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Green Wing

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Green Wing
File:Green Wing - Logo.jpg
The Green Wing logo.
Created byVictoria Pile
StarringTamsin Greig
Stephen Mangan
Julian Rhind-Tutt
Mark Heap
Pippa Haywood
Karl Theobald
Michelle Gomez
Oliver Chris
Country of originUK
No. of episodes17
Production
Executive producerPeter Fincham
Running timeApprox. 50-55 minutes, Special 90 minutes
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release3 September 2004 –
present

Green Wing is an award winning British television comedy, set in a hospital. It was created by the same team as the sketch show Smack the Pony.

Although set in East Hampton Hospital Trust (and actually filmed at two real hospitals, Northwick Park Hospital in Middlesex and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke), there are few medical storylines; most of the action is in fact generated by soap opera/Commedia dell'arte style twists and turns in the personal lives of the characters.

At sixty minutes including advertisement time, the episodes are unusually long for a British comedy series (normally thirty). They proceed through a series of often absurd sketch-like scenes connected by lazzi or sped-up/slowed-down motion, which often emphasises the body language of the characters. The show has eight writers and several main characters.

The first series consisted of nine episodes made by talkbackTHAMES production company, was broadcast by Channel 4 on Friday nights between September 3 and October 29, 2004. It subsequently ran (modified for content and running time to eliminate sexually suggestive material and language and allow additional advertising) on BBC America between 19 May and 14 July 2005. A special was made for Comic Relief and screened on 11 March 2005.

A second series of eight episodes started on Friday 31 March 2006 and finished on 19 May, the DVD for the first series having been released on 3 April. A ninth episode was filmed with the second series, which will be shown as a 90 minute long Christmas special later in the year (possibly earlier). [1] The DVD of the second series was released on 2 October. Both series will also be released as one box set.

The cast, crew and writers of Green Wing have shown no interest in creating a third series because of scheduling difficulties due to new projects being undertaken by the creators and talkbackTHAMES not having a big enough budget. [2]

Situation and plot

Template:Spoiler

The East Hampton Hospital Trust logo.

Tamsin Greig (pronounced 'Greg') plays surgical registrar Dr. Caroline Todd, a newcomer to the East Hampton Hospital Trust. Her colleagues include smarmy Swiss-born anaesthetist Dr. Guy Secretan (Stephen Mangan), high-flying and effortlessly cool surgeon Dr. "Mac" Macartney (Julian Rhind-Tutt), hapless house officer Dr. Martin Dear (Karl Theobald) and the irritatingly perfect Dr. Angela Hunter (Sarah Alexander).

Director of human resources Joanna Clore (Pippa Haywood) is carrying on an affair with pompous consultant radiologist Dr. Alan Statham (Mark Heap), which they persist in thinking is secret despite the fact that most hospital colleagues know about it. Oliver Chris plays Statham's student Boyce, whose failure to conceal his contempt for Statham progressively turns into outright bullying. Meanwhile, Joanna secretly adores IT specialist Lyndon (Paterson Joseph), although he can't stand her.

Joanna's team of human resources assistants also feature; Olivia Colman as forgetful mother-of-four Harriet, and Lucinda Raikes as Karen Ball, who suffers the bullying of fellow co-workers Naughty Rachel (Katie Lyons) and Kim Alabaster (Sally Bretton).

Michelle Gomez plays possibly the show's most absurd character, the sociopathic Scottish staff liaison officer Sue White, who will do anything to avoid work, and will do anything to win Mac's love. However, like most of the staff, Mac sees her as a total nutcase.

The first series features Caroline toying between Guy and Mac as to whom she really loves, with an envious Sue trying to stop any romance happening with Mac. Alan and Joanna's relationship deterioates as she attempts to go after Lyndon, while she also tries to keep quiet the fact that Martin is her son. Jealous of Joanna's lust for Lyndon, Alan temporarily turns to religion to find comfort, in the shape of chaplain Cordelia (Saskia Wickham), while Mac eventually finds a girlfriend in the shape of posh Emmy (Daisy Haggard). The series ends with Caroline and Mac finally realising they are meant to be together, and Guy finding out Joanna (whom he just slept with) is actually his mother as well as Martin's. This leads to a drunken rampage which leaves Guy, Mac and Martin trapped inside a precarious stolen ambulance in a literal cliffhanger ending.

Series two picks up eight weeks later with Mac in a coma after the accident, and Guy temporarily suspended. During his coma, Sue steals some of Mac's semen to attempt to impregnate herself. After Mac awakens, he is initially unable to remember his feelings for Caroline due to amnesia. Angela leaves the hospital to start a career in television, and Guy moves in as Caroline's replacement lodger. The arrival of Mac's ex-girlfriend Holly Hawkes (Sally Phillips) and her son puts Mac and Caroline's relationship again in jeopardy, as Guy realises he too has fallen in love with her. Harriet has an affair with Lyndon, while Karen and Martin briefly date. Joanna scares Alan by dressing her dwarf cousin up as a monster, though the plan backfires when Alan beats him to death in panic with a stuffed heron. The series ends with another cliffhanger, as Joanna and Alan go on the run in a camper van, while Caroline agrees to a proposal from Guy and Mac receives some very grave news.

