Almas Not Normal

[Tony Tony Tony]

The whole series of this dropped on the iPlayer earlier this week. Binged on first five so far and saving the last episode to have with a glass of something later tonight.

Lovely stuff that apparently got a BAFTA for its pilot which I caught, so was looking forward to a series. The show deffo delivers on the promise shown in the pilot with some laugh out loud bits mixed with dollops of bittersweet.

Probably a bit biased because I went to college in Bolton so knew quite a few Alma types. Also good to see Jayde Adams getting some mainstream (ish) exposure.

Overall the show Mandy could have been as well as the series Back to Life aspires to.

[metaltax]

I've binged the whole thing over the past couple of days. Really enjoyed it, great writing and some nice dramatic punches that pull it out of being your typical BBC Three comedy offering (and I know it's not BBC Three, but it very easily could have been in the wrong hands).

Fuck me though, Siobhan Finneran is great in it.

[Malcy]

Vaguely remember the pilot so might dip into that before starting the series but looking forward to it. Or is it classed as ep 1 like a lot of shows that have had a broadcast pilot first?

[metaltax]

Vaguely remember the pilot so might dip into that before starting the series but looking forward to it. Or is it classed as ep 1 like a lot of shows that have had a broadcast pilot first?

Ep. 1 of the series is the pilot.

[Tony Tony Tony]

Fuck me though, Siobhan Finneran is great in it.

Thought the same thing, can't have been easy having to pull and hold the grimaces she does in playing a convincing ex junkie.  Have been keen on her since enjoying her in Rita, Sue and Bob Too, so not surprised she works consistently.

[Malcy]

Ep. 1 of the series is the pilot.

Great, thanks.

[Catalogue of ills]

I'm really enjoying this, some excellent writing and memorable lines, it's very well acted, relatable characters and it makes me laugh a lot. Also a lack of mawkishness, which it could easily have slid into. It's got an energy at its core that I can't quite put my finger on, but which is often missing in other shows.

[steveh]

Had watched the pilot some time back so started with episode two and was prepared to stop there as the characters in that were too annoying. However, I was persuaded to continue by the comments here and am glad I did. It is a bit monologuey at times - it had origins on the stage didn't it? - but I liked that the middle episodes were each quite different in style and it allowed the different and often contradictory parts of Alma's personality to come through.

[SpiderChrist]

I'm really enjoying this, some excellent writing and memorable lines, it's very well acted, relatable characters and it makes me laugh a lot. Also a lack of mawkishness, which it could easily have slid into. It's got an energy at its core that I can't quite put my finger on, but which is often missing in other shows.

Just finished the whole series and can only agree with this. Really enjoyed it.

[neveragain]

This is a great series, but I can't help but be distracted by the five years difference between two actors playing mother and daughter! It's not really an issue because they (Siobhan Finneran and Lorraine Ashbourne) are both fantastic but it keeps jumping out at me. Mind, there weren't many years between Kelsey Grammer and John Mahoney, or Wilfrid Brambell and Harry H Corbett, so it's got form.

[Better Midlands]

Enjoyed this, thanks for pointing it out.

Managed to watch the the final episode (6) first by mistake on Iplayer but didn't even notice until I looked for the next episode which I took as a good sign.

[lazyhour]

Bump to say thank you for recommending this. Really brilliant series which I watched with my partner in one sitting. The first episode isn't the strongest so I'd recommend people persevere if it doesn't click with you immediately.

Brilliantly real and pretty fucking bleak without ever bashing you over the head, or feeling preachy or mawkish.