Vicious

Series overview

Vicious is set around the lives of aging partners Freddie and Stuart, an aging gay couple in a Covent Garden flat with their elderly dog Balthazar. Freddie was a struggling actor and Stuart worked in a bar when they first met, but the latter has retired and now manages the household while Freddie still takes acting jobs occasionally and waits for his unlikely breakthrough. But over their 48-year relationship, the couple have developed a love/hate relationship of hurling insulting, spiteful remarks with underlying compassion and loyalty. They frequently host their friends — Violet, Penelope, and Mason — while hurling antagonising comments towards each other and their friends, and making sure that their dog is still breathing.

Cast and characters

Ian McKellen as Freddie Thornhill, the sarcastically witty, theatrical, and vain partner of Stuart for 48 years. Originally from Wigan (like McKellen in real life), Freddie is an actor with intermittent success who fancies his career holding more success than it truly is with bit roles on Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife. Although he spends most his time hurling insults at others, Freddie also holds deep insecurities and demonstrates a more vulnerable side with Ash, whom he and Stuart forge a paternalistic relationship with. After becoming engaged following 49 years together — and a brief split after Freddie lies about getting an acting job that they need to fund the ceremony — Freddie and Stuart wed in the series two finale.

Derek Jacobi as Stuart Bixby, the flamboyant, mild-mannered yet razor-sharp partner of Freddie for 48 years. Originally from Leytonstone (like Jacobi in real life), and having managed a bar at some point years earlier, Stuart dutifully manages the household with routine and social formality. He can nonetheless easily match Freddie's snarly insults, and hurl snide remarks to their friends just as easily. Initially attracted to the much younger Ash upon meeting him, both he and Freddie form a paternalistic bond with him and integrate them into their social circle. He has a close relationship with his mother — whom he did not tell of his sexuality or of his relationship until the series one finale — and is distraught when she dies at his wedding to Freddie.

Frances de la Tour as Violet Crosby, the couple's outgoing, cheerfully boisterous friend of many years. Just as outspoken and blunt as the group, Violet often displays promiscuous behavior — particularly toward the younger Ash — that highlights her misfortunate romantic choices, such as her marriage to the low-life Jasper in series two. While sometimes making coarse or aggressive remarks about Violet, Freddie and Stuart do actually care for her well-being, such as when she is fleeced by her internet boyfriend Ignacio in Argentina and the elongated absence of her low-life husband Jasper, whom she decides to divorce when he makes a scene at Freddie and Stuart's wedding.

Iwan Rheon as Ashley “Ash” Weston, Freddie and Stuart's friendly, grounded new upstairs neighbor in his twenties. Coming from a troubled background — both his parents are mentioned to be imprisoned — Ash forms a father-son bond with the couple and sees them as role models. He quickly integrates himself into the couple's social group, becoming the target of aggressive romantic attention from Violet, and demonstrates protectiveness of the couple and jealousy of anyone who threatens to supplant his placement in their lives. In the finale, Ash is offered a four-year grant scholarship for a New York university and accepts it at the behest of Freddie and Stuart, reluctantly saying good-bye to them.

Guest cast

Series 1

Alexandra Roach as Chloe, the quirky vegan girlfriend of Ash. Despite her seemingly squeaky clean relationship with Ash, the cracks begin to show at a dinner party held by Ash's neighbours Freddie and Stuart, as she continually witnesses Freddie and Stuart and becomes increasingly drunk. Eventually, she mouths off at Freddie, who is defended by Stuart, who then orders Chloe to leave. She and Ash later break up.

Hazel Douglas as Mildred. Mildred is the mother of Stuart, who frequently chats to her on the phone not out of choice, but necessity. She has no idea of Stuart's relationship with Freddie, despite the fact that they have lived together for nearly 50 years, and not only that, she is constantly vying for grandchildren from Stuart. Eventually, when Stuart's upstairs neighbour Ash accidentally invites Mildred to Freddie and Stuart's anniversary party, Stuart chooses to come out to her, causing her to collapse. She thankfully recovers, and accepts Freddie and Stuart's relationship.