Template:Spoiler Some news about a final Christmas Special has recently been realised. The episode is not Christmas related. In it Caroline and Guy attent the funeral of Angela, who left the show in series 2, and there is a wedding in the hospital. Template:Endspoiler

The making of Green Wing

The writers and crew

Green Wing was created and devised by Victoria Pile, who is also the casting director, one of the writers, the producer (with Peter Fincham as executive producer) and is involved in the editing, filming and post-production. She is also the creator of the all-woman sketch show Smack the Pony, noted for its unique style of women writing their own sketches, and showing they could be self-deprecating and sexy. Both Smack The Pony and Green Wing are known for being very surreal, which is somewhat increasingly common in British comedy.

Victoria Pile also describes Green Wing as being a continuation of Smack the Pony, and as "a sketch-meets-comedy-drama-meets-soap".[1] She originally wanted the show to cover the entire hospital, not just doctors but "porters and car park attendants and kitchen staff as well", but eventually decided that they had enough material with the eight main doctors and human resources workers.

The show has eight writers, each of whom had previously worked on Smack the Pony. They are Victoria Pile, Robert Harley, Gary Howe, Stuart Kenworthy, Oriane Messina, Richard Preddy, Fay Rusling and James Henry.

The show is directed by Tristram Shapeero and Dominic Brigstocke, who also directed Smack the Pony. Along with Victoria Pile, they contribute to the editing, which is used heavily in Green Wing. Sketches are sped-up or slowed-down to create comic effect, using body language to create humour.

The other notable member of the crew is Jonathan Whitehead, who wrote the music for the show (under the name Trellis), which plays heavily in the show. His work won him an RTS Craft & Design Award (See Awards). He has also written music for Smack the Pony.

The writing and production

First of all, the show needed a name. The title is said to have come from a small plastic green pixie with wings that was on top of Victoria Pile's computer monitor. This appears at the end of the credits on every show. It is also worth noting that one earns ones "green wings" by having sexual intercourse with someone who has a sexually transmitted disease.

Whereas most of the show is fantasy, the character names are related to people known to the writers, actors or other members of the crew. For example, Dr. Caroline Todd (Greig) is also the name of Victoria Pile's GP. Another possible example is the character Jake Leaf (Darren Boyd) who appears in series 2. His surname may come from Tamsin Greig's actual surname (she is married to the actor Richard Leaf). Parts of the hospital are also named after people. For example, "Fincham Ward" as mentioned in the episode, "Joanna's Birthday," is named after executive producer Peter Fincham.

Most of the actors were friends of Pile. Only two, Sarah Alexander (Angela) and Karl Theobald (Martin) had worked with her previously on Smack the Pony (Alexander as an actor and Theobald as a writer). Although each script is fully written, the actors are allowed to improvise and create their own jokes, frequently adding to what has already been written. One example was Stephen Mangan (Guy) who came up with the idea of Guy falling in love with Caroline. He wrote in an interview with the Sunday Times that, "‘Wouldn’t it be nice for him to actually fall in love with Caroline, rather than just be competing with Mac?’"[2] Rusling, Howe, Messina and Harley all have had speaking parts in the show, most notably Harley playing Charles the hospital's CEO. The show's crew often make appearances in the show as extras. Nearly everyone involved makes a small appearance. Writer James Henry appears in the background during Martin's exam in the episode, "Tests," for example.

Most of the filming was done at two hospitals, the Northwick Park Hospital in Middlesex and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke. However, some scenes such as those in Sue and Alan's offices (Gomez and Heap respectively) were filmed in a studio. The show uses a wide range of props, features animals, and also hires vehicles, with the notable exception of Julian Rhind-Tutt, who drives his own Ducati 1000DS motorbike. Some scenes such as the cliff-hanger scenes at the end of both series took several days to shoot. Other notable scenes production wise include the end of, "Caroline's First Day," in which Caroline (Greig) uses a ski-pole to try and make the, "Monster," go down. Greig actually ruined the toilet bowl.

Originally, the show had a half-hour pilot made a year before transmission that was never aired. Scenes from the pilot can easily be spotted in the first episode, "Caroline's First Day," due to the characters' appearance, most notably Stephen Mangan's and Julian Rhind-Tutt's haircuts.

Unused storylines and deleted scenes

Like many shows, Green Wing did have some other plotlines that were never used, or had some scenes that were cut from the show. Unused storylines included:-

  • Alan (Heap) having an eighty-year-old wife and grandchildren as old as him.
  • Guy (Mangan) suffering from impotence.

