Mistresses (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = Mistresses


caption =
show_name_2 =
genre = Serial drama
creator = SJ Clarkson and Lowri Glain
writer = Rachel Pole
Richard Warlow
Harriet Braun
Catrin Clarke
director = SJ Clarkson
Philip John
Peter Hoar
creative_director =
developer =
presenter =
starring = Sarah Parish
Sharon Small
Shelley Conn
Orla Brady
Raza Jaffrey
Adam Rayner
Patrick Baladi
Max Brown
Adam Astill
Anna Torv
voices =
narrated =
theme_music_composer =
opentheme =
endtheme =
composer =
country = UK
language = English
num_series = 1
num_episodes = 6
list_episodes =
executive_producer = Matt Arlidge
Douglas Rae
Lucy Bedford
co_exec =
producer = Lowri Glain
supervising_producer =
asst_producer =
co-producer = BBC America
editor =
story_editor =
location =
cinematography =
camera =
runtime = 60 minutes
network = BBC One
picture_format =
audio_format =
first_run =
first_aired = 8 January 2008-
last_aired =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
related =
website = http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/mistresses
production_website =
imdb_id = 0969007
tv_com_id = 75074

Mistresses is a British serial drama television programme that follows the lives of four women and their involvement in an array of illicit and complex relationships. The programme was written by Rachel Pole, Richard Warlow, Harriet Braun and Catrin Clarke and filmed in Bristol by Ecosse Films for BBC Drama, Wales. [cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/mistresses/ | title=BBC - Drama - Mistresses | publisher=BBC] The first series was broadcast on Tuesday nights at 9.00 pm on BBC One from 8 January 2008 to 12 February 2008, for a six-episode run.

The BBC confirmed on 13 March 2008 that the show has been recommissioned for a second series [cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/03_march/13/mistresses.shtml | title=BBC - Press Office - More affairs of the heart on BBC One as Mistresses returns | publisher=BBC] [cite web | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/13/mistresses.return | title=Mistresses to return to BBC1 next year, says Ecosse Films | publisher=guardian.co.uk] after actress Sharon Small (who plays Trudi in the drama) had announced the fact on the 16 February 2008 edition of Saturday Kitchen.

An American version of the show has also been commissioned for the 2009 pilot season. This will star Holly Marie Combs, Brooke Burns, Rochelle Aytes, Camille Sullivan, Niall Matter, Sarah Glendening, and Alex Ferris.

Main characters

Katie Rowden (Sarah Parish) is a GP who has been having a secret affair with her terminally ill patient, John, who she helps to end his own life. When his son, Sam (Max Brown), realises his father had been having an affair, he confides in Katie, not realising her involvement. Fearful that Sam will find out the truth, Katie lets her friend Trudi into her secret and confesses she is scared about losing her job or even going to prison.

Trudi Malloy (Sharon Small) is a 9/11 widow and mother of two, who is convinced her husband, Paul, might still be alive. She keeps getting mysterious, silent calls from public phones and has wondered whether these are from Paul. In the first episode she receives a cheque from a 9/11 bereavement fund for US$ 2 million, worth around £1 million. At the same time, she starts seeing Richard (Patrick Baladi), a single father who has recently moved to the area. Later on in the series a woman arrives announcing that she was her late husband's lover while he was working in New York and that they have a son together.

Jessica Fraser (Shelley Conn) does not want to be tied down and is a misstress to many, including her boss Simon (Adam Astill). In the first episode, she is assigned the project of organising a lesbian wedding, much to her annoyance given her own views on marriage.

Siobhan Dillon (Orla Brady) is a successful lawyer who is trying for a baby with her husband Hari (Raza Jaffrey). She is tired of his obsession in her getting pregnant, which is taking the passion out of sex. In the first episode, she flirts with and eventually has sex with her colleague Dominic (Adam Rayner). Later on when Siobhan and Hari go for a fertility appointment the doctor finds she is already pregnant. But is it Hari's or Dominic's baby?

Episode Summaries

Episode 1

Aired 8 January 2008

As the friends gather for GP Katie's birthday, they tease her about her terminally single status. Little do they know that Katie has been having an affair with John, a terminally ill patient, for two years.

Baby-making sex with husband, Hari, is losing its appeal for lawyer Siobhan. However, the chemistry between Siobhan and her colleague, Dominic, is undeniable. As the tension mounts, they find themselves drawn into a passionate embrace.

Trudi, a 9/11 widow, receives a cheque for $2m. She's struggled to come to terms with her husband's death, but settling her compensation brings closure. Maybe it's time to move on?

Jessica, an events organiser, is handed a lesbian wedding to arrange. She and Alex, one of the brides, form an instant dislike. But when Simon, Jessica's boss and (married) lover, offers to take the job off her hands, she is strangely reluctant.

Bereft after John's funeral, Katie's carefully constructed existence is threatened when his son, Sam, arrives at work with a note from his father's lover. She denies all knowledge of the affair, but her secret may not stay secret for long...

Episode 2

Aired 15 January 2008

Siobhan is wracked with guilt following her passionate liaison with Dominic and confesses all to Jessica. She claims it won't happen again, but the chemistry between them is undeniable and Siobhan finds it hard to ignore.

Richard asks Trudi out to dinner, but it doesn't go to plan and they have an awkward, stilted date. Overcome by nerves, Trudi spends dinner talking about her husband, Paul. They leave, embarrassed and self-conscious, unsure what will happen next.

Hari and Siobhan consult a doctor regarding their inability to conceive, but are distraught to learn that Hari is infertile. Hurt and angry, he shuts Siobhan out and claims there is no point in having sex now. Back at the office, a distraught and rejected Siobhan is again seduced by Dominic.

