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IMDbPro

Perfect Strangers

  • TV Mini Series
  • 2001
  • 3h 58m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
Perfect Strangers (2001)
ComedyDrama

Attending a distant family reunion reveals more than was expected.Attending a distant family reunion reveals more than was expected.Attending a distant family reunion reveals more than was expected.

  • Stars
    • Michael Gambon
    • Lindsay Duncan
    • Matthew Macfadyen
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    1.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Michael Gambon
      • Lindsay Duncan
      • Matthew Macfadyen
    • 21User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 BAFTA Award
      • 5 wins & 9 nominations total

    Episodes3

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated1 season2001

    Photos6

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    Top cast56

    Edit
    Michael Gambon
    Michael Gambon
    • Raymond
    • 2001
    Lindsay Duncan
    Lindsay Duncan
    • Alice
    • 2001
    Matthew Macfadyen
    Matthew Macfadyen
    • Daniel
    • 2001
    Claire Skinner
    Claire Skinner
    • Rebecca
    • 2001
    Toby Stephens
    Toby Stephens
    • Charles
    • 2001
    Jill Baker
    Jill Baker
    • Esther
    • 2001
    Timothy Spall
    Timothy Spall
    • Irving
    • 2001
    Anton Lesser
    Anton Lesser
    • Stephen
    • 2001
    Michael Culkin
    Michael Culkin
    • Sidney
    • 2001
    Kelly Hunter
    Kelly Hunter
    • Poppy
    • 2001
    Kathleen Byron
    Kathleen Byron
    • Edith
    • 2001
    Muriel Pavlow
    Muriel Pavlow
    • Violet
    • 2001
    Sheila Burrell
    Sheila Burrell
    • Grace
    • 2001
    Tony Maudsley
    Tony Maudsley
    • Peter
    • 2001
    Peter Howell
    Peter Howell
    • Ernest
    • 2001
    Camilla Power
    Camilla Power
    • Martina
    • 2001
    Marianne Borgo
    • Nazik
    • 2001
    Jay Simon
    Jay Simon
    • Raymond's Father - Lionel Symon
    • 2001
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews21

    8.01.5K
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    Featured reviews

    8Truman_Burbank

    Subtle and heartwarming family drama

    There's a lot to like about this excellent British drama. The story about the relationships between the members of a family, may seem a bit too simple, and the lack of big surprises may disappoint some people, but anyone who takes a closer look, will discover a rich, subtle, heartwarming family drama that offers very authentic, original characters and more emotions and reality than any soap opera will ever do. Stephen Poliakoff's direction is impeccable, the casting is truly perfect (even for the smallest roles), the actors never less than wonderful. The beautiful music supports the dramatic events in a way that 'Perfect Strangers' will be in your head for several days. An absolute masterpiece.
    10regtripp

    Excellent

    I was totally enthralled. I thought this was one of the best things I have seen on Television. I still think about it several years later and will certainly get a copy to keep in my collection to watch again. But not too often - I don't want to spoil a good thing by over familiarity. Since I first saw Perfect Strangers I have sought out everything Stephen Poliakoff has written. I have not been disappointed with the quality of his other plays and television writing. He is simply brilliant. In the Perfect Stranger the cast was Perfect with the mood evocative of an earlier gentler more refined age. Understated, sad, interesting nostalgia but never overly sentimental nor cloying. The sort of thing which British television is so good at. It would be unfair to pick out any particular aspect for praise as it was all so good. Having said that however I must mention Claire Skinner. I don't know why she has not become an A list Superstar. Maybe that is her own choice, but I would rather go and see her in anything she does rather than see any of the other so-called superstars. Maybe she is just famous on British television but if so Amercian television and Hollywood have certainly missed the boat by not grabbing her.
    9ian_harris

    As Good As It Gets

    This drama is 4+ hours long but it held us in its power throughout. It was not originally intended to be seen all in one day, of course, but is so gripping that if you have it all you'll want to see it all. Some of Britain's finest stage and TV talent was gathered for this - the BBC must have known they were on to a good thing when they saw the script - and that talent is deployed masterfully.

    It bears a passing resemblance to "Shooting the Past", another Poliakoff piece for which we have a lot of time. But Perfect Strangers is better. The story is more plausible, the script is better and the characters more rounded.

    As far as TV drama goes, this is about as good as it gets. Highly recommended.
    10Cartimandua

    Perfect

    This is one of the best TV productions of the last ten years. It is being screened on BBC4 as part of the Poliakoff season, and it's a complete delight to see again. The whole cast is terrific. I could watch Gambon just standing in a bus queue.

    Poliakoff himself says - a little diffidently - that he wants to make television that people remember. I expect most directors do, but few succeed. I have remembered stills, scenes, even expressions from this drama after five years. Watching it again was like looking through a photo album. It was 'familiar' in more ways than one.

    (I've finally worked out that Jason Klamm's perplexing comment on this board is based on the presumption that Stephen Poliakoff's original drama is following on from some late 80's US comedy series. I promise you, the two productions have NO connection apart from the title... not even fifth cousins.)
    ah8048

    So captivating!

    Perfect Strangers was first aired in May 2001. I was in the midst of my final year degree exams. The first part was shown the night before one of my exams and I recorded it to watch another time so that I could do revision. About 20 minutes into the programme, I took a break from revision and decided to watch the programme for a short time. Perfect Strangers was so captivating that I didn't return to my revision until the programme finished!

    Perfect Strangers has a wonderful music score by Adrian Johnston. I was thrilled to find that the following year, a CD of the score had been released. (It includes Adrian Johnston's score from Shooting The Past, an earlier drama also by Stephen Poliakoff and starring Lindsay Duncan and Timothy Spall.)

    So, are you ready to meet the family?

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    Related interests

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    Comedy
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    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      J.J. Feild filmed his key role as Richard in five days.
    • Quotes

      Raymond: Naturally we're in the broom cupboard.

      Daniel: You wanted it that way. You were determined to get put into a small room so you could spend all your time complaining.

      Raymond: That's right, absolutely. This is infinitely preferable.

    • Connections
      Featured in Remembers...: Stephen Poliakoff Remembers... Perfect Strangers (2025)

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 10, 2001 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Almost Strangers
    • Filming locations
      • Claridge's Hotel, Brook Street, Mayfair, Westminster, Greater London, England, UK(on location)
    • Production company
      • TalkBack Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 3h 58m(238 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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