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Dreamland brings us Lily Allen‘s first TV drama role, as Mel, who likes her drink too much, and she’s also the sibling of Trish (Freema Agyeman – Eat Locals). They must be identical sisters!
Everyone’s meeting up for a party in Freema’s house, because she’s pregnant, and is hoping it’s a girl.
The only non-main character to get an introduction is Clare, first seen as a journalist for a local paper, interviewing a man about his pet rabbit, which can “shit his initials“. Clare’s played by Gabby Best who, unsurprisingly, is one of the writers. Her last credit I reviewed was Noel Edmonds’ Cheap Cheap Cheap, in which she co-starred with this ‘comedy/drama’s Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts), as Trish’s husband, Spence.
Cheryl’s (Frances Barber – Queens of Mystery) haivng a relationship with Diane (Martina Laird – The Bay), so it’s a multiracial AND LGBTQ+ for extra diversity points in 2023.
But suddenly, there’s some action by Mel falling over and hurting herself, with Trish reacting by having pains where you’d normally be pregnant, and doesn’t want to take risks because she’s had three previous miscarriages.
Dreamland – the name of the local funfair – has mostly an all-female cast, and they’re all shouting in a very uncouth manner.
What I do know is that this is as pretty dull, aside from the odd slight smile. Episode 2, where they try to buy a house, isn’t much better. The only point of note is that Nigel Planer, aka Neil from The Young Ones, pops up as teacher Hamish. Neil would never have gone to class, at least not without falling asleep.
Additionally, for no apparent reason, it’s shot in a cinemascope 2.39:1 widescreen aspect ratio.
Dreamland is not available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but streams on Sky Showcase from Thursday March 16th at 9am.
Thanks to our friends at Sky for the screener prior to broadcast.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 23 minutes per episode (6 episodes)
Release date: April 6th 2023
Studio: Sky Atlantic
Format: 2.39:1
Director: Ellie Heydon
Producer: Jane Bell
Writers: Gabby Best, Sarah Kendall, Emma Jane Unsworth, Sharma Walfall
Music: Giuseppe Alfano
Cast:
Trish: Freema Agyeman
Mel: Lily Allen
Cheryl: Frances Barber
Clare: Gabby Best
Leila: Aimee-Ffion Edwards
Nan: Sheila Reid
Spence: Kiell Smith-Bynoe
Sammy: Jamie Bisping
Dr Yvonne Halcrow: Madeleine Bowyer
Jordan: Eddison Burch
Giant Rabbit Man: Colin Hurley
Diane: Martina Laird
Cabbie Toby Longworth
Cayden: Macrow Jaxon
Sexy Nurse: Katy Poulter
Elizabeth: Joy Richardson
Doctor Bencoe: Hywel Simons
Simone Wilmott: Angela Sims
Doctor Beany: Nick Wilton
Dom: Hugh Coles
James: Sam Fletcher
Liam: Ed MacArthur
Eva: Emily Barber
Hamish: Nigel Planer
Barman: Dean Kilbey
Photographer: Rose Johnson
Mayor: Alistair Green
Stunt performer: Heather Phillips
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.