Johnny Flynn: "The Lovers is a long way from classic British romcoms"
Flynn stars in the new Sky series alongside Roisin Gallagher.
New Sky series The Lovers operates on its surface as a romcom, with two very different people being drawn to one another despite everything.
However, speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com, star Johnny Flynn has noted that the series, which comes from writer David Ireland, actually strays far from the genres conventions and instead follows a more recent trend of darker comedy-dramas.
The show stars Flynn as a political broadcaster, while Roisin Gallagher plays foul-mouthed supermarket worker Janet, two people who meet in extraordinary and dark circumstances before finding themselves attracted to one another.
When asked about how the show fits in with this trend, seen in other recent comedies such as Significant Other and Shrinking, Flynn said: "For me, some of the funniest stuff is Janet in the supermarket and the group of people that work there with her.
"With David’s writing, and I guess some of the shows that you're kind of mentioning, there's a real like, 'did they really just do that?'-ness to it."
Flynn continued: "And when I read it, especially those scenes with Janet in the supermarket, I kind of choked on my tea because it’s the stuff you want to see, but it's a long way from some of the kind of classic British romcom-y stuff that is just a bit… the normal people are too kind of candy-boxed. It's just a bit too a bit too neat.
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"So it's genuinely funny, but genuinely real. And I think in some of that stuff that you may be talking about, I don’t know, Chewing Gum or Fleabag or whatever, the darker things, they’re going into really intimate situations and seeing where situations can be profound and funny at the same time.
"Which is very generous writing, and it's beautiful, and it blows the lid off taboos. People have hang ups about sex, about whatever, and it's just kind of taking the taking the lid off that and saying ‘it's okay to talk about these things’, about mental health or whatever it is. These things that are seeming taboos."
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As well as starring Flynn and Gallagher, the show's cast also include Game of Thrones star Conleth Hill and Black Mirror's Alice Eve.
The Lovers is currently available to stream on Sky, while new episodes air on Thursdays – sign up for Sky TV here or stream on NOW.
Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
