The Flatshare (Series based on Beth O’Leary’s Novel): Review
The Flatshare, a new series on Paramount Plus, is based on the 2019 novel of the same name written by Beth O’Leary.
In the novel, two attractive young people are forced to share a flat and bed, but not at the same time. After all, if the two people in a romantic comedy need some crazy premise to bring them together, then it is only natural that the housing crisis will play a role in the romantic comedies that are broadcast in 2022.
The individuals referred to in the title aim to live completely different lives out of the same London apartment that has one bedroom in order to avoid the hassles associated with traditional co-living arrangements.
While night-shift hospice worker Leon (Anthony Welsh) uses the flat to get some sleep during the weekdays, online magazine writer Tiffany (Jessica Brown Findlay) has it to herself during the evenings and weekends.
Leon spends Saturday and Sunday with his girlfriend Kay. Tiffany has it to herself during the weekdays and weekends.
Both parties have good reasons for agreeing to their creative arrangement. After Tiffany’s separation with Justin (Bart Edwards), the apparent love of her life, she is unable to afford to rent a whole apartment by herself.
Meanwhile, Leon is putting money aside to cover his brother Richie’s legal bills, as Richie is currently incarcerated for the crime of armed robbery.
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The Flatshare (Series): Tiffany and Leon
Tiffany and Leon are left to iron out the details of their timeshare on the fly despite the fact that the broad strokes of their timeshare have barely been agreed to.
Their conflicts about fridge shelf space and replacing loo roll will be familiar to a significant portion of The Flatshare’s target millennial viewership because they take place primarily through the use of post-it notes as their mode of communication.
Certainly, as Tiffany went about her business in East London, showing up to the workplace of the self-consciously edgy magazine for which she works and stocking Leon’s refrigerator with organic milk that she could not possibly buy, I had the distinct impression that I was being keenly observed.
The Flatshare adheres to tried-and-true plot devices, but the framework of the show consists of only six episodes, so there is plenty time to get to know the characters as well.
Tiffany may be a little arrogant and self-absorbed at times, but at her core, she is caring and creative.
She is especially attached to her two best friends, Maia and Mo. Leon, on the other hand, is more conscientious. He is resolved to demonstrate his brother’s innocence and devoted to the hospice residents he cares for, particularly Holly, who is 13 years old and has made the decision to live her life to the fullest, despite the likelihood that it will not be a very long one.
The two may not realize it, but they are more complementary to one another than they appear on the surface.
The dissolution of Tiffany’s relationship is having an effect on her work, while Leon’s career is getting in the way of his personal life.
If only they could shed some light on each other’s individual areas of ignorance, wouldn’t that be wonderful? Be careful what you wish for, because when Tiffany picks up a phone call from Richie in prison and listens to him sell his story to her magazine, it is the first time that their lives will intersect in person.
Cue the good intentions, the crossed wires, and the conclusion that drives the plot forward.
The Flatshare (Series based on Beth O’Leary’s Novel): Who Is Justin?
The fact that Tiffany’s ex-boyfriend Justin has re-emerged into the picture is a source of both emotional and practical distress.
His emotionally abusive behavior creates some of the most compelling and subtle scenes in the series; less believable is an elaborate weekend away in Brighton, set up by Holly as a plot to manufacture romance between the Tiffany and Leon.
The Flatshare is an example of a paint-by-numbers romance, but it has enough brilliant moments to make up for any shortcomings caused by its formulaic nature.
Tiffany makes careful to stuff the neatly twiddled forkful of spaghetti entré into her mouth before storming out on a date with her ex.
She chews it in an inelegant and roundly eradicating any hint of dainty leading lady (but emerging all the more adorable for it).
It is my pleasure to report that not only do Findlay and Welsh do a very good impression of two people in love, but that I am in love with them both.
Romantic comedies, for better or for worse, live or die on the attractiveness of their leads and the chemistry between them: I am pleased to report that not only do Findlay and Welsh do a very good impression of two people in love, but that I am in love with them both.
Findlay’s flighty Tiffany is brought back to earth by Welsh’s serious Leon, and the characters do a remarkable job of making the admittedly strange communication method of post-it notes feel romantic rather than merely ineffective.
Because The Flatshare was a best-seller, the adaptation had a high bar to meet, and by all accounts, it did so with flying colors, thanks to excellent casting, well-defined characters, and just the right amount of unexpected spaghetti plot twists to keep viewers guessing. Consider this challenge accepted.
