Gavin and Stacey - Appeals

 Gavin and Stacey appeals to many of the British public. Due to the fact that the first two seasons were broadcasted on BBC3 showed that the producers assumed that the audience would be young. However, this was wrong as when it was broadcasted on BBC1 it reached over 6 million people showing it was more for the mainstream.  

 

Gavin and Stacey appeals to the mainstream as their core need is for familiarity and security and this is what they are given. Although Gavin and Stacey does not fully conform to a traditional sitcom it has many elements that are traditional within it which is what the mainstreamer would love.  

In addition to this the characters within the TV programme all have something to relate to making this an appeal in itself. This is particularly important as for the audience it is good to relate to a character as you identify with them and either want to be more like them or are exactly like them.  

 

Another huge appeal for the mainstreamer is the fact that with Gavin and Stacey you are guaranteed to laugh out loud and be truly humoured but you also know that through the plot line and the narrative structure that you will be heart warmed through the love of Gavin and his girlfriend Stacey. Even the relationship between Pam and Mick as well as Bryn and Gwen are heart-warming and realistic.  

The humour in Gavin and Stacey is a huge appeal for the audience as this is the main reason why they will be watching the show. This is mainly evident through the one liners "three steaks Pam" and "I gave them to Lucy she was colouring them in". These quick witty lines are what the audience love and want to enjoy. The running jokes of Smithy's seventeen year old girlfriend are particularly funny as they are unexpected and they highlight just how immature Smithy really is. Gavin and Stacey also provides drama which gives the sitcom a different dimension, this is evident when Stacey calls Nessa to ask if she wants an omelette, during this scene all sound stops and the camera tracks forward making it tense and worrying. However, this is all broken by Stacey saying that Nessa does not want an omelette making it humorous for the audience.  

 

The charming nature of each individual episode are things to enjoy with family which is a huge appeal for the mainstream as well as the fact that the TV programme is based around family life that will reflect the audience life style as they live in the domestic. This will make it much easier for the audience to relate to characters and personally identify with them and even if you do not identify with anyone it is common to believe a character is like a person you know, for example the character of Smithy may be like a boy that you know and or the typical 'lad'.  

 

Overall Gavin and Stacey appeals to its target audience as it is all and out British. The sitcom is traditional and consistent, not matter what obstacles Gavin and Stacey face they always pull through and the audience are given a truly heart-warming sitcom that provides both humour and drama.