I watched Gavin and Stacey for the first time ever — one character was a problem for me
When I moved to Wales there were two things everyone said I had to do: one was to visit the picturesque Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) for the views and the other was to watch Gavin and Stacey. I did the first no questions asked, soaking in the views from the highest mountain in south Wales, Pen y Fan, but I wasn't in the same rush to watch the series.
I just couldn't believe that a whole nation could be glued to their screens every time the makers decide to drop a Christmas special. Then came the finale at the end of 2024. I watched in real-time how the massive St David's Shopping Centre in Cardiff was dressed in wait for the conclusion and could see the love for the series in as people told me how excited they were.
I was finally convinced that I just had to give it a go from the start – and what a treat it was. As series one began, there was a profound sense of nostalgia that swept over me.
I was aged seven when the series first aired, so whenever Bryn would marvel over the the latest advances in technology, or someone would open their flip phone, I would instantly be taken back to a period when I too would look at these things as magic just waiting to unfold.
More than that, it was the show's relatability that touched me the most, despite not being from Wales (or even from the British Isles).
That goes to show just how perfectly Ruth Jones and James Corden captivated the essence of family dynamics. The portrayal of little arguments, family secrets that will never be talked about, dining table conversations that turn chaotic without notice was as close as it could be to the real thing. This, in particular, made the viewing experience special for me.
The characters themselves were a treat to watch, but one of them was also the only thing I disliked about the series: Smithy. Don't get me wrong, I understand that the whole point in him being insufferable through a major part of the series was what made his development by the finale so satisfying to watch.
But what I couldn't and don't think will ever be able to get my head around is that a man in his 20s was in a relationship with a schoolgirl, Lucy, and all the people around him just seemed to go with it. No matter how much the character developed by the end of the series I can never overlook that.
And then there was the moment when Gavin asked Smithy why he liked going to foam parties and the whole conversation basically suggested that Smithy liked them because he could "touch up girls and they don't know who it is". Just plain disgusting. It's not 2025 "wokeness" that is making me write this. Relationships or actions like this should never be normalised, in seriousness nor in jest.
That said, there was a lot to love about the show's characters as its massive, almost surreal, fan base will tell you. Everything from Nessa's increasingly incredible stories to Gwen's omelettes, Pam's overreaction to almost everything, Gavin and Smithy's bond, Dawn and Pete's constant bickering, Bryn's "small talk", Stacey's random moments of panic - they all make the series all the more fun to watch.
It was Gavin and Stacey's storytelling being rooted in relatable real-life experiences that made it into the behemoth it is, one of the most-watched British sitcoms ever. More than that, it was the end that made the journey more fulfilling to have started. Giving characters their own individual conclusions, making you shed a tear or two when Neil The Baby sings – it was perfect.
I won't go on a lot about the finale as much brighter minds than mine have already summarised it beautifully. I will say this: it is rare for a finale to give everything its audience wanted and more but the conclusion of Gavin and Stacey did exactly that. My only regret with the series is that I did not watch it sooner and couldn't be a part of the excitement and anticipation that every episode brought.