Scenes from Series 1 that were deleted have included:-

  • Angela (Alexander) dumping her boyfriend Liam, but not realising that he was very rich until after she did so. Caroline (Greig) tried to comfort her, and Angela replied that it was all right, because at least she was not Caroline.
  • Lyndon (Joseph) helping Caroline (Greig) after she gave her own description of what is going on with her computer. Caroline also compares Lyndon to a lion in a children’s book. This seemed to lead to a plot-line where Caroline fancied Lyndon.
  • During an operation, Guy (Mangan) and Mac (Rhind-Tutt) complain with each out about how they do their jobs. At the same time, Caroline sees the face of Winston Churchill inside a patient’s body.
  • A scene probably cut from the episode, "Tangled Webs," where Guy tells Martin (Theobald) that he can punch him to make up for lying about his exams, which he does. Guy then tells a well constructed lie to Caroline about his father being beaten up and how he hates violence.

These and other scenes are available on the Series 1 DVD.

Scenes from Series 2 that were deleted have included:-

Characters

Main characters

File:Caroline Mirror Green Wing Series 1.jpg
Dr. Caroline Todd (Greig)
  • Dr. Caroline Todd (Tamsin Greig) - The new and undervalued surgical registrar. When Caroline arrives at the hospital in the first episode, she is homeless, hopeless, hapless, and "under-deodorised". She is constantly embarrassing everyone around her, and most of the time embarrasses herself, sometimes by her fellow staff, but mostly by her own stupidity or bad luck. From making rude remarks to her co-workers when talking about sexism, to accidentally getting a pen-top stuck up her nose, there is not one thing Caroline has not done wrong at some point.


File:Guy Secretan - Green Wing - Series 1.jpg
Dr. Guy Secretan (Mangan)
  • Dr. Guillaume Valerie "Guy" Secretan (Stephen Mangan) - Arrogant, womanising and part Swiss, anaesthetist Guy is always on the look-out for a woman who might like him as much as he likes himself. Constantly talking about the members of staff he has done it with, he even spreads rumours that he slept with Caroline after her first day at work, and keeps league tables of the hospital's female staff (Caroline scoring nine for easiness). He is also the probable inventor of the sport Guyball (pronounced gheeball).





File:Dr. Macartney - Green Wing - Series 1.jpg
Dr. "Mac" Macartney (Rhind-Tutt)
  • Dr. "Mac" Macartney (Julian Rhind-Tutt) - The ever cool and professional surgeon, and quite possibly the nicest guy in the hospital (most of the time). Not much is known about Mac's background - even his first name is a mystery, though his former girlfriend Holly Hawkes nicknamed him "Paul". But non of which has seemed to effect his heart-throb status with the ladies - both in the hospital and on the other side of the TV screens. He is one of the friendlier members of staff, even helping out junior doctor Martin Dear, but Alan sees him as little more than a pain. His humour comes from his witty remarks, use of puns, subtle pranks, jokes and sarcasm, and his patronisation of Dr. Alan Statham.




File:Alan Stathem - Green Wing - Series 1.jpg
Dr. Alan Statham (Heap)
  • Dr. Alan Roderick Statham (Mark Heap) - Consultant radiologist and one of the oddest people working in East Hampton. Very kinky, stuttering and constantly mocked by everyone around him, Alan has been having a not-very-secret relationship with human resources director Joanna for some time now, and gets envious of other men trying to muscle in. He is unpopular with the junior doctors he is training, especially Boyce, who is constantly trying to wind him up and make life difficult, to the point of Alan questioning his own sanity.




File:Sue White - Green Wing - Series 1.jpg
Sue White (Gomez)
  • Susan "Sue" White (Michelle Gomez) - The most eccentric character in Green Wing. As staff liaison officer, Sue spends most of her time teasing and humiliating her colleagues, occasionally stalking them with either sexual advances or attempts at murder, and amusing herself with her own increasingly bizarre antics. She has many odd habits, the most disturbing probably being getting all her clothes from the "dead box" (a box of clothes that came from corpses), or regularly eating uncooked human umbilical cords from the Maternity ward.



File:Joanna Clore - Green Wing - Series 2.jpg
Joanna Clore (Haywood)
  • Joanna Yardley Clore (Pippa Haywood) - The mean and spiteful director of human resources. Married and divorced twice, forty-eight-year-old Joanna is irritated by her staff of Harriet, Rachel, Karen and Kim, her age, her relationship with Alan, and her two sons. She is constantly angry and rude, often resulting in her not getting anywhere in life. She constantly seeks love and sex, but her attitude gets her nowhere. She even threatens Martin with dismissal if he tells anyone that he is her son. Disastrously, she only discovered that she was also Guy Secretan's mother after she had slept with him.



