Two Doors Down (TV series)

Two Doors Down is a Scottish television sitcom, produced by BBC Studios that is broadcast across the UK at prime time.[1] It was created by Simon Carlyle and Gregor Sharp and stars Arabella Weir, Alex Norton, Doon Mackichan, Jonathan Watson and Elaine C. Smith.

Two Doors Down
GenreSitcom
Created by
  • Simon Carlyle
  • Gregor Sharp
Directed bySimon Hynd
Starring
Country of originScotland
Original language(s)English
No. of series4
No. of episodes26 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Production location(s)Glasgow, United Kingdom
Camera setupSingle camera
Running time28 minutes
Production company(s)BBC Scotland
Release
Original network
Original releasePilot: 31 December 2013
Series: 1 April 2016 
present

Following a pilot broadcast in 2013, the first series began airing April 2016.[1] A second series began airing on 21 November 2016.[2][3] The show was recommissioned in December 2016 for a third series by BBC Two which aired in early 2018, as well as a Christmas special in December 2017.[4] A fourth series was broadcast between January and February 2019. A fifth series is to commence filming in summer 2020, and set to air in 2021.[5]

Two Doors Down won the Best Comedy award at the 2017 Royal Television Society Scotland Awards.

Premise

Two Doors Down focuses on neighbours living side by side in a typical Glasgow suburb. BBC Scotland describes the characters as "not so happily living together" – the neighbours are constantly visiting uninvited, and overstaying their welcome, at Beth and Eric Baird's house.[6] Beth is often taken advantage of by her neighbours, frequently having to make tea, pour drinks and prepare food, while the remaining characters chat in the living room. Eric and Beth therefore try and avoid their neighbours as much as possible so they can enjoy some peace and quiet in their own home.[6]

The series creator, Simon Carlyle states, "Two Doors Down is about crazy neighbours. We’ve all got them. They seem ok, but when you scratch the surface they’re a bit nuts."[6]

Cast and characters

Main

Guest

  • Daniela Nardini as Caroline Stewart (pilot)
  • Greg McHugh as Tony Patterson (pilot)
  • James Young as Angus Baird (pilot)
  • Victoria Balnaves as Joanne (series 1)
  • Louise McCarthy as Nurse (series 1)
  • Maurice Roëves as Willie Whyte (series 2)
  • Rachel Jackson as Waitress (series 3)
  • Lisa Bradley as Barmaid (series 3)
  • Sophie Leigh Stone as Louise (series 4)

Episodes

SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
Pilot31 December 2013 (2013-12-31)BBC One Scotland
161 April 2016 (2016-04-01)6 May 2016 (2016-05-06)BBC Two
2621 November 2016 (2016-11-21)19 December 2016 (2016-12-19)
3626 December 2017 (special)
29 January 2018 (2018-01-29)
5 March 2018 (2018-03-05)
467 January 2019 (2019-01-07)11 February 2019 (2019-02-11)

Pilot (2013)

No.
overall
No. in
series
EpisodeDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)[7]
1PilotCatherine MorsheadSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp31 December 2013 (2013-12-31)3.28

Series 1 (2016)

No.
overall
No. in
series
EpisodeDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)[7]
21Episode 1Simon HyndSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp1 April 2016 (2016-04-01)1.80
32Episode 2Simon HyndSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp8 April 2016 (2016-04-08)1.36
43Episode 3Simon HyndSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp15 April 2016 (2016-04-15)1.14
54Episode 4Simon HyndSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp22 April 2016 (2016-04-22)1.15
65Episode 5Simon HyndSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp29 April 2016 (2016-04-29)1.13
76Episode 6Simon HyndSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp6 May 2016 (2016-05-06)1.14

Series 2 (2016)

No.
overall
No. in
series
EpisodeDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)[7]
81Episode 1Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp21 November 2016 (2016-11-21)1.49
92Episode 2Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp28 November 2016 (2016-11-28)1.58
103Episode 3Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp5 December 2016 (2016-12-05)1.69
114Episode 4Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp12 December 2016 (2016-12-12)1.16
125Episode 5Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp19 December 2016 (2016-12-19)1.00
136Episode 6Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp19 December 2016 (2016-12-19)0.90

