Bernadette Davis

Bernadette Davis is a television screenwriter, who co-wrote the first 2 series of the BBC's sitcom Game On with Andrew Davies.[1][2] She wrote the third series on her own. She was nominated for a BAFTA award for Game On in 1997. Game On was said to be: "a part of a zeitgeist that came to define a generation" and was a "sitcom that was so of its time, that it took its name from a catchphrase of the decade."[3] She studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Production

In 1996, Davis co-wrote the mini-TV series Wilderness with Andrew Davies, from the novel by Dennis Danvers.[4] She also wrote an episode of Soldier Soldier in 1997, titled "Line of Departure".

She wrote a 6-episode sitcom series called The Wilsons in 2000, which featured David Bradley and Julian Rhind-Tutt.[5][6]

In 2012, she wrote the BBC Three sitcom series Some Girls.[7] Series 1 aired in November 2012,[8][9][10] and series 2 started airing in September 2013.[11]

Some Girls has been described as: "...a comedy about the kind of girls more usually seen in worrying documentaries about inner city teens. The series centres around a group of 16/17 year old pupils at [a] Comprehensive School in London."[12] Davis herself said about the show: "As far as I know, there aren't any other comedies about girls of this age. The Inbetweeners has shown what a rich area for comedy this age group is - but girls are very different and I thought they should have their own show."[13]

Reception

The Daily Mirror made the first episode of Some Girls "Tuesday's must-see TV" and described the show as "Energetic, irreverent and real".[14] The Stage online said: "the relationship between the quartet of friends is well observed and firmly rooted in recognisable, realistic emotions".[15] Comedian Jimmy Mulville, Managing Director of Hat Trick Productions, says: “This second series of Some Girls confirms Bernadette Davis as one of the funniest writers working today. We're lucky to have her.”[11]

References

  1. ^ "Game On". comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  2. ^ Cf 'Andrew Davis (Television)' critical appraisal book, by Sarah Cardwell, Manchester University Press, ISBN 978-0719064920, pp198-199 for references to his work with Bernadette Davis.
  3. ^ Interview with Matthew Cottle, [1], Yorkshire Post
  4. ^ Wilderness review, [2],Artists Direct
  5. ^ The Wilsons on Channel 4 website
  6. ^ The Wilsons on British Comedy website[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Some Girls". comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  8. ^ "BBC - BBC Three - Blog: BBC Three feeding more funny". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Fresh Meat's Jack Whitehall gets his own BBC3 sitcom". RadioTimes. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  10. ^ Net News Publisher article on Some Girls Archived October 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ a b "BBC - Some Girls return to BBC Three for brand new series - Media Centre". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  12. ^ "ATV Today". ATV Today. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  13. ^ Interview with Bernadette Davis about Some Girls on the BBC website
  14. ^ Simon, Jane (6 November 2012). "Strictly Come Dancing star Colin Salmon stars in BBC3's energetic, irreverent and real Some Girls". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  15. ^ Harry Venning. "TV review: Nick Nickleby; Some Girls; The Late Great Eric Sykes - TV & radio - The Stage". The Stage. Retrieved 13 July 2015.