File:Martin Dear - Green Wing - Series 1.jpg
Dr. Martin Dear (Theobald)
  • Dr. Martin Dear (Karl Theobald) - House Officer Martin, though caring and considerate, has difficulty in interacting with others. His mother Joanna ignores him, Guy (his half-brother) bullies him, and every woman (except Karen Ball) he comes into contact with shuns him. He is also not the most intelligent person in the hospital, and never can seem to get anything right, failing his exams constantly. He rides his scooter to work in order to (unsuccessfully) use it as a womanizing aid - regardless of the fact that he lives directly opposite the hospital.




File:Boyce - Green Wing - Series 2.jpg
Boyce (Chris)
  • Dr. J. Boyce (Oliver Chris) - Junior house officer (now house officer) who works with Alan, and indeed spends most of his time trying to make Alan's life miserable. Making comments on his sexuality, playing practical jokes, and using his secret relationship with Joanna as a weapon, he is what you might consider the office joker, except he has only one target. You might be forgiven for thinking that trying to think of new ways to weaken Alan's pomposity is his only purpose in life.




File:Dr. Angela Hunter Green Wing Series 1.jpg
Dr. Angela Hunter (Alexander)
  • Dr. Angela Hunter (Sarah Alexander) - The ex-senior registrar in paediatrics, seems to be absolutely perfect in everything she does. She had a steady relationship with boyfriend Liam, before she dumped him - only to find out he was a millionaire. She was good at juggling and played the harp at Grade 7 standard. Her only flaw was that, as Liam says, "she dances like a wolf". She lived as Caroline's lodger for a while, until she left the hospital to pursue a career in acting.

Minor characters



File:Harriet Schulenburg Green Wing Series 1.jpg
Harriet Schulenburg (Colman)
  • Harriet Schulenburg (Olivia Colman) - Works in the human resources department. Married to Ian, mother of four - Oscar, Jamie, Robbie (who is 'gay') and Stuart - and pregnant with a fifth, she is constantly trying to balance her work life with her personal life, not very successfully. She is always forgetting to pick someone up from school, or even just forgetting to put on a dress. Recently, she appears to be starting an affair with Lyndon, much to Joanna's annoyance.




File:Karen Ball Green Wing Series 1.jpg
Karen Ball (Raikes)
  • Karen Ball (Lucinda Raikes) - Works in the human resources department. Karen has had a string of unsuccessful relationships, and is constantly worried about her looks. Out of all the admin staff, she is the only one who ever does any real work, getting coffee for the rest, and getting rubbish advice from Rachel and Kim. Loved Martin, though when they went out, things didn't go as hoped.





File:Green wing rachel.jpg
Naughty Rachel (Lyons)
  • Naughty Rachel (Katie Lyons) - Works in the human resources department. Rachel is very dirty, cruel and nasty. If she isn't doing something perverted, she is being mean to Karen, or is outside smoking with Boyce. She also has a habit of licking bank notes because, as she claims, 90% of bank notes have cocaine residue on them.






File:Kim Alabaster Green Wing Series 1.jpg
Kim Alabaster (Bretton)
  • Kim Alabaster (Sally Bretton) - Works in the human resources department, has bad attitude towards life, and is somewhat foul-mouthed. She is constantly smoking and always cool. Most of her abuse is directed towards Karen. She and Boyce have a casual relationship.

