Daddy Issues review: Aimee Lou Wood and David Morrissey shine in big-hearted comedy
When a pregnant and single 24-year-old and her newly-divorced dad become flat mates, their relationship is put to the test.
A young woman discovers she's pregnant after a random hook-up, but the dad is God knows where, and she doesn't have the financial or emotional support to make it work. It doesn't sound like a barrel of laughs, does it? But BBC comedy Daddy Issues chooses to see the funny side.
The six-parter, from Brassic's Danielle Ward, stars Sex Education's Aimee Lou Wood as Gemma, a 24-year-old 365 party girl whose life tilts off its axis when all six (!) pregnancy tests confirm that she's up the duff (which is entirely unsurprising given that she had unprotected sex, but that's a whole other conversation, and one that's not in the spirit of the show).
While there's never truly a 'right' time to have a baby for most people, this definitely isn't the right time for Gemma.
She won't have the support of her mum Davina (Happy Valley's Susan Lynch), who recently left her dad Malcolm (Sherwood's David Morrissey) and fled the country with their life savings, or her sister Catherine (Sharon Rooney), who's in prison for paying a man to push her boyfriend off a fire escape.
Her pregnant flatmate Keeley (Coronation Street's Alexandra Mardell) also suddenly announces that she's moving in with her boyfriend and his "very nice carpets", leaving Gemma to pay all of the rent, which she absolutely cannot afford on her hairdresser's salary.
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And then there's the aforementioned Malcolm, who is, to put it kindly, utterly useless, both practically and emotionally. It's as if he has just emerged into the world from his plastic wrapping, but the factory settings are all wrong.
Malcolm is an extreme version of what happens when your wife does everything for you, and then leaves without warning.
His behaviour is often so nonsensical that it does stretch credulity – honestly, how is he even alive at this point? – but Morrissey takes all of the sincerity he pours into his dramatic performances and delivers the same here, elevating Malcolm from a comical creation into someone who, for all of his ridiculous and unhinged behaviour, does feel authentic.
While Wood's comedic abilities are already firmly established, and on full display here, Morrissey, best known for grittier roles, reveals himself to be something of a hidden gem.
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After spending the past few years neglecting her female friendships, Malcolm is all Gemma's got, although she's also been avoiding him following her parents' separation.
But after a spectacularly disastrous round of flatmate interviews, during which she encounters a former member of a west German far-left militant group, a woman investigating the secret government paedophile ring, and a male "feminist" who wants to know if she's got a lock on her bedroom door, there's only one option available to her: Malcolm.
He moves in with her, and it's as smooth sailing as you'd expect – which is not very, on account of Malcolm being, well, Malcolm. Gemma's steadily rising blood pressure has got nothing to do with her pregnancy and everything to do with her dad's Midas-in-reverse touch.
But you'll be thoroughly unsurprised to hear that their new living arrangement proves to be the best thing for their relationship.
Gemma and Malcolm's dynamic is the beating heart of this narrative, and watching them find their way back to one another will warm the cockles of your heart, and also helps grounds the story in the face of the more absurd, occasionally crass elements – a gag about "sucking c***s for crack" is one of a number that doesn't land, while a scene involving a trifle and a hot tub is overly silly.
The dialogue can also sometimes feel like a series of jokes rather than people conversing, and some episodes are stronger than others.
But there are plenty of funny moments, several of which are laugh-out-loud, courtesy of some well-observed and original writing from Ward, and excellent performances from the supporting cast, particularly David Fynn as Derek, Malcolm's former housemate and friend who is in the middle of a divorce and is now Andrew Tate lite as a result.
Derek's machismo peacocking and disdainful attitude towards all women, especially those who reject his advances, are played brilliantly by Fynn, who is a source of near-constant amusement.
Ward also cleverly uses the character to show up misogyny for what it really is: sad little men crushed by the weight of their own dissatisfaction and inadequacy.
Viewers will also enjoy Gemma's incredibly sweet dynamic with Xander, a pharmacist who comes to her rescue when she loses her bank card and can't pay for a takeaway coffee.
Concerned about raising her baby as a single woman, she spends an evening scoping out a popular local pick-up spot in the hope of bagging herself a husband. But Xander is right there with Gemma throughout her pregnancy, even though she can't quite see it, at least to begin with – a classic romcom trope that's executed beautifully.
Daddy Issues won't just make you laugh, it's got a big heart and characters you'll grow to love – or tolerate (Derek, we're looking at you) – as they also grow as people. And with the potential to run and run, this is a series that should be here to stay.
Daddy Issues will air on BBC Three at 9pm on Thursday 15th August, and on BBC One at 9:30pm on Friday 16th August It will also be available to stream on iPlayer from 15th August.
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