Series 3 (2018)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)[7]
14"Christmas Special"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp26 December 2017 (2017-12-26)1.04
151"Burns Supper"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp29 January 2018 (2018-01-29)2.11
162"Eric's Colon"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp5 February 2018 (2018-02-05)1.50
173"Break In"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp12 February 2018 (2018-02-12)1.69
184"Fish Friday"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp19 February 2018 (2018-02-19)1.63
195"Party Pieces"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp26 February 2018 (2018-02-26)1.72
206"Alan and Michelle"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp5 March 2018 (2018-03-05)1.81

Series 4 (2019)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)[8]
211"Anniversary"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp7 January 2019 (2019-01-07)1.75
222"Willie's Wake"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp14 January 2019 (2019-01-14)1.63
233"Hospital"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp21 January 2019 (2019-01-21)1.64
244"Graham & Sandra"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp28 January 2019 (2019-01-28)N/A (<1.63)[lower-alpha 1]
255"Overnight"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp4 February 2019 (2019-02-04)1.63
266"Housewarming"Sasha RansomeSimon Carlyle & Gregor Sharp11 February 2019 (2019-02-11)1.74

Production

The pilot episode was shown on 31 December 2013. It was shot with all the crew and cast in a cramped, medium-sized living room.[1] After the pilot was deemed successful, filming was moved to purpose-built sets in Dumbarton.[1] Exterior scenes are filmed in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire. Series four was filmed in Avonbrae Crescent, Hamilton.

Critical reception

Two Doors Down has received mixed reviews. Writing for The Guardian, Ben Arnold said the pilot for the series was "a mundane set-up, not helped by a woeful lack of laughs."[9] Writing again for The Guardian at the beginning of the second series, Arnold called the series "woeful".[10] The Arts Desk wrote that the series "owes an awful lot to both Abigail’s Party and The Royle Family, as well as socially awkward characters from any number of sketch shows, with equally broadly defined characters – only without the bits that make you laugh out loud."[11] Writing for RadioTimes, David Butcher said "Sometimes Two Doors Down is so uneventful it almost vanishes" but called it a "nicely sour-edged sitcom".[12] Conversely, writing for The Guardian, Zoe Williams said "this endearing ensemble BBC Comedy about a sort of Scottish neighbours has something-for-everyone humour."[13] Euan Ferguson wrote in The Observer in December 2016 "BBC Two's Two Doors Down has it all. Wit, delight, long awkward silences, burps, bacon-farts."[14]

Notes

  1. Not reported in the weekly top 15 programmes for four-screen viewer ratings.
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References

  1. Spowart, Nan (28 March 2016). "Hit comedy Two Doors Down is back after winning fans on both sides of the Border". www.thenational.scot. The National. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  2. "BBC Two 'plans second series for Two Doors Down' after ratings success". Express. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  3. "Two Doors Down". Facebook. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  4. Guide, British Comedy (19 October 2017). "Two Doors Down to return with cast changes". Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  5. Rudden, Liam (20 February 2020). "Rab C Nesbitt and Two Doors Down star Elaine C Smith recalls her days teaching drama in Edinburgh ahead of new play at the Lyceum". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  6. "BBC Scotland – Why Two Doors Down is Britain's best-kept sitcom secret". BBC. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  7. "Weekly top 30 programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.
  8. "Four-screen dashboard". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  9. "Friday's best TV: Easter 1916: The Enemy Files, Billy Connolly's Tracks Across America and Boomers". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  10. "Monday's best TV: The Last Miners; Back in Time for Brixton; Our Guy in China". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  11. "Two Doors Down, BBC Two". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  12. "Two Doors Down Series 2-Episode 2". RadioTimes. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  13. "Doon Mackichan: 'We were sexy, funny women – perhaps that was a bit much' | Television & radio". The Guardian. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  14. "https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/two_doors_down/press/
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