Fat Friends

I only recently found this show, almost a quarter of a century after it first aired.

Whilst the show is vey much a product of its time, a lot of the comedy is still relatable and there are some fantastic characters.

It is a window on how much society has changed... Carol, the spiky slimming club leader, is nasty and spiteful towards her members, behaviour which wouldn't wash nowadays.

The show starts off almost as an anthology series, with each episode focusing on the life of one of the main characters on the show, with the other characters playing supporting roles.

As the show progresses, the format changes into a more regular drama with Betty (Alison Steadman) and Kelly (Ruth Jones) and their respective families becoming the main focus of the show.

Series 1 and 2 are very strong, for the final 2 series, the character development goes a little off course and they resort to stunt plot lines to keep the show going. Some of the character behaviour seems a little off, sacrificing the character for the sake of story.

One of the annoying things is how the show loses characters, in most cases, with no or little explanation, through the run of the series. Many of the new characters that were introduced later on didn't feel as well developed as the originals.

Overall, it's a fun, enjoyable comedy drama set at the beginning of the 2000s with a window to that era.

A funny film that shows what it is like to be fat in this world where a lot of things are about looks. Sometimes the films becomes sad, but it is always optimistic.

Everyone who has been on a diet and has tried to lose weight will recognize the problems in one of the characters. It was very easy for me to relate to that.

The film does not mock fat people. But it shows the fact that we all know - you don't have to be slim to be happy.

We all know this, but not everyone really believes it and lives his/her life accordingly.

As if I didn't hate soap operas enough, I thought that I would utterly detest "Fat Friends" because the main plot is basically about people who are... well, yeah, fat. But what a relieve this was: not only was the subject matter per episode much more interesting than the usual "who slept with whom" in your average drama series, I was surprised to actually see some REAL ACTING on the screen! So they're fat. Who gives a ***. When I watched the show I never had the feeling that I was being forced to take in some kind of moral stance on the "fat issue", but instead I was swept away in the everyday life of the main characters, who go through things and encounter problems that could happen to anyone (divorce, distrust, insecurity, anorexia in the family, being teased etc.). Mostly thanks to the magnificent acting, and the matter-of-factness in style (not a lot of make-up, no overkill in violin-music in dramatic scenes, etc.). A welcome change from the "overdone" melodramas that crowd all TV-channels nowadays (Dutch people like to criticize American TV-series for being too mushy, but Dutch dramas are a lot worse...). I think this "natural thing" in TV and film is something the British are good at. Keep up the good work, guys.

Weight Watchers does everything to be able to identify the factors that make people overeat. Weight Watchers tries to think of ways to help people watch their habits and the 'triggers' that make them reach for food when caloric intake for the day is already enough.

It would be natural for Weight Watchers to have a presence in Prime Time TV, showing these situations with wit and wisdom, featuring talented actors.

Too late! It's already been done. 'Fat Friends' looks at the lives of characters and spins stories that make food not a villain but understandably comforting when stress has reached a certain level. In short, it's what everyone at a WW meeting can relate to.

Not by accident, every episode seems to have a 'weigh-in' at a group meeting. Ding! Ding! Ding! This familiar ritual is not the WW meeting and weigh-in of the sensitive sympathetic crowd. The leader is a stern taskmaster - that's the British twist to the dieting weekly check- in.

All the actors are good, the writing is funny and insightful. I particularly liked hearing a young James Corden explain that he needs to be 'big.'

Well worth watching if you can see it on amazon instant video. It's probably also available on DVD.

I've never actually watched it until now! Even though I love Gavin and Stacy, I never knew some of the cast were in this, too. Now, the first 2 series were perfect. Heartfelt. Beautifully written. However, I have to agree with the other reviewer that the 3rd and particularly the 4th series just missed this spark. That being said, they were both very enjoyable to watch and I would happily watch them again. I love this kind of UK drama and Kay Mellow shows here that she is one of the best writers of this genre around!