Recurring guest characters

Main article: Recurring guest characters in Green Wing
  • Lyndon Jones (Paterson Joseph) - The cool and sexy head of IT, Lyndon likes to keep himself to himself, but many of the women fall at his feet. Joanna is besotted with him, although Lyndon is largely repulsed by her. Nevertheless, Alan is highly envious of him for being the object of Joanna's desire. He loves big pants, and therefore also loves Harriet, as hers are the biggest.
  • Dr. Holly Hawkes (Sally Phillips) - Mac's ex-girlfriend of six years, though she split up with him and told him she had aborted their child as it would be a "spanner in the works" for her career. She went on to marry another man and did in the end have a child, though she has since left her husband. She recently took up Angela's old post at the hospital, and falsely claimed her son was actually Mac's as well.
  • Ian, Oscar, Jamie, Robbie and Stuart Schulenburg - Harriet's family are always mentioned, but they rarely appear (Ian never appears). Harriet met Ian at an evening class, and since then their relationship has gone downhill. Of all the children, Robbie is the most troublesome. At the age of seven he is already "Gay", often pretends to be dead for several hours and was once banned from school for a week for, "Peeing on the Virgin Mary." Ian later thinks of leaving her for, "Rosey Pin-Legs Frizzy-Eyed Kendal" and finally throws Harriet out of the house after her affair with Lyndon.
  • Oliver (Ken Charles) - One of the few men who work in the human resources department. He has the bad habit of using office equipment for personal use. Regularly appears in the background of most episodes, though rarely has a speaking role.
  • Lady Emily "Emmy" Lewis Westbrook (Daisy Haggard) - An aristocratic physiotherapist whom Mac is dating towards the end of the first series, to the envy of Caroline and Sue. Rated number one in Guy's league table of women. She is often mistaken for another physiotherapist called Emmy Lewis Westbrook who stole her identity and has a bad professional reputation, as unearthed by Caroline in an embarrassing confrontation. After the accident in the ambulance, Mac can still remember his relationship with her (despite forgetting his feelings for Caroline). Has since left and moved to Sheffield.
  • Liam (Oliver Milburn) - Originally Angela's boyfriend, who considers himself to be one of the luckiest people around. Apparently very rich.
  • Cordelia Denby (Saskia Wickham) - The chaplain of East Hampton. When Alan falls out with Joanna in the middle of the first series, Alan meets Cordelia, and starts to fall in love with her, but she is indifferent to him.
  • Charles (Robert Harley) - The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of East Hampton Hospital Trust. Very little is known about him, and he is probably the most normal person working at the hospital. He was the auctioneer at the slave auction and was the head judge at Guy's tribunal. In the end credits, he is referred to as "Chief Executive" in the first series and "CEO" in the second, though his name is spoken by several characters.
  • Jake Leaf (Darren Boyd) - The hospital complimentary therapist. Joanna and Alan are two of his most regular patients. He has also asked Caroline out for a drink, though she refused at the time. She later accepted, though the night ended badly after she killed his 12-year-old tamagotchi, and Guy threw a Swiss army knife into his head. He has since been dumped.
  • Dr. Jeff Jennings (The Neurosurgeon) (Pip Torrens) - Jeff is put in charge of Mac's case after the crash. He is often harassed by Caroline, who wants to know if Mac will ever remember her. He hates giving out bad news.
  • Markus Guisler - A character that is never seen in the show, but is frequently mentioned by Guy. Markus, also known as, "The Big Austrian," is Guy's biggest rival in the world of Guyball, and one of its best players.

Other guests

  • Car Salesman (John Oliver) - Tries to sell a car to Joanna, but only gets abused and hit on when he says that none of the cars can make her look young, "As they are both just cars."
  • Lab Technician (Stephen Merchant) - Works in the path lab. Has a very sarcastic and dry sense of humour. In the end credits, "technician" is spelt with an extra "-ian" on the end. Whether it was deliberate or a mistake is not known.
  • Julian "Scissors" Bentley (Kevin Eldon) - A hit-barber whom Guy considers paying £200 to cut Mac's hair.
  • Just a Man (Nick Frost) - Just a man in the hospital bar that Guy talks to about the ambulance accident. He is one of many men Joanna has had a one night stand with.
  • Patrick the Director (Peter McDonald) Patrick is an Irish director that comes to make a documentary about the hospital. Currently making a program starring Angela in Toronto.

Other famous actors and actress who appear in Green Wing include Rosie Cavaliero, who appears in both series as different characters. She plays Teacher in "Slave Auction" and Voice Coach in Series 2, Episode 5.

Episodes

Template:Spoiler

Series 1

Main article: Green Wing (series 1)
  • Episode 1 - Caroline's First Day

Caroline arrives for her first day at work in a bad state, after spending the previous night in a car. She tries to figure out who is who: is Guy good or bad? It looks like he's bad after he lies about having a spare room in his flat.

  • Episode 2 - Rumours

After spending a sex-free night at Guy's, Caroline finds herself the subject of rumours spread by Guy himself. Elsewhere, Martin is trying to find a way to stop the cleaners moving his yoghurt and Mac discovers his former girlfriend, Holly, is getting married.

  • Episode 3 - Lodgers

Joanna is looking for some way to spice up her life, and new IT consultant Lyndon might be the answer. Caroline is looking for a lodger, but doesn't want it to be the perfect Angela. Also, Mac's fortunes get worse when he hears his that Holly is now pregnant.

  • Episode 4 - Joanna's Birthday

Joanna turns forty-eight, which is bad enough for her, but when a present that she thinks comes from Lyndon turns out to be from Alan, it gets worse. Caroline is horrified when she discovers a league table of all the women in the hospital kept by Guy, who shifts the blame to Mac when confronted.

  • Episode 5 - Housewarming Party

Caroline is holding her housewarming party, and Martin asks Sue for help finding some new clothes. During the party, Caroline ends up getting drunk and kissing both Guy and Mac (and Martin and Sue). Alan, on the other hand, is taking some of Boyce's advice on being mysterious in an attempt to impress Joanna.

  • Episode 6 - Tests

Joanna and Harriet visit the pathology lab both thinking they might be pregnant, Martin sits his exams, Mac goes for a promotion interview, and Caroline tries to remember what happened at the party. In the meantime, Alan steals a milk float.

