Starstruck - General Discussion

[Irlandesa]

A BBC and HBO Max Co-Production

Quote

A screwball comedy about a 20-something New Zealand woman living in Hackney, London juggling jobs in a cinema and as a nanny when she discovers she slept with an incredibly famous film star on New Year’s Eve

This was 100%, absolutely bloody delightful.  It's the kind of scenario I absolutely hate in chic lit fiction books but Rose Matafeo makes it work in this series.  It's the best romcom type piece of art I've seen in years.  I actually laughed and Matafeo and Nikesh Patel actually have chemistry. 

It made me so happy and I didn't even know it was coming.  I am going to have to rewatch.

[shoregirl]

Some recommended this to me and I loved it so much. 

[arc]

Tremendously charming and the leads have terrific chemistry.

A lot of romcom contrivances to keep them apart though. Any time they physically split up one person or the other learns something -- usually false! -- about the other's lack of commitment.

Also as a Canadian I'm downright embarrassed about how many lines I needed subtitles for.

Edited July 3, 2021 by arc

[twoods]

I’m 5 episodes in and the contrivances to keep them apart is exhausting, along with how terrible the lead is to her friends while she is sulking over Tom. It was charming up to this point, but I will keep watching because the leads have fantastic chemistry. 

[aemom]

I really liked this series.

Every time I watch a BBC show, I'm struck by how much more authentic and believable the show is because the cast is always so much more diverse than a typical Hollywood show.

As we were watching one of the episodes, I said to my hubby "That looks just like Minnie Driver!"  LOL!  She was hilarious - I hope that we see her again in Season 2.

[CarpeFelis]

I just binged this and I loved it, but I couldn’t even count the number of times I wished Kate would STFU. She was so annoying!

[arc]

Second season starts next month in the UK, according to Rose Matafeo’s Twitter post. Here’s a very brief PR release about it: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/starstruck-2-first-look

[aghst]

Wow it’s so good.  Just pitch perfect.  Like the long shot inside the bus in the finale, when she doesn’t get off the bus to go t9 the airport and smiles slowly appear in their faces, first Tom, the. Jessie.

Matafeo is just 30 and this is the first series she created?

[arc]

Season 2 will be released on HBO Max on March 24!

Collider review here. (Some spoilers.)

edited to add:

NY Mag review here (some spoilers)

Edited March 24, 2022 by arc

[twoods]

Enjoying it so far, but the episodes are so short and only six of them? Bummer.

[aghst]

Season 2 not quite as good as season 1.

They wanted to extend the chase and uncertainty of season 1?  They hooked up immediately but it took a year for them to express that they wanted more from each other.  She doesn’t leave because of him but as soon as they get off the bus she’s trying to avoid him?

If they become a couple and she’s not playing these games, then the show becomes different in tone and it’s over?

At least the timeline isn’t a full year before she admits that she’s held back, pushed him away.

So maybe season 3 will be the end and they go off happily after.  Would be hard to sustain these on, off rom coms for much longer.  At some point Tom decides she’s not worth all the ups and downs he puts him through.

[ProudMary]

I'm so glad I found out that a second season had dropped. I wouldn't have known but for the fact that Rose Matafeo was on the Seth Meyers Show one night this week. The show needs more promotion!

The S2 NYE episode was hilarious. Christmas with the Kapoors was great too.  I was kind of surprised that Jessie and Tom got back together at the end of the season. I thought they might have remained apart, with their reunion in a potential S3. Now, maybe they don't even need a third season--although I'd like one--because that ending was one of the most romantically fulfilling rom-com scenes ever. Loved it.

Here's an interesting article from Variety. Spoilers abound.

Rose Matafeo and Nikesh Patel Break Down ‘Starstruck’ Season 2 — and Whether There Will Be a Season 3

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/starstruck-season-2-finale-spoilers-interview-1235206169/

 

[SailorGirl]

"He 'Love Actually-ed' Me." One of the best throwaway scenes/lines ever. 

[Irlandesa]

Good news.  This has been renewed for a third season. 

[ProudMary]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

Good news.  This has been renewed for a third season. 

I'm SO glad. I love this show. ❤️

[LuvMyShows]

Just learned about this show, and finished seasons 1 and 2.  It was entertaining enough, but at this point, I basically want the two of them together so neither will be inflicted on anyone else!  The things that the script has them do, think, and say that have kept them apart, are just ridiculous...Jessie seeing a few pictures in his side table and assuming that means he has a girlfriend and then sneaking out of his apartment because of it; Tom blindly believing that movie theater guy when he told Tom that Jessie is seeing Paul (?) and ending it without even checking with Jessie about it; Jessie getting so absurdly upset about being called kooky and quirky when in reality I think she kind of prides herself on being like that. And how could she not have had the bad-girlfriend realization about herself prior to this?  It also made absolutely no sense when she kicked all the people out of the movie theater, and it didn't seem characteristic of her either.  And her deciding to have sex with Ben, after he cheated on her, just made it seem like her self-esteem is zero, more than just that she makes bad decisions. It also seemed super odd that when Tom came over the first time, she didn't tell him that her roommate was hosting a murder party in costume.

