本劇集是BBC 2臺2000年正式推出的以青年人為題和對象的系列情景劇，創(chuàng)意和編劇均Steven Moffat一人擔(dān)當(dāng)。三男三女的主要人構(gòu)成很容易使人聯(lián)到當(dāng)時正走紅（其已經(jīng)在走下坡路）《Friends》，因此很有不少根沒看過本劇的媒體士和評論家想當(dāng)然將本劇稱作英國版《Friends》，而在那些有幸欣過本劇的觀眾們看，《Coupling》在情節(jié)設(shè)定、人物表演、喜劇元素設(shè)計和表現(xiàn)等諸多面所達到的水平，比《Friends》高幾個檔次。相之下，《Friends》只能說是一部“業(yè)余”水平的好品而已。當(dāng)然總體說，英劇的水準本就高于美劇，這和劇注意保持創(chuàng)意、劇一體化是分不開，美劇的創(chuàng)意一般就為最初幾集編劇以后主要的編劇工都是由其它編劇根最初的角色設(shè)定來由發(fā)揮，編劇隊伍構(gòu)成也是不斷變化老的走新的來，造美劇情節(jié)連貫性差至前后矛盾，故事往缺乏深度，人物格平面化，缺少發(fā)。這都是題外話了《Coupling》的主要人物包括柔寡斷、性格不成的帥哥Steve，Steve的莫逆之交、舉止語言古怪總也找不到女友的Jeff，頭腦簡單、外表性感的“donkey” Patrick三位對Porn、特別是lesbian porn非常熱中的男士，以Steve的前女友、神神叨叨、擅用感作武器的Jane，Steve的繼任女友、Jeff的同事、曾經(jīng)非常“不”（包括和Jeff還有Patrick）過的Susan，Susan的莫逆、對衰老和肥胖極度感的美容師Sally三位女士。在第一集中，Steve決定“再次”和女友Jane分手，結(jié)果卻被Jane三言兩語引誘到洗手間親熱Patrick想把和Susan的關(guān)系再進一步，卻被告根本不存在什么“系”； Susan在洗手間碰到匆忙來買Durex的Steve，向他表示好感，兩人訂下約以后Steve鉆進隔間繼續(xù)……。本的主線包括Steve和 Susan之間逐漸正式起來的系，Jeff尋找艷遇過程中的種種意以及后來和上司發(fā)出來的一段關(guān)系，Patrick和Sally之間若有若無到若即若離再到情難舍的感情發(fā)展，有Jane在事業(yè)和異性關(guān)系中的各種事，等等。本劇在節(jié)設(shè)計中所達到的致和完美程度讓人為觀止，而六位當(dāng)并不算大明星的青演員的所展現(xiàn)精湛技更是具有頂尖演的水平，無怪乎播之后立刻走紅大洋岸，在IMDB、AMAZON和BBC網(wǎng)站可以領(lǐng)略到其歡迎的程度。2002年底，第3季播畢，故事情節(jié)基本告段落。美國NBC看到這部“英國版《Friends》”在英美兩地均廣受歡，覺得正好可以搬做2004年終于要關(guān)張的《Friends》的接班人，于是2003年大張旗鼓地決定翻拍美版Coupling》。美國的fans本來以為這是件好事沒想到NBC的翻拍愚蠢地采用了全臺照搬的方法，雖然人沒看過，不過也以想象到有多惡心結(jié)果只播出一集Pilot就因為罵聲太大而整個計耕父擱淺這點上美國佬是值學(xué)習(xí)的，不象中國些搞影視的罵聲越越要上）。在這里以看到這個計劃的體，還有一些徹底了味兒的劇照。2003年底，本劇獲得英國喜劇獎（BCA）最佳電視喜劇獎BBC已經(jīng)在2004年正式開拍并播出第4季，不過Jeff這個人物將不再出現(xiàn)，而代之以新角——經(jīng)營Sci-Fi書店的Oliver，由Richard Mylan扮演。從已經(jīng)播出的幾來看，應(yīng)該說在更主要角色之一的背下，基本保持了前3季的水準，但是同也流露出對前3季中成功情節(jié)進行拷貝跡象，希望這僅僅偶然。Twos company, threes a crowd... so what do you do with six? On average, men and women think about sex every six seconds. Shorten that to every second, and youve got Coupling. Its more than just a one night stand!When a couple gets together, its never just the two of them - they also bring baggage - and Susan (Sarah Alexander) and Steve (Jack Davenport) are no exception. Their baggage is a crowd of best friends and exes who talk about all aspects of sex and relationships on their never-ending quest to find true love. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps...Susan Walker is a beautiful go-getter with an uninhibited attitude who used to date Patrick Maitland (Ben Miles), the sextets charismatic, cocky player, Londons king of conquests - a guy whos just too cool to worry about being smart. Attractive Sally Harper (Kate Isitt) is a beauty therapist who is Susans unashamedly vain best friend, who aggressively battles aging with heavy doses of moisturizer and men - including Patrick.Meanwhile, Steve Taylor, while getting together with Susan, cant seem to shake loose from his vivacious and slightly vacuous ex-girlfriend Jane Christie (Gina Bellman), a woman supremely confident in her ability to seduce anyone of either sex, and