  • Episode 7 - Tangled Webs

Caroline is getting even more confused about her relationships with Guy and Mac, and after a while, she goes out for the afternoon with Guy. After being dumped by Joanna, Alan finds comfort both in God and the hospital chaplain. Meanwhile, there’s a giant cardboard Jesus around the hospital...

  • Episode 8 - Slave Auction

There is a charity slave auction in East Hampton, with Caroline, Guy, Mac, Alan and Lyndon up for sale. Things are getting very complicated in the hospital. Martin is in love with Caroline, who is in love with Mac, but Sue also loves Mac, Mac loves someone in the physiotherapy department, Guy loves himself and pretends to love Caroline, Joanna loves Lyndon, and Lyndon likes Harriet's big pants.

  • Episode 9 - Emergency

It is Mac's last day - Caroline will stop at nothing to keep him working close to her, and Sue will stop at nothing to lure him to her bedroom. Alan is attacked from all sides, with Joanna trying to win him back, while Boyce projects a 30ft homoerotic picture of the consultant radiologist. Martin's failed attempt to stop his long lost half-brother sleeping with his mother leads to trouble with an ambulance, a cliff and a discussion on The Three Musketeers.

  • The Comic Relief Sketch (2005)

Mac fends off Sue's advances by saying he will only allow her to touch his ass if she can raise £10,000 for Comic Relief. Sue then proceeds to try and ask Martin, Joanna, Guy and Alan for the money, which she eventually manages to raise, though Mac runs off before she can get hold of him. The sketch is available online on YouTube in two parts - Part One and Part Two.

Series 2

Main article: Green Wing (series 2)
  • Episode 1

Mac is in an eight-week long coma after the accident with the ambulance. Guy has been temporarily suspended from work, but continues to irritate just about everyone. Mac wakes up, but seems to have amnesia and describes his relationship with Emmy but not the one with Caroline.

  • Episode 2

Caroline continues to cope with Mac's loss of memory (and their relationship). Guy has to cope without his driving licence but is given his job back. Alan has to cope without any sex whatsoever, while trying to convince Joanna that he's still having it.

  • Episode 3

A documentary crew have come to film East Hampton. Guy gave the tape of him and Joanna having sex to a priest, who was really Martin in disguise, and the tape ends up in the hands of Sue, who uses it as blackmail. Angela leaves the hospital to work in television.

  • Episode 4

The new paediatrics registrar turns out to be Mac's former girlfriend Holly. Mac has more than enough on his plate already, with Alan trying to get his unused parking space for his new car. Guy is forced into doing community service - painting walls and teaching school children how to play Guyball, and somehow he manages to become Caroline's lodger.

  • Episode 5

Caroline is not happy with Guy as her lodger (although he likes it a lot), but things get even worse when the characters hear that Holly never had an abortion, and that Mac's son Mackenzie is now about four. Alan is now entering politics, and it looks like Boyce might be able to help him. Joanna is angry about Lyndon spending a night with Harriet, and Martin meets a prostitute and becomes her pimp.

  • Episode 6

After the previous night, Guy has fallen for Caroline and becomes jealous when Jake takes her out on a date. Caroline in the meantime has separated from Mac, leaving him and Holly deciding how best to raise Mackenzie. Alan is very happy after winning an internet caption competition with 100% of the vote (seven people voted), but Joanna plans to use her dwarf cousin to scare him, a plan that backfires after Alan beats him to death with a stuffed heron.

  • Episode 7

Joanna and Alan's anxiety about the stuffed heron brings them back together. Sue discovers Holly has been lying about Mackenzie being Mac's son, and Holly leaves in disgrace. Just as Caroline and Mac are about to kiss, Sue announces that she is pregnant with his baby. Martin wins £3,000, Guy gets a tattoo, and Jake plays a joke on Guy by pretending to be an experienced Guyball player.

  • Episode 8

Joanna and Alan begin to believe that they can get away with anything, while Caroline receives proposals from Martin, Guy and Mac. As with series one, there is a "cliff hanger" to finish, this time involving Joanna Clore and Alan Statham on the run, although the main twist is Caroline meeting Guy at the train station instead of Mac who she had agreed to go away for the weekend with. Meanwhile Sue "gives birth" to the tune of the "Circle of Life", and Mac receives some very grave news about the future.

  • Christmas Special

It has been revealed[3] that a 90 minute long ninth episode was filmed in series 2, to be shown at Christmas [or perhaps earlier]. No plot details are known, apart from it not having any Christmas theme, though it is expected to tie-up any remaining plot threads as it is believed there are currently no plans for a third series. A BBC documentary, "Imagine" - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Studio,[4] showed a behind the scenes look of a scene where a few of the main characters (Caroline, Guy, Martin, Boyce, and Sue covered in black and holding an umbrella) are attending a funeral (characters Mac, Alan Statham, and Joanna Clore can't be seen at the service), which appears in this episode. It seems likely that it is Angela's funeral due to the fact that no one seems very upset at the death and the British sit-com newsletter let the cat out of the bag. Even though Mac was diagnosed with a terminal illness at the end of S2, he is far too popular a character for the writers to risk killing him off. [A popular theory is that Mac's test results were wrong, possibly doctored by Sue White, or that it was all a bad dream he was having.] Other possibilities for the funeral's subject include Alan, Joanna and Karen. There is also a wedding at the hospital. A popular prediction is that this is either Mac & Caroline's or Guy & Caroline, with the fans of either male character rooting for 'their man' to get the girl.


