Subterranean Homesick Blues: The Complete Series 4 and 5 cover art

Subterranean Homesick Blues: The Complete Series 4 and 5

A BBC Radio 4 Drama

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Subterranean Homesick Blues: The Complete Series 4 and 5

By: A.L. Kennedy
Narrated by: Anna Calder-Marshall, Bill Nighy, full cast
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About this listen

The final two series of A. L. Kennedy's wry comic drama about love in later life.

In their youth, John and Maggie had a tempestuous on/off affair that ended badly. Now in their 60s, they've decided to give their romance another chance - and discovered that love doesn't get any easier when you're older but no wiser.

Having survived dating and moving in together, the duo face the next big test for their relationship: tying the knot. They soon find that married life is no picnic either - even their honeymoon turns out to be more endurance test than relaxing spa break.

As John worries that Maggie's getting bored with wedded bliss, he's got some work to do to save their marriage. And there are further challenges to come, in the form of lockdown and a mystery 'lurker' who seems to have set his sights on Maggie....

Will the couple come through it all unscathed and finally find their happy ever after?

Created by award-winning writer A. L. Kennedy, this witty, engaging series stars Bill Nighy as John and Anna Calder-Marshall as Maggie.

Production credits

Written by A. L. Kennedy

Directed by Sally Avens

©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Movie, TV & Video Game Tie-Ins Witty

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All stars
Most relevant  
series 1-3 and 4-5 kept us both very entertained on our journey, we enjoyed 1-3 so much that when we stopped for a rest break I downloaded 4&5.

long drive home

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Great fun and brilliantly written. Bill and Anna are a great paying in this story of re kindled love. Laughs along the way make this a great listen.

Joyful

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The adventures of late years marriage are so wonderfully portrayed by these two superb actors, thank you so much for bringing this well written story alive. 😁

Superb

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Loved every single minute and was sorry it ended. Gripped from the start to the finish

Absolutely fantastic

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Listened to the whole thing in two days. Such joyous acting from two of our British icons. Hoping for more. Puts a smile on your face

Thoroughly enjoyable

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Enjoyed it so much several times over and the cast portrayed the characters well.

Humorously poignant.

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I have listened to the original story several times and always enjoy the experience. Bill Nighy is always a joy as is Anna Calder-Marshall, yet this second instalment felt somehow forced and that is down to the story itself. We all know that fiction can be stretched as it was in the first 'season' but it always stayed on the right side of believability. It had humour and pathos and you really enjoyed learning about the two characters. This time however it felt like series of set pieces strung together and they didn't quite gel. For much of this two hours John was reduced to a complaining whinger whilst Maggie soared to the heights of 'internet sensation' You had John's doubts as to whether Maggie was having an affair with a work colleague, John complaining about her success, John pondering what he could do about it without coming across as feeble, John dressing up as a woman though I am still not completely sure why and also sneaking about in the bushes believing that Maggie's life was in danger. Then you had the cliché of them considering moving to a mansion, with the usual 'snobs' in attendance.
Perhaps it would have been better to concentrate more on Maggie's daughter and building bridges with her, or they could have just left it with the first season and left the listener to make up their minds about what happened next.
Such a shame as the talent on show is wonderful, but the material they had to work with was less so.

Love the actors but the story was lacking.

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