who refuses to be dumped unless shes the one doing the dumping. Jeff Murdoch (Richard Coyle) is Steves "porn buddy" who is, in equal parts, obsessed and bewildered by actual sex; charming in his way, but with an uncanny ability to say the wrong thing at the worst possible time. He works in the same office as Susan, with whom he had a disastrous and unsuccessful one-night fling.Coupling has been honoured with the prestigious Silver Rose of Montreux, Best TV Comedy Award, and is recent winner at the 2003 British Comedy Awards.With a new guy on the scene, a baby on the way, commitment in the air, and love on the horizon, the dynamics of the six friends are definitely changing.At the end of last season Susan and Steve discovered they were pregnant (well, mostly Susan), confirmed bachelor Patrick and Sally finally admitted their true feelings for each other, and poor Jane was left on her own, once again.But its not all doom and gloom for Jane. As the new season opens, things are looking up. Theres this guy called Oliver, who has his eye on her. Is it possible that lifetime loser in love Oliver might just get somewhere with lifetime loser in love Jane? Trouble is, his apartment is a little "un-edited" and his living room has lost the battle with magazine nudity...Susan and Steve are now well and truly an item. So why is he dreaming about being executed by a fetus with an axe?Meanwhile Sally and Patrick are settling into their new relationship. But since the dawn of time, men and women have been falling in love - and men have been trying to get home straight afterwards. Can fallen playboy Patrick ever find his way back from the enchanted glade of his one true love and get a decent nights sleep?
不出所料，Lifetime電視網(wǎng)近日宣布續(xù)訂旗下熱劇集《美女上錯身》（Drop Dead Diva）第四季，據(jù)悉，該劇第四季依是13集，將于2012年夏季如期回歸。 《美女上身》在播第三季保持了良好收視態(tài)勢，平均每集約吸引230萬觀眾?！啊睹琅襄e身》是Lifetime電視網(wǎng)上非常了不起的劇集，希望年能繼續(xù)給觀眾帶來歡樂和動，”Lifetime電視網(wǎng)總裁Nancy Dubuc在一份聲明中說道，“我們非常高興能女戚再續(xù)訂一季。
Chandler and Miles attend the launch of Buchan's book on murders in Whitechapel where they are baffled by cryptic remarks made by an eccentric old lady Louise Iver. At the same time elderly vagrant Alexander Zukanov is lured to a house with strange markings on the wall where he is pressed to death, giving the name Dorothy Cade to his killer before he dies. Miles and Chandler visit Zukanov's doss-house and learn that the other occupants were frightened of him and regarded him as a warlock. Buchan confirms that he was a member of the Bulgarian secret service and Stella Knight from MI6 names him as having been an interrogator of former British spy Crispin Wingfield. Wingfield is questioned but released though he tells the police that the manner of Zukanov's death was a punishment for witches in the sixteenth century. Meanwhile Dorothy Cade, living with her sister Cecilia, is also murdered, burnt at the stake like a medieval witch.
