Beautiful People

Beautiful People

2008
Beautiful People
Beautiful People

Beautiful People

8.5 | en | Drama

Beautiful People is a British comedy drama television series based on the memoirs of Barneys creative director Simon Doonan. The series takes place in Reading, Berkshire, in 1997, where thirteen-year-old Simon Doonan and his best friend Kylie dream of escaping their dreary suburban surroundings and moving to cosmopolitan London "to live amongst the beautiful people." The first episode aired on BBC Two on 2 October 2008 and recorded overnight ratings of 1.5 million viewers and positive critical reaction. Episodes are self-contained, but do follow a loose story arc throughout the course of each series. The second and final series finished airing on 18 December 2009.

View More
AD

WATCH FREEFOR 30 DAYS

All Prime Video
Cancel anytime

Watch Now

Seasons & Episodes

2
1
EP6  How I Got My Gash
Dec. 18,2009
How I Got My Gash

Simon is plagued by school bullies and decides to leave home to be with The Beautiful People. But as usual, nothing goes according to plan. Debbie, convinced that she's destined for stardom, becomes to talk of Melody Crescent. AS our favourite characters converge in the front room for Debbie's TV premiere, three questions remain: Will Kylie ever get out of the closet? Who is Puff Daddy's daddy? and... Will Simon meet his match?

EP5  How I Got My Turner
Dec. 11,2009
How I Got My Turner

The Doonans go deep into the world of Brit Art when they meet rabble rouser Stacey Bile near the Kate Winslet memorial roundabout. This leads to several road accidents, imminent birth, blind ladies driving cars, and the Turner Prize. Meanwhile, Aunty Hayley has set herself up as a telephone astrologer with one rather obsessive client.

EP4  How I Got My Camp
Dec. 04,2009
How I Got My Camp

The Doonans plan a holiday abroad, but a plumbing disaster spoils everything. Meanwhile across the road, Kylie's father meets his match in the form of a snarling dog called Madonna. Warning: contains Bette Midler impersonations and a replica Eiffel Tower.

EP3  How I Got My Water Feature
Nov. 27,2009
How I Got My Water Feature

It's 1998, and Ground Force is at its height and Simon feels a desperate need for a water feature. Meanwhile, the women of Melody Crescent feel a desperate need to 'sloshercise' with hunky training instructor Tiger. Elaine Paige makes a stunning appearance in Simon's imagination. Warning: contains showtunes.

EP2  How I Got My Plumes
Nov. 20,2009
How I Got My Plumes

In 1998 Simon and Kylie form a pop band called E-male and hunky music teacher Mr. Carr offers to manage them. To Simon's surprise, when his Dad invites taciturn new neighbour Ross Kemp to dinner, he brings his significant other, who happens to be Mr. Carr. The two men have a big bust-up but Mr.Carr still takes Simon and Kylie to Birmingham for the Eurovision Song Contest. The boys get locked in a toilet and are rescued by contest winner Dana International, with whom they also appear, by accident, on stage. Simon grabs a plume from Dana's costume and years later it's still on his Mum's hat, though when he meets Dana again in the street she is not keen to reacquaint herself with him.

EP1  How I Got My Groom
Nov. 13,2009
How I Got My Groom

Simon returns to Reading and recalls a school project that led to him unearthing a terrible secret about his parents' marriage and his sister revealing some devastating news.

SEE MORE
SEE MORE
8.5 | en | Drama , Comedy | More Info
Released: 2008-10-02 | Released Producted By: , Country: United Kingdom Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00p015t
Synopsis

Beautiful People is a British comedy drama television series based on the memoirs of Barneys creative director Simon Doonan. The series takes place in Reading, Berkshire, in 1997, where thirteen-year-old Simon Doonan and his best friend Kylie dream of escaping their dreary suburban surroundings and moving to cosmopolitan London "to live amongst the beautiful people." The first episode aired on BBC Two on 2 October 2008 and recorded overnight ratings of 1.5 million viewers and positive critical reaction. Episodes are self-contained, but do follow a loose story arc throughout the course of each series. The second and final series finished airing on 18 December 2009.

...... View More
Stream Online

The tv show is currently not available onine

Cast

Luke Ward-Wilkinson , Layton Williams , Olivia Colman

Director

Producted By

,

AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime.

Watch Now

Reviews

FromDecatur I really enjoyed this show. Young Simon is vivacious and funny. His best friend is a great foil. The family and neighbors and classmates are all excellent characters. The '80s setting hits the right notes of nostalgia but is really used as a backdrop for a celebration of people. The musical and dance numbers that drop in here and there are really entertaining. The attention to details in mining the humor in the various situations says to me that this was a work of love by those involved. I came of age in the '80s and went through the Reagan Revolution and the beginnings of AIDS in Midwestern America and actually watched Boy George perform at a Stop Clause 28 rally in London in 1988. I really empathized with the older Simon in wishing his younger self could know that it was all going to be OK. Often with shows I like I watch them through as quickly as I can. This one, I spaced out so I could savor them as I saw them all for the first time.
bbewnylorac I wanted to thank Simon Doonan for inspiring such a fantastic TV series. The acting is superb and the plots lots of fun, but the best thing about it is that it has heart. It's really made with love. I think Olivia Colman, as the mum, steals the show - she can be kooky, but she is also fair and compassionate with a lot of commonsense. And I love the Dynasty-style fight she had with another mother. One of my favourite episodes is when they sent up the pretentiousness of a female installation artist. Not much to do with the central character of a gay teenage boy, but man, it was funny. I guess this show will never come back, but I'd love to see other TV shows made by the same producers.
TinyPliny It's been so long since I have had such a good rousing laugh out of watching characters on screen. And such wild and colourful characters they are - set in equally atrocious plot lines! The six half-hour episodes of the two seasons of Beautiful People are unpredictable and completely loony. The jokes are sometimes so terrible, you cannot help but laugh helplessly at the insanely good acting that makes each of them work.Young Simon, played extremely well by Luke Ward-Wilkinson, is at the heart of his crazy family and deluded neighbours. Joined by his over- the-top across-the-street best friend, Kylie (played fabulously by theatre star Layton Williams), the pair gradually give viewers a roller-coaster of an insight into what it is to truly express yourself. The supporting cast of the wickedly awesome Olivia Colman as mum, the deceptively mellow Aidan McArdle as dad and the dead-set funny Meera Syal as auntie Hayley take the meaning of "supporting" to new heights - standing solidly behind the zaniest acts that Simon and Kylie concoct.The music in the show is outstanding. The cast adapt many show-time tunes into hilarious and creatively choreographed renditions. Many catchy stick-in-your-head-for-days 90s pop tunes pop dangerously up at the most unexpected of times and force a hearty laugh out of you. Even more funny are the silly little cameos by theatre greats like Elaine Page and pop starlets like Danni Minogue. The whole show had me in splits around 97% of the time. Beautiful People is just as hilarious on screen as it was in print. Go and watch it - your brain will thank you with a burst of warm endorphins!
lee-wilson I thought the first episode was very engaging with some great characters and laugh out loud funny. It is so hard to create a whole universe in one episode, introduce the characters and have time for a story but it really worked.As one review put it, it is not just gay friendly it is gay delirious, it is the story of Simon growing up in the 80's, wearing dresses, battling his family and school friends with the help of his best friend Kylie (or Kyle as he is really called!).When was the last time a British comedy actually had great lines and delivery? Excellent fun.