Starstruck
BBC1, Mondays, 10.45pm/iplayer
There is nothing groundbreaking or even particularly original about Starstruck. But it’s a textbook romantic comedy, so being formulaic is part of the deal. Imagine a romcom where the two leads don’t end up together. It’d be a complete waste of time. But the best examples of the genre are all about finding clever and unexpected twists on the formula, and convincing us that the obstacles that have to be overcome along the journey to true love actually make sense and keep us rooting for the characters. While being funny. Starstruck – a six-parter available to binge on iplayer while also airing weekly on BBC1 – achieves all these things and more. It helps that co-creator and star Rose Matafeo is massively likeable in the lead role of Jessie, even when she’s behaving outrageously – like when she throws all the customers out of the café at the arthouse cinema where she works because she’s furious they’re all working on screenplays and blogs all day. Equally, her on-off love interest – superstar actor Tom (played by Nikesh Patel) – is every bit as enjoyable to hang out with as Jessie, even when he’s locked her in the bathroom of his hotel suite for three hours so he can deal with the appalling co-star of his terrible new movie. Everything about these characters rings true, even when they’re failing to communicate in the most excruciating and frustrating manner, and even when they’re then brought together via a series of handy coincidences in true romantic comedy style. Spoiler alert: they end up together. But the details of how they get to that point makes this a glorious and shining example of the romcom form.