In the era of self-isolation and social distancing, many couples are spending hideous amounts of time together. For relationship tips you might want to consult these excellent shows about married couples—picked by critic Craig Mathieson.
From the soap opera to the sitcom, the married couple has been the bedrock of scripted television since the black and white era. Thankfully, as the definition of marriage has widened, so has the portrayal of married couples on our screens.
As this collection of the five best shows available to stream about married couples proves, saying “I do” to those who’ve said “I do” can lead to some inspired viewing.
Catastrophe
Where to watchThe idea that two people can be equally connected in deeply satisfying ways and also create infuriating havoc has never been better explored than in this gloriously acerbic Transatlantic comedy about a “six night stand” that unexpectedly leads to parenthood, marriage and sundry disasters.
Created by its stars, Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, who have an alarmingly authentic dynamic whether lolling in bed or corralling young children, it finds deep draughts of black humour in the union of Irish school teacher Sharon and American advertising exec Rob. There’s an exemplary supporting cast, including the late Carrie Fisher as Rob’s mother, but it’s Horgan and Delaney who elevate the series to classic status with wilful moments and traces of wonder.
Forever
Where to watchWith Saturday Night Live veterans Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen in the lead roles, you would expect this domestic comedy to be uproarious and driven by punchlines. But this series about a comfortable suburban Californian couple is quieter and more subversive, with an eerily still mood and a mordant sense of humour that refuses to be rushed.
It’s difficult to discuss the show without spoiling it, but Rudolph and Armisen’s June and Oscar Hoffman are so settled in their ways that the possibility of a fresh start upends their connection and perceptions. Creators Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard use the fantastical to reimagine the mundane, and it all ties together in one finely judged season that needs no sequel.
Living With Yourself
Where to watchThe selling point upon debut of this screw loose Netflix series was dual Paul Rudd performances. The actor plays Miles Elliott, a dissatisfied ad agency creative who, in an effort to amend his life, gets a treatment at a suburban mall spa that produces New Miles—a clone who is altogether better at life than the host. Instead of being science-fiction horror this is a squirrelly existential comedy; the two iterations of Miles have to share his life.
But the most intriguing lens for their partnership is through their relationships with Miles’ wife Kate (Aisling Bea). The Irish actor sharpens the everyday incongruousness of the show, which lifts its tempo every time she’s on the screen. The idea that it might take two updates of the same husband to satisfy a wife is the most subversive idea Living with Yourself harbours.
State of the Union
Where to watchIn 10 minute long installments depicting scenes from a marriage, uneasy couple Louise (Rosamund Pike) and Tom (Chris O’Dowd) meet up in a London pub prior to their joint counselling session, for a desultory drink and awkward discussion. Written by Nick Hornby and directed by Stephen Frears (a decade ago this quartet would have been making headline movies together) this British series is concise but revelatory.
There’s barely a wasted line of dialogue or extraneous shot as the 10 episodes chart the emotional ups and downs of the life the duo have shared together and the possibilities that might remain. There are withering asides, shared lies and small flickers of hope, all of which feels pitched to the all-too plausible. Be quick to stream it; the ABC’s rights expire on May 5.
You Me Her
Where to watchHidden away on Netflix, where it has quietly accumulated four seasons, this comic-drama is an intriguing mix of marital fantasy and idiosyncratic difficulties. It’s the story of a Portland couple: high school administrator Jack Trakarsky (Greg Poehler, younger brother of Amy) and his architect wife Emma (Rachel Blanchard), whose marital malaise awkwardly ends when they both become involved with the same escort—university student Izzy Silva (Priscilla Faia).
Izzy’s presence creates a spark that flows between all three, both as a group and pairs, and the polyamorous relationship that takes shape is adroitly told. Some selling points: the hackneyed male gaze isn’t tolerated, and Blanchard delivers a knock-out performance as a woman discovering that her beliefs aren’t what she thought they were.
