# Us (2020)

> A middle-aged husband plans a European vacation with his wife and teenage son in a last-ditch effort to save his marriage and reconnect with his family.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/91995

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 4
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, drama
- Created by: David Nicholls
- Network: BBC One
- Cast: Tom Hollander, Saskia Reeves, Tom Taylor, George Webster, Franck Assi, Daniel Fearn, Rachel Coutinho, Andrew Hawley
- TMDB rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10669608/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: poignant, witty, bittersweet, melancholic, warm

## What critics say

Critics broadly admired its warm, witty blend of comedy and heartbreak, with Tom Hollander's performance and David Nicholls's writing singled out as the main strengths.

## Synopsis

Us is a British comedy-drama limited series adapted by David Nicholls from his own novel, broadcast on BBC One. Tom Hollander plays Douglas Petersen, a middle-aged husband whose steady marriage to Connie, played by Saskia Reeves, is suddenly upended when she asks for a separation. Their teenage son Albie, about to leave for university, is caught between his parents. Douglas, convinced he can still win Connie back, pushes through a long-planned European grand tour, hoping the trip will reunite the family and let him reconnect with Albie. The journey becomes a run of awkward hotel stays, museum detours, restaurant standoffs and tense car rides, while flashbacks to the couple's first meeting and early romance cut against the present strain. Douglas's comic persistence and painful denial drive the story against Connie's quiet resolve and Albie's private frustration. The tone is poignant and hilarious at once, balancing sharp British wit with real heartbreak about long marriages, parenthood and the fear of drifting apart. Viewers who enjoy intimate character studies with a bittersweet edge, and fans of The Trip, Fleabag or Ordinary Love, will find the same blend of humour and melancholy.

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