Significant Others (2004 TV series)

Significant Others is an American sitcom that aired on Bravo for two seasons in 2004. Following four couples from various backgrounds in and out of therapy, it focused on issues of adultery, parenthood, impending parenthood, and the chore of behaving like an adult. Adopting the tone of many British comedies, it was almost entirely ad-libbed, without a laugh track, and put the viewer in the position of therapist, as the couples addressed the camera directly during the therapy sessions featured during each episode.

Significant Others
Created by
  • Rob Roy Thomas
  • Peter Tortorici
Starring
ComposerAl Wolovitch
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes12
Production
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time22 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkBravo
ReleaseMarch 9 (2004-03-09) –
December 19, 2004 (2004-12-19)

Produced by NBC, it was distributed by Bravo, the cable network on which it aired until its last episode on December 19, 2004. While it primarily flew under the radar during its short run, it was heralded by many critics for its originality, dark humor, and fresh take on the pains of wedded "bliss." Its entire two-season, twelve-episode run was released on DVD by Shout Factory on February 14, 2006.[1]

The Couples

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  • Ethan (Herschel Bleefeld) and Eleanor (Faith Salie): hipsters coping with her pregnancy, and the fact that they have yet to grow up themselves
  • James (Brian Palermo) and Chelsea (Andrea Savage): yuppies married after an all-too-short courtship, trying to balance their busy lives... and actually getting to know one another
  • Alex (Chris Spencer) and Devon (Nicole Randall Johnson): a successful African-American couple trying to be the best parents they can be, whenever they're not arguing with each other (or anyone in earshot)
  • Bill (Fred Goss) and Connie (Jane Edith Wilson): a loveless couple, barely sharing an existence after Bill loses his job and all motivation whatsoever, until he finds motivation comes in very unexpected shapes and sizes

Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
16March 9, 2004 (2004-03-09)April 6, 2004 (2004-04-06)
26December 5, 2004 (2004-12-05)December 19, 2004 (2004-12-19)

Season 1 (2004)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"The First Time"Rob Roy ThomasJordana Arkin, Rob Roy Thomas & Peter TortoriciMarch 9, 2004 (2004-03-09)
22"A Dad, An Affair & A Blind Date"UnknownUnknownMarch 9, 2004 (2004-03-09)
33"Intercourse, An Official Gathering & A Big Fat Lie"UnknownUnknownMarch 16, 2004 (2004-03-16)
44"A Breck, A Brother & A Funeral"UnknownUnknownMarch 23, 2004 (2004-03-23)
55"A School, Not Cool & A Fool"UnknownUnknownMarch 30, 2004 (2004-03-30)
66"The Right House, The Wrong Gender & A Turn"UnknownUnknownApril 6, 2004 (2004-04-06)

Season 2 (2004)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleOriginal air date
17"A Date, Fate & Jail Bait"December 5, 2004 (2004-12-05)
28"Crying, Lying & Still Trying"December 5, 2004 (2004-12-05)
39"Rejection, A Connection & An Erection"December 12, 2004 (2004-12-12)
410"An Ache, A Fake & Forgot to Brake"December 12, 2004 (2004-12-12)
511"Related, Berated & Emasculated"December 19, 2004 (2004-12-19)
612"Fright, Smite & Hindsight"December 19, 2004 (2004-12-19)

Reception

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DVD Talk, reviewing the "Complete Series DVD" said, "This show flew way too far under the radar, considering how entertaining it is. Despite making it through two seasons, for a total of 12 episodes, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who knows about it. That's a real shame, though the concept might have been hard to keep going without changing the cast regularly."[2]

Home media

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The entire series was released on DVD in Region 1 on February 14, 2006.

References

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  1. ^ "Significant Others: The Complete Series". Shout! Factory. December 1, 2005. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
  2. ^ Rizzo III, Francis. "Significant Others: The Complete Series". DVD Talk. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
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