For lots of clips of the show, see www.youtube.com

Long-running jokes

Green Wing has a lot of jokes that constantly run through the program and reappear, the most famous of these being:

  • Guyball - A sport invented by Guy when he was at public school.
  • Hair - Jokes are often made about Caroline's masculine hair, Alan's moustache, Sue's "Squirrel" and Mac's "Lion's mane".
  • Caroline's constant embarrassment - Such as her failure with her relationships and her contstant accidents.
  • Boyce's practical jokes and bullying of Alan - From giving inane answers to questions to projecting a 30 foot tall image of Alan having gay sex.
  • Sue's visual gags - Such as installing an electronic sign telling Holly to "Fuck off" and her attempts to kill Caroline.
  • The operation scenes with Caroline, Guy and Mac - Such as operating with Geordie accents, playing quizzes, and holding philosophical debates.
  • Guy and Mac’s rivalry - They often play games such as "The Spoon of Destiny" and making bets, such as Mac's bet that Guy could not sleep with Joanna.
  • Guy bullying Martin - Guy often calls him "Fartin", makes him do small tasks such as fetching his suitcase, and once Guy squirted beer into Martin's ear and out of his mouth.
  • The games played by the human resources staff - Instead of working, they can be found playing hopscotch, or something bizarre such as ducking whenever a telephone rings.
  • Alan and Joanna's relationship - Alan's attempts to have sex with Joanna never really succeed, often leading to him resort to other measures, whereas Joanna is often trying to make Lyndon fall in love with her.

Cultural references

Main article: Cultural references in Green Wing

Green Wing has many references to famous songs, films, television programs, and sometimes plays. There have been references to The Kinks, The Italian Job, The Flintstones and The Importance of Being Earnest.

Comments and criticism

The show has somewhat of a mixed reaction. Many people like it for being original, funny, and breaking new ground. Several people have reviewed on the internet and on TV.com people have mostly given positive reviews.[5] One person from America said that it was, "Like South Park -- only live action.... and British."[6]

Much of the media has praised Green Wing. The Series 1 DVD has a list of quotes. The Evening Standard said that it was, "A comedy as physically adroit as it was verbally sharp," and The Guardian said that, "Channel 4’s hospital sitcom is the most innovative comedy since, well, The Office."[7] Matt Rudd of the Sunday Times wrote, whilst reviewing the Series 2 DVD that Green Wing was "…the best comedy series ever (yes, better than Fawlty Towers and, yawn, Only Fools and Horses.)[8]

Others have difficulty understanding the show. Some complain that an hour-long show is too long. There was also criticism on the first episode of Series 2, which many people thought was not very good. The Sunday Times TV critic A. A. Gill was one who disapproved, writing, "Then the new one began with a dream sequence. Oh my God, I could hardly believe my eyes. Was I asleep? No, it really was a dream sequence. Now, every 11-year-old knows dream sequences are the lowest form of plotting solution, lower than unexplained superpowers such as the ability to stop time or become invisible; even lower than a magic get-better potion. Within two minutes, Green Wing had destroyed itself, lost its assured grip on the cliff of comedy and tumbled into the abyss of embarrassing overacting, formless gurning and pointless repetition."[9]

Some people believe that the lack of patients in Green Wing might be a satirical reference on the National Health Service today. An article in The Word magazine read, "Now Labour has stealthily encouraged privatisation in far more areas than Thatcher ever managed, the NHS has found itself populated by tired, cynical loons who will do everything they can to grab 40 winks or get their rocks off at work because they don't know anyone else and never see their houses. And in true New Labour New Medical Profession-style there's not a trace of medical jargon nor a doctor-patient relationship in sight. The hospital staff are all, without exception, idiots. They have social problems, hygiene issues, chequered histories and very loose morals. And they don't do any work." [10] One possible example of this is, is Caroline and Mac trying to put some students off working in medicine in, "Housewarming Party".

