It Sends Up Some Of The Best British Rom-Com Moments!
Of course, the show is literally based on an existing British romantic comedy, and there are little touches that are reminiscent of its cinematic foremother. From a fun minor role for Andie MacDowell to a make-out in the rain, the show is happy to wink at the audience when it comes to living up to the original.
But there’s so much more than references for die-hard Four Weddings and a Funeral fans. For example, we have Heathrow airport arrivals gate and poster board signs with loving messages that send up Love Actually. It’s conveniently name-dropped that the characters live in Notting Hill, and the show re-creates a memorable sequence from the Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts film. There’s even a heartfelt moment-turned-insulting-speech that’s reminiscent of Darcy’s first proposal in Pride and Prejudice.
If you’re a fan of rom coms (and if you’re hanging out here on Frolic, I’m guessing there’s a good chance you are), the Four Weddings and a Funeral series is likely going to give you at least some of the warm and fuzzy feelings that the genre is known for!
There Are Some Surprising Real-World Connections
As the show progresses, there are some surprising real-world political issues woven into the fabric of the plot.
One of the main characters, Maya, works for an openly gay politician who holds power in a very restrictive and traditional political party. Throughout the series, Maya and another supporting character who is jokingly named “Tony 2” push this person to think differently around issues of diversity, fairness, economic rights and immigration.
These are general hot-button issues, but with the latest political news coming out of Britain and the ongoing discussion of immigrant rights in the US, it was actually nice to see these topics treated seriously by an otherwise fluffy-seeming tv show!