Katie takes Sam to see an exhibition of architectural designs in an effort to convince him to return to college. When Sam asks her to inscribe a book, she feels threatened and refuses, suspecting he may know her secret. However, desperate to make up for offending her, Sam invites Katie for dinner.

After trying to distract herself, Katie finally capitulates and goes to Sam's house. They kiss but, appalled by what has happened, Katie leaves as abruptly as she arrived.

Jessica takes lesbian bride-to-be, Alex, to try on her wedding suit. Alex is as moody as ever, but Jessica convinces her to try on some wedding dresses. In fits of Champagne-fuelled giggles, they kiss.

Episode 3

Aired 22 January 2008

After a steamy night of passion, Alex suggests to Jessica that perhaps she shouldn't get married, but Jessica's look of shock quickly changes her mind. Alex's show of love for Lisa at their wedding, however, fills her with jealousy. She gets drunk and ends up going home with another wedding guest, Stella.

Sam continues to pursue Katie, who decides to take him off her patient list to avert suspicion. In an attempt to forget about him, Katie hooks up with a man in a bar but her feelings for Sam stop her from sleeping with him. Unable to deny their attraction, however, she calls Sam over to her place.

Terrified by Richard's amorous advances, Trudi panics about her body and resorts to using an instant inch-loss wrap before he comes over for a romantic afternoon. Much to Trudi's horror, however, Richard arrives early to find her mummified and cringing with embarrassment.

Siobhan, meanwhile, feels shut out by Hari and continues her liaison with Dominic. Jessica confronts her about the affair but Siobhan tells Jessica to mind her own business. A shocking discovery, however, soon changes everything.

Elsewhere, Trudi traces another silent phone call to a nearby hotel. Discovering they are just crank calls from the son of a hotel guest, Sally convinces her to put the past behind her and throw herself headlong into her relationship with Richard. But, when Sally turns up at Trudi's house with a terrible revelation, Trudi finds herself more confused than ever.

Episode 4

Aired 29 January 2008

Despite Trudi's disapproval, Katie throws herself into an affair with Sam. She's falling for him, but her joy at their relationship is tempered by her burdensome secret.

Trudi refuses to believe that Sally was Paul's mistress and demands proof. When Sally presents Trudi with a pair of Paul's cufflinks, she is dumbstruck. However, the girls dismiss it as the mark of a fraudster and tell her to steer clear.

Unaware of Trudi's personal crisis, Richard attempts to charm her back into the bedroom. However, she rejects his advances and their relationship begins to take a turn for the worse.

Having accepted his infertility, Hari arranges to see a specialist. Knowing she's already pregnant, and fearing discovery, Siobhan doesn't turn up for the appointment and Hari is furious. Siobhan comes to her senses when she realises she has no future with Dominic and she goes to the clinic, knowing her pregnancy will be revealed.

Elsewhere, after waking up hung-over and confused in Stella's flat, Jessica is feeling hugely unfulfilled. In an attempt to determine her sexuality, she arranges a threesome with her boss, Simon, and Stella but, after another disappointing night she consults with Katie who has a surprising diagnosis: she's in love.

Meanwhile, Katie is unable to carry on lying and finally confesses to Sam about her relationship with his father. Sam is furious and storms off, leaving Katie fraught, confused and alone.

Episode 5

Aired 5 February 2008

Although Siobhan believes that Hari need never know of her affair, having to confront her guilt on a daily basis becomes too much, and she persuades Duggan to promote Dominic into another section.

Worried about the impact of her confession on Sam, Katie desperately tries to contact him. When he turns up in the middle of the night asking searching questions, she buckles and tells him the full truth about the circumstances surrounding his father's death.

Meanwhile, Trudi tries to persuade Richard to make their "break-up" a "break", but he isn't interested. Jessica's love life is no better when Alex shuns her advances at a business lunch, leaving her feeling hurt and worthless.

Trudi spends some time with Sally and little Paul. She feels responsible for them and contemplates giving Sally a share of her windfall. Unable to move on from Richard, Trudi determines to win him back – although it ends up being more arduous than she ever imagined.

At work, Jessica has a new assignment. She finds it far from exciting – until she arrives and sees that Simon has played Cupid.

Elsewhere, an excited Hari takes Siobhan on a big baby shop but, as the pressure mounts, she can no longer keep up the pretence and finally comes clean.

Trudi's good nature gets the better of her but, as she waits to give Sally and little Paul a cheque, she makes an appalling discovery.

Episode 6

Aired 12 February 2008

Siobhan tries to sort out her relationship with Hari, and even considers getting the baby terminated to earn his forgiveness. Jessica has to deal with Alex's choices on her Birthday. Trudi meets Paul and decisions are made about the children. Meanwhile, Katie is being trialled about her supposed love affair as Sam's mother claims she helped kill her husband with an overdose of morphine without her consent.

Viewing Figures

DVD Releases

International broadcasters

Australia

"Mistresses" began airing on Channel Seven in Australia on Tuesday, 29 April 2008 at 9.30pm. It rated 678,000 viewerscite web |url=http://blogs.sunherald.com.au/whoweare/archives/2008/05/the_who_we_are_1.html |title= The Sun Herald - Tribal Mind |accessdate=1 May |accessyear=2008 |publisher= The Sun-Herald] , ranking only third in its timeslot, and based on the weak rating, Seven moved it to 10.30pm the following week.

Ireland

"Mistresses" airs on RTÉ One on Mondays at 21:30.

Russia

"Mistresses" aired on Channel One from Monday to Thursday at 23:30 from 30 July to 7 August 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/mistresses BBC Mistresses page] at Bbc.co.uk.
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/05_may/18/mistresses.shtml BBC Press Office release] at Bbc.co.uk taken from 18 May 2007, during filming of Mistresses.
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0969007 Mistresses page] at IMDB.