Don’t hang up on engaging comedy
Show cut short at just six episodes
Ruby Speaking ITVX
●●●●● This engaging new six-part comedy series follows the titular call centre character.
Ruby (Jayde Adams) envisions her customers standing in the room while she speaks to them and puts doing her job of selling to them on the back-burner, preferring to establish a connection.
Ruby is a confident, genuinely nice person who goes about her day dealing with people who are sometimes difficult, lonely or in trouble.
She is also very adept at putting on an excellent Welsh accent when facing a troublesome caller.
Ruby is surrounded by a mainly wonderful team of people, including joker Tom, new girl Melons, team leader Mark, appliance-obsessive Donna, law school student Cameron and young security guard Craig.
Boss Vicki, portrayed by Coronation Streets’ Katherine Kelly, is not quite as demanding and harsh as The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly but I still wouldn’t want to work with her every day.
If you’ve ever had a job in a call centre, this show may give you plenty of flashbacks.
During this era of working from home, though, you can tell that even the mere suggestion of rolling out of bed in their pyjamas and opening up a laptop would be this office’s idea of hell as they’d lack the camaraderie.
The screenplay by Abigail Wilson (Trollied) creates a wonderful story that the actors, in particular Adams, bring to vibrant life.
It is a heartwarming and hilarious series which also deals with difficult topics, such as loneliness, break-ups, women’s safety and fat-phobia.
Melons and Craig are both a few sandwiches short of a picnic but they are utterly adorable as they have a cute ongoing flirtation with a few crossed wires.
Meanwhile, Mark has a “situationship” with Ellie, another character you really wouldn’t want to have in your work place.
I do hope this series will be renewed as it was brilliant, addictive viewing and, at six episodes, way too short.
●Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on any movie or TV show recommendations you have to your fellow readers.