Bob & Rose: The Complete Series

It's what Will & Grace could have and should have been: a charming, urbane exploration of a complicated relationship between a gay man and a straight woman. Funny, deeply human, and never resorting to stereotypes, this six-hour miniseries--from Queer as Folk creator Russell T. Davies--follows Bob (Alan Davies) and Rose (Lesley Sharp) as a chance meeting blossoms into an unlikely romance, trailing a whole slew of interpersonal mishaps and disasters in its wake: disbelief from their families, friends who try to sabotage the relationship out of spite or jealousy, and even the apprehension and confusion of Bob and Rose themselves. Presented here on a double-disc set with audio commentaries on the first and fourth episodes by Russell T. Davies and Alan Davies, Bob & Rose is a perfect example of the subtle, emotional, down-to-earth kind of drama that British television often does so well. Highly recommended. (M. Johanson)