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The Life And Times Of Vivienne Aired From October 04, 2007 - November 08, 2007 On BBC Two

About the Show:
Dark comedy The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle is a show-within-a-show on the BBC-2. Vivienne Vyle takes on daytime TV, the sleazification of talk shows, and the insatiable drive for those with fame for more of the same. Yet Vivienne Vyle  is far darker than its counterparts--the humor is black and bleak, the satire biting yet riveting. The series is a splendid showcase for the many talents of star Jennifer Saunders, whose Absolutely Fabulous  airhead persona only slightly informs the character of the back-biting, driven, yet deeply emotionally needy talk show host Vivienne Vyle.

Vyle is the host of a cheesy British talk show (the name "Vyle" can't be a coincidence), and Saunders' character is a cross between Jerry Springer and Sally Jessy Raphael--taunting guests about their children's paternity, their spouses' fidelity, and worse. "How does it feel to be a worm? Because that's what you are, you know," she goads one hapless guy, with a shaved head except for five stalactites of bangs across his dim forehead. As with Vivienne Vyle's American counterparts, fisticuffs often break out, though the British audience, while eating up the spectacle, is oddly and politely quiet. The worse the antics of the guests, the more the ratings of Vyle's show climb. And Saunders is a wonder at portraying, almost sympathetically, the ego-driven force behind the sleaze. Her marriage may be one simply of convenience, and as she recovers from a brutal beating she received on one show, all she can plaintively think about is having a baby. Saunders' Vivienne may be a media monster, but she has dark yearnings like the rest of us. Also terrific is Miranda Richardson, who plays the Vivienne Vyle show's manic, ditzy producer, Helena.

Cast:

Jennifer Saunders	Vivienne Vyle
Jason Watkins	Dr. Jonathan Fowler
Conleth Hill	Jared
Miranda Richardson	Helena de Wend
Dave Lamb	Des

Source: tv.com & amazon.com

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Episode 1
We are introduced to Vivienne Vyle and her Jerry Springer-esque style chat show. Whilst on her show she reveals the negative result of a paternity test to which the wronged man starts a ruckus leading to an overweight security guard falling on Vivienne, sending her straight to the hospital. We meet her behind the scenes crew- Helena, the producer from hell whose baby only speaks Spanish because she spends more time with her nanny than her own mum, young show runner Abigail (who is sacked, reinstated, and never seen again after this episode), Dr. Jonathan Fowler, the show's new resident psychologist, Carol, the floor manager, Des, the show director, Damien, the show's researcher and the one responsible for "preparing" guests to go on stage, and last but not least, Jared, Vivienne's gay husband and biggest cheerleader.

Episode 2
Vivienne decides that she needs to be more like her talk show rival, Chris Connor, a host who is engaging, charming, and adored by his audience- everything that Vivienne is not.

Episode 3
Vivienne and Jared start the day arguing about plumbing problems and Vivienne runs out the door before Jared can do his customary argument-ending ritual: ringing a bell like a train porter. This is only the beginning of a bad day for Vivienne, who starts the day off with an interview with a tabloid vampire that calls her a washed up weather girl and a one trick pony in addition to calling Jared "a kept man". High strung Helena, upset that her actress sister won a Hollywood film role, throws her cell phone- which intersects with Carol's forehead.

Episode 4
The Vivienne Vyle Show is nominated for a TV-Pick award.

Episode 5
The morning after the TV-Pick awards Vivienne cannot get out of bed. She is faint, sick, and uncharacteristically absent from work for the day. Concerned, Dr. Jonathan and Helena teleconference with her at home though Jared is more of a hindrance than a help as he fawns over Vivienne and complains that she shouldn't be bothered. No worries though, Dr. Jonathan determines that Vivienne's problems are psychological and sets out to fix her. Dr. Jonathan and Helena share a secret kiss.

Episode 6
This time it is Jared who is the center of attention as a journalist for The Daily Mail is sniffing out proof of his attendance at a wild gay party where a teenage rent boy died. As Miriam conducts damage control, The Vivienne Vyle Show readies for the special final show of the year, the first ever live Vivienne Vyle Show.

Source: tv.com
contributed by codebreaker