White Gold

This TV series, which just premiered on Netflix, is basically a chance to see Ed Westwick play the part of Chuck Bass again. If you loved the arrogant asshole that Chuck Bass was in Gossip Girl, you'll definitely love Vincent Swan. The cast in this show is absolutely great. Ed Westwick, James Buckley and Joe Thomas are an incredibly funny trio that you will for sure grow fond of over the episodes. If you've ever worked or been in contact with sales, you'll definitely relate to the characters and the situations that they find themselves in. It is a great example of a smart comedy. What I think makes the series so funny and interesting is the fact that the main character, Vincent, talks a lot to the audience, becoming also some sort of narrator. The soundtrack is also great, featuring a lot of amazing songs from the 70's and 80's , such as Another One Bites the Dust, by Queen. However, something that I've wondered is : How will the writers continue the series without making it boring, since, well, a salesman's life can be interesting only to an extent. There's one thing that,to me, isn't much of a problem, but I can understand why some people have complained about it is that, even if you are a fluent English speaker, but don't understand very well people that speak with a heavy Essex accent, you'll definitely have trouble understanding everything they say, which means you'll have to pay a great deal of attention to what's being said.

Pros - Great acting - Funny, but not stupid - Great soundtrack

Cons - How will they continue the story ( not necessarily a con) - Heavy accent

Overall, a very good series to watch on a rainy day but not one to stay up for!

If you're looking for something like "The Inbetweeners", this is probably NOT the series you would have hoped for. Though Joe Thomas and James Buckley's characters certainly have similar personas in this series, the whole show being dominated by Ed Westwick's imposing character means that the overall vibe is less childish and juvenile without turning dark.

A clever and comic plot, with hints of irony and at times bitter humour, whilst keeping some with some scenes being humorous in a rather vulgar way. The plot is quite memorable, and some scenes certainly have a deeper meaning to them; the final episode leaves one thinking about the ending for a some time afterwards. You certainly want to binge watch all the episodes at once, but perhaps not as much as "Cuckoo" or "Fresh Meat".

Despite this, I would not say it is as funny or accomplished as other British comedies with similar target audiences ("Cuckoo", for example is much funnier in my opinion). The main problem with this new show is that we hardly feel any empathy for characters, Ed Westwick's character is quite unlikable and the only character we really feel sorry for is Sam Swan (Lindsey Cocker). We understand that the others are quite irritating and annoying figures, but that's about it!

The other reason I find that this show is not as funny as it could be is because its seems a bit restrained in terms of use of language and insults. The show was shown at 10pm, and words such as "c**t" are used throughout the series. Vulgarities are then certainly present, yet it feels as though Joe Thomas and James Buckley's insults are quite restrained. And those two characters' vulgar and overly-offensive insults were some of the most hilarious parts of "The Inbetweeners".

"White Gold" is then certainly good, but did slightly disappoint after shows like "The Inbetweeners" where I felt that Thomas and Buckley were at their best.

This is an enjoyable easy watch with many laughs, sometimes vulgar under the belt. A little trashy and filled with eighties nostalgia. There is no refinement, subtleties or finesse. Just raw spot on cynical comedy without political correctness. Be warned.

It is a fun way to spend some time off watching this if you have lots of free time to fill. Each episode is also short so easy watch now and then.

Some might love this kind of humour, others will be a bit offset by the crude style and dialogue.

Update 010619: After

Lets see more of these UK shows on Netflix. There's a huge expat market in the USA and we miss the type of telly we know and love from the UK.

No one from England should have any trouble understanding an Essex accent. I saw the review where someone had trouble understanding the dialog. Bless.

This is a one of a kind show that should NOT be canceled. The actors, witty scripts and awesome 80s tunes were a winning recipe if I ever saw one.