DVD and book releases

DVDs

File:Green Wing - Series 1 and 2.jpg
The Green Wing Series 1 & 2 box set.
Region 2 DVD Name Release dates
Region 2 Region 1 Region 4 Contents Extras
Green Wing - The Complete First Series 3 April 2006 No information yet; some Region 2 DVDs found not to be region encoded. No information yet; some Region 2 DVDs found not to be region encoded. All 9 episodes in a 3 disc set in a bespoke digipak with translucent slipcase. Deleted scenes, Audio Commentaries with Cast & Crew (Episodes 1, 2, 5 & 9 only), "Behind The Scenes" Featurette, Cast & Crew Biographies
Green Wing - The Complete Second Series October 2 2006 [3] [4] No information yet. No information yet. All 8 episodes in a 3 disc set in a bespoke digipak with translucent slipcase. Deleted scenes, Audio Commentaries with Cast & Crew (Episodes 4 (two versions), 6 & 8 only), "Behind The Scenes" Featurette, Cast & Crew Biographies
Green Wing - Series 1 & 2 October 2 2006 [5] [6] No information yet. No information yet. A box set containing both the series 1 and series 2 DVD's. The same as series 1 and 2.
Green Wing - The Christmas Special Yet to be broadcast. Yet to be broadcast. Yet to be broadcast. No information yet. No information yet.

Books

File:Green Wing - Scripts 1.jpg
Green Wing - The Complete First Series Scripts.

Books of the scripts are to be released. The first series scripts are to be released as Green Wing: The Complete First Series Scripts in paperback on 22 October 2006 (ISBN 1-845764-21-8).[7][8] The book also contains bonus material made exclusively for the book and previously unseen photos.

According to the British Sitcom Website, the scripts for the second series are to be released in May 2007.[9]

Awards

Winner

  • Pippa Haywood - Best Female Comedy Performance - Rose d'Or May 2005 [11]
  • Tamsin Greig - Best Comedy Performance - RTS 2005 [12]
  • Green Wing - The Pioneer Audience Award - BAFTA 2005 [13]
    • This is the only BAFTA award that is voted on by the general public. It was also the first time the award was given out, making Green Wing the first show to win a BAFTA voted by the public.
  • Jonathan Whitehead - Best Original Score - RTS Craft & Design Awards 2005 [14]

Nominated

  • Green Wing - Best Situation Comedy & Comedy Drama - RTS 2005
  • Victoria Pile & The Green Wing Team - Best Comedy Writer - RTS 2005
  • Tamsin Greig - Best Comedy Performance - BAFTA 2005
  • Green Wing - Best Situation Comedy - BAFTA 2005
  • Billy Sneddon and Lucien Clayton - Entertainment and Situation Comedy Tape and Film Editing - RTS Craft & Design 2005
  • Green Wing - People's Choice Award - British Comedy Awards 2004
  • Green Wing - People's Choice Award - British Comedy Awards 2005
  • Tamsin Greig - Best TV Comedy Actress (For both Green Wing and Love Soup)- British Comedy Awards 2005 [15]

See also

Other

Recently Channel 4 has started one of its famous Top 50 polls, for the 50 Greatest Comedy Characters. In it, Sue White and Dr. Alan Statham (marked as "Mark Heap - Green Wing") are possible choices. You can also vote for email other Green Wing characters to the poll if you wish.

YouTube contains a lot of clips from Green Wing which people have recorded [10]. They include two scenes from Imagine - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Studio, the Comic Relief sketches, the Series 2 Trailers, interviews with Oliver Chris (Boyce), Stephen Mangan (Guy) and Julian Rhind-Tutt (Mac), and some deleted scenes from Series 2, including Alan urinating in Sue's office, and Guy talking about his days in a band.

Some fans who still want a third series started their own petition at www.petitionspot.com on 21 April 2006. So far, around 2,200 people have signed it.

References

  1. ^ Green Wing "microsite" interview with Victoria Pile
  2. ^ Sunday Times He’s earned his wings, interview with Stephen Mangan 9 July 2006
  3. ^ Green Wing - Latest News - British Sitcom Guide
  4. ^ "Imagine" - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Studio - BBC Programme Catalogue
  5. ^ Green Wing Show and Episode Reviews - TV.com
  6. ^ www.tv.com Review by, "Trendsetter."
  7. ^ Green Wing - The Complete First Series DVD realised 4 April 2006.
  8. ^ Green Wing Series 2 DVD review in the Sunday Times by Matt Rudd, 1 October 2006.
  9. ^ "Doctor! It’s a sickly shade of green" Criticism of Green Wing Series 2 by A. A. Gill, writing for the Sunday Times 2 April 2006.
  10. ^ The Word, Issue 39, Published May 2006, "Nurse! The screens!" Page 133
  11. ^ Rose d'Or award list May 2005
  12. ^ RTS Winners and Nominations list 2005
  13. ^ BAFTA Winners & Nominations List 2000 - 2005
  14. ^ RTS Craft & Design Awards 2004/5
  15. ^ List of British Comedy Awards winners and nominations 1990 - 2005
Wikiquote has quotations related to Green Wing (series 1).
Wikiquote has quotations related to Green Wing (series 2).
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