Respectable (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Respectable is a British
sitcom, first shown in six episodes from 30 August to 4 October 2006 on Five; it was later repeated on Paramount Comedy 1
.
It follows Michael Price, a man acutely aware of his own dullness, trapped in a loveless marriage. In the first episode, he hesitantly visits a suburban brothel
. Terrified of sex, he strikes up a platonic relationship with a young prostitute, Hayley. The series follows the development of this relationship, and Michael's attempts to conceal his visits to the brothel from his wife. This is complicated by the discovery that his builder, Barry, is a frequent and uninhibited visitor to the brothel.
The show was written by Shaun Pye
, Alan Connor
and Harry Thompson
. Former Hollyoaks
actress Jodi Albert
plays Hayley, a dumb hooker with a heart of gold
; Kate is a university student, owner Maureen is a more mature lady who claims to be 27, while Yelena is a dominant Eastern European. Of the characters who don't work there, Michael is going through a mid-life crisis, while his friendly builder Barry is a typical "Jack the lad".
, has set up an online petition
against the show, which it labels as "a gross misrepresentation of the lives of women involved in prostitution". Producers argued that it is not the role of the sitcom to present realistic depictions of life.
Comedy critics, however, were generally supportive of the series, which despite the unpromising situation, turned out to be a much more cerebral, funny, and warm sit-com than may have been expected.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sitcom, first shown in six episodes from 30 August to 4 October 2006 on Five; it was later repeated on Paramount Comedy 1
Paramount Comedy 1
Comedy Central in the United Kingdom and Ireland is a localised version of Comedy Central which first began in the United States in the 1990s. The television channel is available through the Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk TV in the United Kingdom, Sky Ireland, UPC Ireland and Magnet Networks in the...
.
It follows Michael Price, a man acutely aware of his own dullness, trapped in a loveless marriage. In the first episode, he hesitantly visits a suburban brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
. Terrified of sex, he strikes up a platonic relationship with a young prostitute, Hayley. The series follows the development of this relationship, and Michael's attempts to conceal his visits to the brothel from his wife. This is complicated by the discovery that his builder, Barry, is a frequent and uninhibited visitor to the brothel.
The show was written by Shaun Pye
Shaun Pye
Shaun Pye is an English actor, comedian, writer, critic, television producer, editor and journalist, known for co-creating the animated sketch comedy Monkey Dust with the late Harry Thompson, and for his role as Greg Lindley-Jones on Ricky Gervais's sitcom Extras.-Career:A former comedy critic for...
, Alan Connor
Alan Connor
Alan Connor is a British writer, journalist and television presenter. First seen on Channel 4's youth entertainment programme The Word in 1995, he later appeared on The Big Breakfast and BBC Radio Five Live. Currently, a BBC News correspondent, appearing on BBC News 24 and The Daily Politics...
and Harry Thompson
Harry Thompson
Harry William Thompson was an English radio and television producer, comedy writer, novelist and biographer....
. Former Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
actress Jodi Albert
Jodi Albert
Jodi Mary Albert is an English actress and singer, best known for playing Debbie Dean in the British soap opera Hollyoaks on Channel 4 from 2002 to 2004, returning for guest appearances in 2005 & 2006, and her inclusion as one fifth of Irish girl group Wonderland.-Biography:Albert attended the...
plays Hayley, a dumb hooker with a heart of gold
Hooker with a heart of gold
The hooker with a heart of gold is a stock character in which a "fallen woman", usually a prostitute, is a kindly and internally wholesome person.-Characteristics:...
; Kate is a university student, owner Maureen is a more mature lady who claims to be 27, while Yelena is a dominant Eastern European. Of the characters who don't work there, Michael is going through a mid-life crisis, while his friendly builder Barry is a typical "Jack the lad".
Characters
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Michael | Justin Edwards Justin Edwards Justin Edwards is an English actor and writer.Born in Hampshire, Justin studied at Manchester University, before training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. He was a member of sketch trio The Consultants, alongside Neil Edmond and James Rawlings... |
| Hayley | Jodi Albert Jodi Albert Jodi Mary Albert is an English actress and singer, best known for playing Debbie Dean in the British soap opera Hollyoaks on Channel 4 from 2002 to 2004, returning for guest appearances in 2005 & 2006, and her inclusion as one fifth of Irish girl group Wonderland.-Biography:Albert attended the... |
| Maureen | Beatrice Kelly |
| Kate | Cordelia Bugeja Cordelia Bugeja Cordelia Bugeja is a British actress, best known for her roles as Melanie Hart in the soap opera Family Affairs, and the prostitute Kate in Respectable on Five.... |
| Yelena | Barunka O'Shaughnessy Barunka O'Shaughnessy Barunka O'Shaughnessy is a British actress, writer and producer.O'Shaughnessy began performing comedy while a student at Cambridge University. After her graduation, she collaborated with university friends Lucy Montgomery and James Bachman to write and perform shows at the Edinburgh Festival,... |
| Barry | Nick Holder Nick Holder Nick Holder is an underground hip-hop and house music deejay and producer from Toronto, Canada.Holder began DJing in the early 1980s, and soon became influenced by the Detroit techno scene and DJs such as Derrick May and Carl Craig.... |
| Pippa | Helen Grace Helen Grace Helen Grace is an English actress who trained at the Drama Centre London, now part of the University of the Arts, London. She grew up as an only child in Northwood, attended St... |
| Naomi | Helen Modern Helen Modern Helen Modern is an English actress best known for her recurring role as Naomi in British sitcom, Respectable on Five. In 2006 she also starred in the eighth series of ITV1 drama Bad Girls as inmate Stella Gough, the daughter of Governing Governor Joy Masterton... |
Criticism
Eaves, a London-based feminist charityCharitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, has set up an online petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
against the show, which it labels as "a gross misrepresentation of the lives of women involved in prostitution". Producers argued that it is not the role of the sitcom to present realistic depictions of life.
Comedy critics, however, were generally supportive of the series, which despite the unpromising situation, turned out to be a much more cerebral, funny, and warm sit-com than may have been expected.
International broadcasters
- Bold - CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- Comedy CentralComedy CentralComedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
- NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... - UKTV FoxtelFoxtelFoxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
- AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
External links
- Respectable at Five
- Paramountcomedy.com info