella's driving instructor
- Dustin Demri-Burns as Simon, Marcella's ex-boyfriend
- Karl Theobald as Graham
- Pauline McLynn as Marcella's mother
- Francis Magee as Marcella's father
- Tiff Stevenson as Tania, Simon's wife
Production
GameFace originated as a series of Channel 4's Comedy Blaps videos, titled Roisin Conaty: Onwards and Onwards.[1] In April 2014, a full 22 minute-pilot aired on Channel 4.[2] On 1 October 2015, GameFace was picked up by E4 for a full series of 6 episodes.[3] On 8 June 2018, a second series of 6 episodes was announced by E4.[4] It began broadcasting on Channel 4 on 17 July 2019.
Episodes
Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
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First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 6 | 12 October 2017 | 9 November 2017 | |
2 | 6 | July 17, 2019 | August 14, 2019 |
Series 1 (2017)
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Hero, Warrior, Fireman, Liar" | Andrew Chaplin | Roisin Conaty | 12 October 2017 | |
A boozy night has some disastrous consequences for Marcella – including a ruined children's party, a lot of missed calls from her ex-boyfriend and an unwanted houseguest. | ||||||
2 | 2 | "Wild" | Andrew Chaplin | Roisin Conaty | 12 October 2017 | |
Marcella's ex-boyfriend, Simon, re-enters her life with some startling news and further surprises arrive in the shape of his new wife, Tania. | ||||||
3 | 3 | "Onion" | Andrew Chaplin | Roisin Conaty | 19 October 2017 | |
Marcella's drug addict brother, Billy, is coming out of rehab and it is not long before their sibling squabbles start up again. | ||||||
4 | 4 | "Spider" | Andrew Chaplin | Roisin Conaty | 26 October 2017 | |
Marcella is thrilled to get a role in a film but her joy is short lived when her actions inadvertently cause the lead actress to have a meltdown. With filming cancelled she spends a giddy evening with Jon. | ||||||
5 | 5 | "Skint" | Andrew Chaplin | Roisin Conaty | 2 November 2017 | |
Marcella needs to tell her family about Billy's drug problem but cannot bring herself to dent her mother's faith in her golden boy. Finding her hot-headed father as unhinged as usual she reluctantly turns to Simon for help. | ||||||
6 | 6 | "Conch" | Andrew Chaplin | Roisin Conaty | 9 November 2017 | |
A hungover and guilt-ridden Marcella has to face a date with Jon, while haunted by flashbacks from the night before – only to be called away thanks to Billy. |
Series 2 (2019)
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [5] |
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7 | 1 | "Prank" | Unknown | Unknown | 17 July 2019 |
8 | 2 | "Pickle" | Unknown | Unknown | 24 July 2019 |
9 | 3 | "Gritty" | Unknown | Unknown | 31 July 2019 |
10 | 4 | "Something About a Hat" | Unknown | Unknown | 7 August 2019 |
11 | 5 | "Strange Plants" | Unknown | Unknown | 14 August 2019 |
12 | 6 | "Wolf" | Unknown | Unknown | 14 August 2019 |
Reception
Fiona Sturges for The Guardian gave it a positive review, saying "The English standup has created a big-hearted comedy that manages to make depression and loneliness funny".[6] Natalie Golding for Telly Binge gave it four stars saying, "E4 have clearly invested in the production, as Marcella’s surprisingly elaborate daydreams play out. Layering up her personality and backstory through throwaway comments and flashbacks, GameFace shows a sly cleverness that never gets in your face."[7]
Awards and nominations
- 2017: Best TV (nomination)[8]
- 2017: Best New TV Sitcom (nomination)[9]
I Talk Telly Awards
- 2017: Best New Comedy (nomination)
- 2017: Best Comedy Performance (Roisin Conaty, Award)[10]
New York Festivals Awards
- 2017: Comedy (Bronze Award)[11]
Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards
- 2018: Director - Comedy Drama/Situation Comedy (Andrew Chaplin, Nomination)
- 2018: Editing - Entertainment and Comedy (Charlie Fawcett, Nomination)[12]
References
- ^ Guide, British Comedy. "Comedy Blaps – Session 1: Lone Wolf – GameFace – British Comedy Guide". British Comedy Guide.
- ^ Wollaston, Sam (24 April 2014). "Derek; Game Face – TV review" – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Guide, British Comedy (1 October 2015). "Roisin Conaty gets full series of sitcom GameFace".
- ^ damienmolony.org, DamienMonoly (8 June 2018). "GameFace SERIES 2 Announced (And We Want More Joncella!)".
- ^ [c "GameFace Listings"]. Next Episode. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
{{cite web}}
: Check|url=
value (help) - ^ Sturges, Fiona (2017-10-14). "'Carbs, fags and wine': Roisin Conaty's GameFace, a tragicomic portrait of a life unravelled". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-10-21.
- ^ "GAMEFACE REVIEW". Telly Binge | Interviews, Reviews & Competitions (tellybinge.co.uk). 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2017-10-21.
- ^ "Chortle Awards 2018 results". 2018-03-16. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ^ "Comedy.co.uk Awards 2017 Results". Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ^ "Winners: I Talk Telly Awards 2017". Archived from the original on 6 April 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "New York Festivals - 2018 World's Best Television & Films™ Winners". Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ^ "Craft & Design Awards 2018".