MR ELEVEN: Friday 11th December, ITV1, 9pm ALERT ME
At a time when television is brimming with drawn-out romantic sitcoms, ITV is practising restraint with its two-part series, Mr. Eleven, written by Shameless and As If writer Amanda Coe.
The series gets its name from research indicating that British women settle down with their eleventh sexual partner (chance might be a fine thing).
No one believes this more than maths teacher Saz Paley, who eventually marries her statistically perfect man, only to discover that he is in fact her tenth. Oh no.
What ensues are Michael Bublé tunes and sufficient blubbering. All of the elements of mushy lady drama are there—a neurotic late-twenty-something lead (Michelle Ryan), a loud-mouthed best friend (Olivia Coleman), a not-so Mr. Right (Sean Maguire) and a hunky, brainless alternative (Adam Garcia). But since the comedy can only last two episodes, we’re more willing to give it a chance.
While at first, Saz proves quite amusing. She yelps at her new hubby, “Dan, you tosser!” And then wryly professes, “I’m a self-obsessed cow,” while sulking in a dowdy housewife getup. And as much as she is obnoxious and irrational, Saz is still smart and sensible. Returning to the UK after NBC’s drama “Bionic Woman,” the EastEnders actress crafts a well-rounded leading lady.
As for the romance, sex flashbacks spliced with classroom lectures kill any buzz. The lack of chemistry between Ryan and Maguire does not offer much help either. But besides the additional shameless Facebook references and clichéd lines—“I just can’t get you out of my head” (Kylie Monogue) or “Dan, my heart is breaking” via text, “Mr. Eleven” proves a worthy romantic drama.
