Ever since TV became the new Hollywood, our tastes have become more discerning and our expectations have been steadily rising. While, once upon a time, a hammily acted period drama with a few bonnets and mildly raunchy bedroom scenes was the peak of entertainment, these days we’re expecting more (and rightly so).
Coming through as the latest series that will be on everyone’s lips (and screens) is Prime Video’s Mammals, which is set to spark a whole series of brunchtime debates with its darkly comedic take on relationships.
Here’s everything you need to know about the show and why we’re so excited to watch it.
1. The cast
Mammals features a stellar cast, including James Corden in an impressive and critically-acclaimed return to the small-screen. Playing his sister is Sally Hawkins, who you’ll know is definitely in National Treasure territory if you’ve seen The Shape of Water, Made In Dagenham, Blue Jasmine or any of her many other many great films. In Mammals she plays lead character Jamie’s (James Corden) sister Lue, whose marriage is facing its own challenges and is faced with a sense of distance.
Alongside her is Melia Kreiling, in the role of Jamie’s pregnant wife Amandine, whose infidelity leaves her husband desperate for answers. She also has an enviable wardrobe and a general air of coolness that makes her on-screen performance even more compelling.
Completing the core line-up is Belfast, Merlin and Humans actor Colin Morgan, who plays Lue’s husband and Jamie’s best friend, Jeff. Given his persona as an academic, he also delivers some of the best lines of the series and a number of quotes that will leave you scratching your head for answers.
2. The nuance
How many times have we seen the breakdown of a marriage on TV with the age-old formula of monogamy shattered by one half of the couple having an affair? A lot. Mammals plays with this romantic stereotype, with creator Jez Butterworth teasing out a multifaceted look at love and fidelity – and what it means to different people. There is no correct answer and, in fact, the series forces you to confront your own perceptions and beliefs about marriage, cheating and moral beliefs.
As Jeff notes during one episode: “Only 3-5% of mammals are known to mate for life.” It’s one of the many examples of Mammals shining a light on human relationships and confronting us with wider questions about whether or not it’s really in our nature to be faithful. Equally, even if it is in our nature, what does being faithful even mean? And how do we level our animal instincts with our moral beliefs about fidelity?
3. The drama
It’s all well and good having a thought-provoking narrative, but for a compelling TV show there also needs to be a healthy dose of drama, which is exactly what Mammals brings. The series has an extremely distinctive style, fusing elements of magical realism with drama and comedy, all the while taking us on a whistle-stop tour of emotions.
We feel sadness, outrage, grief, confusion and love – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It also helps that Mammals hasn’t plumped for obnoxiously long episodes, instead condensing the drama into punchy self-contained episodes that make it irresistibly watchable. We’re officially hooked.
Watch Mammals on Prime Video from 11 November
