Gavin & Stacey: Long-Distance Love

Gavin & Stacey is an award-winning BBC sitcom that ran from 2007 to 2010 for three seasons. Over the course of twenty episodes written by James Corden and Ruth Jones, the audience was treated to an engaging and heartwarming story about two people who fall in love over the phone and the hi-jinks that ensue when their relationship brings their friends and families together.

Gavin (Mathew Horne) is from a town called Billericay in Essex, while Stacey (Joanna Page) is from Barry, Wales. They have spent six months talking to each other on the phone, and what began as a business relationship has turned into a romantic one. In the first episode of the series, they've decided to finally meet each other in London. Gavin brings his best friend, Smithy (James Corden), while Stacey brings her bestie, Nessa (Ruth Jones). Their first meeting is a roaring success and a full-blown romance results. You know it's not a slow-burning American sitcom because by the end of the second episode, Gavin has proposed.

The beauty of Gavin & Stacey lies in its ability to portray ordinary life as something extraordinary. Gavin and Stacey's relationship is at the heart of the show, but the focus often shifts to the encounters between their various family members. Stacey lives with her widowed mother Gwen (Melanie Walters), while her uncle Bryn (Rob Brydon) lives across the street. They are lovely Welsh people who seem to take everything in their stride and enjoy every moment in this whirlwind romance. Gavin lives with his parents, Pam (Alison Steadman) and Mick (Larry Lamb), who are equally wonderful, although Pam is prone to bouts of hysteria. In the meantime, Smithy and Nessa, who seem to loathe each other, have a few one-night stands that result in complications that run through the entire series.

The cast is superb, and all the characters have quirks and charms that quickly endear them to the audience. Gavin & Stacey is a superbly-written series and moments of high drama are tossed in amongst moments of raucous comedy. Music is used very effectively throughout the series, and just listening to the opening title music puts you in the mood for a "lush" episode of television. And you'll want to adopt all manner of Welsh phrases after spending some time in Barry with Stacey's family. The show's overarching theme is love - no matter what happens, here's a group of people who stand by each other and offer support through a range of trials and tribulations. It's funny, heartfelt, and endearing, and is an example of the best that British television has to offer.