Series 2

Georgia King as Jess. Jess is Ash's new girlfriend, and while Ash tries to introduce her to his surrogate family, the introduction turns weird as everyone appears to be playing a part. After the whole facade is dropped, Ash introduces Jess officially to his father-figure Freddie and his partner Stuart, and their friends Violet, Penelope, and Mason. Jess settles well into Ash's circle, and when they go to ballroom dancing classes, the whole group tags along. Freddie gives Ash his mother's wedding ring to propose to Jess with. However, Jess turns Ash down because she doesn't love him. Freddie later uses the same ring to propose to Stuart.

Celia Imrie as Lilian. Lilian is Violet's wealthy sister, and they do not share a good relationship because Lilian constantly looks down upon Violet. Violet lies to Lilian that she too has become rich after marrying Jasper. In reality, Violet and Jasper are estranged. Violet's good friends come together when Lilian drops by to spend time with her, with Stuart playing Jasper, and Stuart's partner Freddie playing a butler. The plan is very nearly ruined when Violet, Stuart, and Freddie's friend Ash comes for a visit with his girlfriend Jess, but they pass Ash off as "Jasper"'s son from a previous marriage. Lilian confesses to Violet that her husband is actually dead and that she is flat broke. A hypocritical Violet then orders Lilian to leave, and as such, Lilian never discovers Violet's true circumstances.

Episodes

Special (2016)

A one-off special, and was the show's final episode. It aired 19 June 2016 in the US, and 16 December 2016 in the UK.

Broadcast

The first series of Vicious premiered on 29 April 2013 with 5.78 million viewers and ended on 10 June 2013 with 2.77 million viewers. The DVD of series was released on 20 November 2013. The first series premiered in the United States on various PBS stations on Sunday, 29 June 2014.

On 23 August 2013, it was confirmed that Vicious had been renewed for a second series, which began airing on 1 June 2015 and concluded on 6 July 2015. The second series began airing in the United States on PBS on 23 August 2015.

In December 2015 ITV announced the series was cancelled and would end with a special finale in 2016. The hour long series finale was recorded at a live performance on 23 December 2015 with a rehearsal the previous day, at The London Studios.

The finale aired on PBS in America on 19 June 2016 and on ITV on 16 December 2016.

On 14 May 2016, McKellen and Jacobi appeared as Freddie and Stuart during the Eurovision Song Contest where they are seen watching and reacting to the contest.

Reception

Vicious was met with generally positive reviews from critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an 80% "Fresh" rating based on ten reviews.

Keith Watson of Metro wrote a favourable review, calling Vicious "nostalgic fun".

Morgan Jeffery of Digital Spy wrote a mixed review, finding the show an "uncomfortable blend of coarse humour and '70s sitcom-style cosiness". Describing the script as "lazy", he thought that the show couldn't "decide if it wants to be edgy and rude or traditional fun for all the family", but praised the "strong" cast, ultimately awarding the series two out of five stars.

Kevin O'Sullivan of the Sunday Mirror called it a "horrible half-hour of 1970s-style net curtain cosiness" in a negative review of ITV's Monday night comedy offerings. In a 29 April 2013 review in the Telegraph, Benjamin Secher claimed it is "the least funny new comedy in recent memory", giving it 1 out of 5 stars. He also wrote that "the script fell disastrously flat". Writing in the London Evening Standard, Brian Sewell described the series as "a spiteful parody that could not have been nastier had it been devised and written by a malevolent and recriminatory heterosexual".

The series was twice nominated for the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series while the finale was nominated for Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series.

DVD release

The first series of Vicious was released on DVD in the UK on 20 November 2013 by 4DVD. The second series was released on 13 July 2015. Neither release contains the 2013 Christmas special which remains unreleased on DVD in the UK so far, though it is available on the season 1 releases in Australia and the US. The finale special was only released on DVD in the US.