Reggie Perrin (2009 - 2010)

In this remake of the classic Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin Martin Clunes (Men Behaving Badly) plays the role of the middle-aged salesman who is frustrated with his life. Also other leading roles are modelled on the original, but notably the leading female roles have been rewritten and are acted out far more confident and assertive than their 1970s counterparts. Notably Reggie's wife Nicola (Fay Ripley) is not a stay-at-home housewife and Jasmine Strauss (Lucy Liemann, Rev., The IT Crowd) is not Reggie's secretary, but also a head of a department.

There are numerous references to the original series, but also notable differences. For example when Reggie walks past a building with the familiar Sunshine Dessert logo in the first episode and enters another building with a Groomtech sign (where he is Head of Disposable Razors). Also Reggie's boss Chris Jackson (Neil Stuke) has the initials CJ. Compared with the 1970s programme the remake makes far less use of surreal dream sequences and Reggie's inner conflicts and feelings are rather revealed in his interaction with other characters. Quite self-consciously the writers Simon Nye and David Nobbs (who also created the original series) depart from the original storyline and present the viewer with a new take on the subject that does not just replicate the older show. Additionally Martin Clunes' interpretation of the character is very different from Rossiter's. Whilst both renditions are acted out superbly and make it easy for an audience to empathise and identify with the figure, their style and personality is quite distinct.

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