But one of the things I had the hardest time with, which often took me out of the moments when I was watching the show, was how they so inconsistently portrayed Tom's celebrity. He was recognizably famous only when it suited the plot, and at other times, like on New Year's Eve at a big party, not one person seemed to notice or care.  I also was confused at why, when she left his place that very first night, she was dragging two trash bags with her.  I don't think she was intentionally trying to look like the maid so the paparazzi wouldn't hound her, so I can't figure out why she did that.

I think if the episodes had been longer, I might have quit watching and tried to find out what happened by looking at the internet, but at this point I'll probably continue with season 3, since I'm in this far anyway and some parts are entertaining.

[SoMuchTV]

14 minutes ago, LuvMyShows said:

Just learned about this show, and finished seasons 1 and 2.  It was entertaining enough, but at this point, I basically want the two of them together so neither will be inflicted on anyone else! 

Haha, you might like You’re the Worst (on Hulu I think?). Talk about people who shouldn’t be inflicted on anyone else. 

[LuvMyShows]

21 hours ago, SoMuchTV said:

Haha, you might like You’re the Worst (on Hulu I think?). Talk about people who shouldn’t be inflicted on anyone else. 

Hey SoMuchTV, I went to take a look at You're the Worst.  I'm only in the first episode, but does the whole series go on with them just being awful?  I saw that it's gone on for many seasons, and I imagine something must happen where they turn into better people, or something?

[SoMuchTV]

21 minutes ago, LuvMyShows said:

Hey SoMuchTV, I went to take a look at You're the Worst.  I'm only in the first episode, but does the whole series go on with them just being awful?  I saw that it's gone on for many seasons, and I imagine something must happen where they turn into better people, or something?

Yeah, not to spoil anything, but pretty much. I will say they ended it decently satisfyingly. 

I wouldn’t suggest anyone cancel their plans to watch it, but if you’re looking for something to pass some time…

[aghst]

New season releasing on Max this Thursday 9/28/23.

 

 

[aghst]

All 6 episodes of season 3 are available.

Really good season, it starts with a montage showing that after they kissed at the end of season 2, they were together but with his busy schedule, they drifted apart and they separated.  Then it starts 2 years later, where they will run into each other for the first time since the breakup at Kate and Ian's wedding.

Turns out Tom still has some complicated feelings for Jessie, even though he's now engaged to another film star.  He surprises her with a kiss at the end of the wedding reception party.

I was initially skeptical of the premise, they break up after being together for awhile and now they may be drawn to each other again?

How many times can they go through these on-off, on-off cycles?

In fact a season 3 was a surprise, the end of season 2 had the movie ending, they go off for the happily ever after.

But the idea was to show what happens after they ride off together into the sunset.

Matafeo is the star of the show, just terrific at playing this funny, smart character, who's rarely at a loss for words, who just wins over friends and men with her easy chat.

But she shows real vulnerability in a couple of scenes, when uncharacteristically she's unable to continue with her breezy chats.

The end of the season doesn't quite end the way one might expect and probably with 6 episodes, it feels like an abrupt turn.  Tom tells Clem his fiancee that he kissed Jessie on his wedding day.  But without much explanation, he tells her that he loves her not much longer.  That's after saying that he still loved Jessie.

It makes sense, it would be absurd for Tom and Jessie to get together yet again.

 

 

Interview with Rose Matafeo.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/aug/12/rose-matafeo-starstruck-interview

Edited October 4, 2023 by aghst

[Irlandesa]

I have mixed feelings on this season.  It was good. I enjoyed it.  But I also somewhat resent her alleged choice to move away from a romcom.

Because, did she really?  The season essentially just started a new romance by swapping love interests.  If she was conflicted in her own life and wanted to highlight the benefits of singledom then maybe single is how she should have ended the season. 

Instead, she spent most of the season conflicted about her feelings for Tom and fighting with her pregnant friend who was acting like a jerk.

 

 

[ProudMary]

Honestly, I wish the show hadn't gotten a renewal for Season 3. I would have been much happier if the rom-com perfect Season 2 finale had been the Series finale. In comparison to the finales for many other rom-com series and films, Starstruck had stuck the landing better than most others.

Season 3 had its good moments, but overall I'm disappointed. 

 

[aghst]

Season 2 did have a better conventional rom-com ending.

I would have been fine with it as the series end.

 

But I do enjoy the writing by Matafeo and her writing partners and her performance is good.  So is the performance of the actress who plays Kate.

I'd like to see more of Matafeo's work but she seems mostly to do standup in the UK or have a couple of older New Zealand series which haven't been distributed in the US.

So I didn't mind having this third season.  If it does well maybe she will get more projects which are more widely distributed.