Watching
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2008-07-16T21:38:48Z
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{{Infobox Television|
| show_name = Watching
| image = [[Image:Watching logo.jpg]]
| caption =
| genre = [[Comedy]], [[Sitcom]]
| runtime = 30mins x 54<br>60mins x 2
| creator = Jim Hitchmough
| starring = [[Paul Bown]]<br>[[Emma Wray]]<br>[[Liza Tarbuck]]<br>[[Patsy Byrne]]<br>[[Perry Fenwick]]
| producer = [[Granada Television]]
| channel = [[ITV]]
| first_aired = [[5 July]] [[1987]]
| last_aired = [[4 April]] [[1993]]
| num_episodes = [[List of Watching episodes|56]] (including 4 specials)
| imdb_id = 0092479
| tv_com_id = 1508
}}
'''''Watching''''' was a [[United Kingdom|British]] television [[situation comedy|sitcom]], produced by [[Granada Television]] for the ITV network and broadcast for seven series and four specials between 1987 and 1983.
The series was written by Jim Hitchmough and starred [[Paul Bown]] and [[Emma Wray]] as mismatched couple Malcolm Stoneway and Brenda Wilson.
==Plot==
''Watching'' was set in [[Merseyside]], with Brenda coming from [[Liverpool]] and Malcolm coming from [[Meols]] on the [[Wirral Peninsula|Wirral]]. The title refers to a [[People/crowd watching|game]] that initially Brenda and her sister Pamela (played by [[Liza Tarbuck]]), and later Brenda and Malcolm, play in the [[pub]]. They watch other customers and try to guess their occupations, their lifestyles and other pertinent facts about them.
Quiet biker Malcolm, who lived with his domineering mother (played by Patsy Byrne), was accompanied on his birdwatching trips by loud [[scouser]] Brenda, who was forced to ride in his sidecar. The series followed their on/off relationship, during which Malcolm married Lucinda (played by Elizabeth Morton).
Brenda and Malcolm married each other in the final episode, ''Knotting'', broadcast on [[4 April]] [[1993]].
==Production notes==
''Watching'' was originally concieved as a comedy sketch about a shy birdwatcher and a lively girl, written by Hitchmough during a drama workshop at the [[Everyman Theatre]] in [[Liverpool]]. He submitted the sketch for the BBC satirical series ''[[Not The Nine O'Clock News]]'' but it was rejected. Undeterred by this, Hitchmough developed the sketch into a hit stage play and later won a commission from Granada Television to produce a seven-part series for broadcast on Sunday nights at 10:00pm. After a successful first series and subsequent Christmas special, ''Watching'' was recommissioned and broadcast earlier in the evening. Up until the end of its final run, the series would win audiences of over 17 million viewers.
Originally, the series was produced by David Liddiment (later to become Director of Programming at [[ITV]]). Senior Granada director Les Chatfield directed all 56 episodes and later took on producing duties.
Emma Wray sang the [[Theme music|theme song]], ''What Does He See in Me?'', which was written by [[Charles Hart (lyricist)|Charles Hart]]. Incidental music was written and composed by Richie Close.
===Book, video and DVD releases===
A novel based around the first series of ''Watching'' and written by Jim Hitchmough was published in 1990 by Bantam Books.
A video featuring the first two episodes, ''Meeting'' and ''Wrestling'' was released by CastleVision in August 1993.
The complete first series, including the 1987 Christmas special (''Seasoning''), was released on DVD in February 2006. The complete second series was released in March 2008. Both releases are distributed by [[Network DVD]].
==Main cast==
*Brenda Wilson: [[Emma Wray]]
*Malcolm Stoneway: [[Paul Bown]]
*Pamela Wilson/Lynch: [[Liza Tarbuck]]
*Marjorie Stoneway: [[Patsy Byrne]]
*Terry Milton: [[Perry Fenwick]]
*David Lynch: [[John Bowler (actor)|John Bowler]]
*Joyce Wilson: [[Noreen Kershaw]]
*Lucinda Davis/Stoneway: Elizabeth Morton
*Oswald the Cafe Owner: [[Dave Dutton]]
*Harold: Al T. Kossy
*Cedric: Bill Moores
==External links==
*[http://www.sitcom.co.uk/watching/index.shtml ''Watching'' at the British Sitcom Guide]
*[http://www.watching-tv.net/ Programme fansite]
*[http://www.whom.co.uk/whom/watching.htm wHom - ''Watching'']
*[http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/watching/ Phil's British TV Comedy]
*[http://www.classictelly.com/programme.php?Programme=Watching Tributes to Watching: Add Yours]
*[http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=197 Watching: The Complete Series 1 DVD]
*[http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?products_id=569 Watching: The Complete Series 2 DVD]
[[Category:ITV sitcoms]]
[[Category:1987 television series debuts]]
[[Category:1993 television series endings]]
[[Category:1980s British television series]]
[[Category:1990s British television series]]
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