Avoidance (TV series)
{{Short description|British comedy drama television series}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| genre = Comedy drama
| creator =
| based_on =
| writer = {{Plainlist|*Benjamin Green
- Romesh Ranganathan
- Shaun Pye
- Kefi Chadwick
- Neil Webster
- Jessica Knappett}}
| screenplay =
| story =
| director = Benjamin Green
| starring = {{Plainlist| *{{nowrap|Romesh Ranganathan}}
Kieran Logendra
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_series = 2
| num_episodes = 12
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|*Michelle Farr-Scott
- Benjamin Green
- Romesh Ranganathan
- Danielle Lux}}
| producer = Arnold Widdowson
| editor =
| cinematography =
| runtime = 28 minutes
| company = {{Plainlist|*Ranga Bee
| budget =
| network = BBC One
| first_aired = {{Start date|2022|06|10|df=y}}
| last_aired = present
}}
Avoidance is a British comedy drama television series made for BBC One starring Romesh Ranganathan, Lisa McGrillis, Mandeep Dhillon, Jessica Knappett and Kieran Logendra. The first series was broadcast in 10 June 2022. A second series was commissioned in May 2023; which broadcast from 5 April 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0c7135m|title=Avoidance|website=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=27 March 2024}}
Plot
Thrown out by his partner Claire, Jonathan is so desperate to avoid difficult conversations, that rather than telling his son that his mum and dad are splitting up, he takes the young Spencer to hide out with his sister Danielle and her wife Courtney.{{Cite web|url= https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/avoidance-cast-romesh-ranganathan/|title=Meet the cast of Avoidance|website=Radio Times}}
Cast
- Romesh Ranganathan as Jonathan
- Lisa McGrillis as Courtney
- Jessica Knappett as Claire
- Mandeep Dhillon as Danielle
- Kieran Logendra as Spencer
- Matthew Lewis as Brett (series 2)
- Aisling Bea as Megan (series 2)
Production
The project was announced by the BBC in January 2022, with Benjamin Green and Romesh Ranganathan as show creators, Green as director, and McGrillis and Knappett as co-stars.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/avoidance|title=Romesh Ranganathan creates, writes and stars in new comedy series Avoidance for BBC One and BBC iPlayer|website=BBC|date=17 January 2022|access-date=5 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/tv/news/romesh-ranganathan-co-creating-and-starring-in-new-bbc-comedy-series-avoidance/|title=Romesh Ranganathan Co-Creating And Starring In New BBC Comedy Series Avoidance|website=Empire|last=White|first=James|date=18 January 2022|access-date=5 February 2022}} Some filming took place in Bracknell,{{Cite web|url= https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/20220812.avoidance-bbc-comedy-sitcom-filmed-bracknell/|title= Avoidance' BBC comedy sitcom filmed in Bracknell|website=Bracknell News}} and Berkhamsted.{{Cite web|url= https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/avoidance-film-crews-take-over-6614326.|title= Avoidance: Film crews take over Berkhamsted High Street for Romesh Ranganathan BBC show|website=Herts Live}}
A second series was commissioned by the BBC in May 2023.{{Cite web|url= https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/7353/avoidance-series-2/|website=Comedy.co.uk|date=May 24, 2023|accessdate=May 24, 2023|title=Romesh Ranganathan's Avoidance gets second series}} Filming on a second series took place in November 2023, with Aisling Bea and Matthew Lewis having joined the cast.{{cite web|accessdate=9 November 2023|url=https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2023/avoidance-series-2|date=8 November 2023|website=BBC.com|title= Filming commences on the second series of Romesh Ranganathan's BBC One comedy Avoidance}}
Broadcast
Episode one aired on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9:30 pm on Friday 10 June 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/avoidance-romesh-ranganathan-release-date/|title= Avoidance: Release date, cast and latest news for Romesh Ranganathan sitcom|website=Radio Times}}
Reception
Lucy Mangan in The Guardian described a "gentle, truthful, beautifully performed comedy about the ultimate beta male".{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jun/10/avoidance-review-romesh-ranganathan-may-make-you-feel-seen-in-the-worst-way|title= Avoidance review – Romesh Ranganathan may make you feel seen in the worst way|website=The Guardian|date= 10 June 2022|last1= Mangan|first1= Lucy}} The Daily Telegraph labelled the show a "sad-com bore" with Marianka Swain saying "I think we're supposed to sympathise with Jonathan, who may have some underlying mental health issues... But in the two episodes that I've seen, he's essentially a black hole of denial and failure sucking in everyone around him."{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/avoidance-review-romesh-ranganathans-sadcom-creation-punishing/|title=Avoidance, review: Romesh Ranganathan's sadcom creation is a punishing bore|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=10 June 2022 |last1=Swain |first1=Marianka }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title | title = Avoidance | id = 18953164}}
- {{British Comedy Guide|tv|avoidance}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avoidance}}
Category:2022 British television series debuts