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Age Before Beauty proves that yet again, if it’s Tuesday night on BBC1 at 9pm, it’s “TV for women” hour… and this new drama has lots of them working in a beauty parlour.
As the meme goes: Change my mind!
Mel’s (Polly Walker) husband Wesley (James Murray… yes, a white man called Wesley? Oh well) is playing away, because all men are bastards and can’t be trusted in dramaworld. She’s also feeling at a loss because their children have flown the nest, and her man isn’t interested in her any more, so you just know she’s going to have an affair at some point. (excuse me while I yawn)
There’s unlikely twists, albeit ones which are standard for such TV drama, one of the women has a daughter called Disney, and Robson Green‘s getting paid for doing as little as possible.
On the plus side, this is set in Manchester, and I do enjoy seeing that on TV, although when Cold Feet returned, it was a pale shadow of its former self. Set in and around the Northern Quarter, if you aren’t familiar with the area and want to visit, then walk a bit further down the road and sample the beer and cocktails in either Cane and Grain, or Bar 21. Both are fantastic places to spend an evening. Cane and Grain’s own Cane and Grain lager is delish, while Bar 21’s Staropramen is essential.
Now, if only someone can explain the thinking behind (a) refurbishing a decent kitchen that is perfectly fine as it is, and (b) including an island unit IN such a tiny kitchen!
What did you think of this programme? Let me know in the comments below.
Age Before Beauty continues next Tuesday on BBC1 at 9pm, and is available to pre-order on DVD – ahead of its release on September 10th and you can watch each episode on BBC iPlayer for 30 days after transmission.
Episode 1 Score: 1/10
Director: Paul Walker
Producer: Guy de Glanville
Writers: Debbie Horsfield (5 episodes), Lee Warburton (1 episode)
Music: Michael Price
Cast:
Mel: Polly Walker
Wesley: James Murray
Teddy: Robson Green
Leanne: Kelly Harrison
Ivy-Rae: Sue Johnston
Lorelei: Madeleine Mantock
Shameem Shah: Laila Rouass
Heidi: Victoria Myers
Tina: Lisa Riley
Tyler: Louie Threlfall
Dante: Amir El-Masry
Disney: Isabella Gill
Shaquille: Eugene Collins
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.