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The Flatshare (Rom Com): Review
I realize that I am arriving a little bit late to the party. But if I read every book that generates PR buzz, then, to tell you the truth, I’ll probably end up being disappointed quite a bit.
However, O’Leary’s debut romantic comedy, which became a top seller in 2019, stands up to all of the expectations.
A unique and entertaining novel, The Flatshare is also a charming and unforgettable romantic story.
It is as if all of my favorite ingredients were combined in a bowl in the precise amounts required to produce a rainbow cake that rises to perfection and is airy and fluffy in the inside while retaining those yummy crispy bits on the exterior.
To begin, this would be a terrific beginning for a romantic comedy. This “new” assumption is rendered much more realistic by the larger background that has been created.
O’Leary expertly conveys the intimacy of leaving notes (and the delight in finding them) as well as the drastically different personalities of her major characters through alternating first-person narratives.
This is accomplished without sacrificing the overall flow of the story. The notes that Leon keeps, as well as his internal narrative, are abrupt and matter-of-fact.
Believe that being Tiffy must require a lot of energy on a daily basis. Even in the form of notes, she seems to exert a great deal of effort.
While Tiffy’s are more open-ended and conversational.
My dad often reminds me that “Life is never simple,” and I couldn’t agree more. This is an aphorism that he likes to use frequently.
In point of fact, I believe that to be wrong. You never feel glad for being well until you’re sick, and you never appreciate your tights drawer until you rip a pair and have no spares. Life is frequently straightforward, but you don’t realize how straightforward it is until it becomes extremely complicated.
One thing that unites the two, though, is an underlying sense of genuine concern and goodness. It did take me some time to get used to reading Leon’s nearly short, note-like thinking, but once I did, I found it very interesting.
The Flatshare (Series): Characters
Tiffy and Leon are extremely charming leads (unusually, almost equally so), but the supporting cast of The Flatshare are also something remarkable in their own right. It is difficult to choose a favorite because each of the characters is portrayed with such efficiency and skill. However, Leon’s clever young hospice patient Holly ranks quite highly among them. It is difficult to remain unmoved when listening to the words of wisdom that come from the lips of babes:
It’s always a good idea to be polite. You are capable of being both powerful and kind. You are not required to choose either one or the other.
However, in the same vein as one of my all-time favorite romantic comedies, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, the way in which it examines really serious topics is what lifts this novel to the category of emotional and memorable works of literature.
While depicting the impact that dread and worry can have on even the best of us, O’Leary manages to strike a deft balance between humor, subtlety, and solemnity in his novel The Flatshare. It recognizes that terrible things can happen to decent people and serves as a reminder of the importance and poignancy that can be found in the smallest of things—even in companionable quiet.
The Flatshare, written by Beth O’Leary, is an inspiring and uplifting celebration of goodness and individuality. I urge you to give this book a few days of your time so that it can bring some welcome warmth into your life.
The Flatshare (Series based on Beth O’Leary’s Novel): Details on Season 1
Sharing is almost the only way for young people with low-paying jobs to break into London’s notoriously difficult rental market.
This is especially true for those who are just starting out in their careers. It is cutthroat, it is expensive, and it will completely shatter any standards that you have (especially related to hygiene). Additionally, it serves as a rite of passage.
And much like with bad dates, everyone has at least one story about a problematic roommate or roommate experience. Everyone.
My first roommate experience was with three little boys, one of whom believed that cleaning meant letting milk stains on the floor dry naturally.
Then there was the guy who would change his voice depending on who he was talking to: when he spoke to me, he used a falsetto, and when he spoke to my other male housemate, he used a laddish bants.
The pervert who wouldn’t lock the toilet door or turn on the lights, allowing us to unexpectedly catch him in the act of flashing in the opposite direction.
The young lady who made a fuss about rodents while sleeping next to a pile of overflowing trash bags.
The fanatic for healthy living who let mountains of greens to rot while leaving putrid cucumber juice in the refrigerator crisper.
The cheapskate who sent an invoice for using his toilet paper, based on the number of layers used.
However, despite the fact that all of these individuals were brought to my doorway on a conveyor belt powered by Gumtree and Spareroom, I was only required to share the flat and never my room.
The pleasure of having my own personal space came at an additional cost to me. However, not everyone is able to.
In the first season of the original series The Flatshare, produced by the new streaming platform Paramount Plus, the protagonists, Leon (Anthony Welsh) and Tiffany (Jessica Brown Findlay), not only share a flat but also the same bed.
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