Set in a car showroom, BBC One’s Ordinary Lies is a new six-part drama from Shameless writer Danny Brocklehurst.
With drama, tragedy, warmth and humour, each episode focuses on one of the colleagues and friends of JS Motors. From party-loving receptionists, Tracy and Viv, to enigmatic salesman, ‘Paracetemol’ Pete, each new and individual story questions just how well we know the people we work with.
> Order Ordinary Lies on DVD on Amazon.
Marty McLean is played by Jason Manford, Mike Hill by Max Beesley, Beth Corben by Jo Joyner, Grace Wells by Rebecca Callard, Kathy Kavanagh by Sally Lindsay, Katrina McLean by Erin Shanagher, Paracetamol Pete by Mackenzie Crook, Tracy Shawcross by Michelle Keegan, Fat Jason by George Bukhari, Alison Hill by Belinda Stewart-Wilson, Marianne Morton by Manjinder Virk, Rick by Shazad Latif, Ziggy by Fisayo Akinade and Vivienne Baxter by Cherrelle Skeete.
Episode 1: ‘Marty’
Tuesday 17 March 2015, 9pm
Stuck in a rut both at home and at work, when Marty receives his final warning for being late from company boss, Mike, he knows the pressure is on.
However, when another heavy night of drinking leads to him sleeping through his alarm, Marty fears his number is up. Knowing he is on thin ice, Marty calls work and, in a panicked attempt to save his job, tells the drastic lie that his wife, Katrina, has tragically died.
His colleagues are filled with shock and sympathy for Marty, but as they rally round to help the apparently grieving widower, his lie quickly unravels. The situation is complicated further when Marty forms a close bond with colleague, Grace.
Meanwhile, news of Marty’s loss brings back painful memories for Head of Sales, Beth Corben, whose husband Dave went missing the year before. After receiving mysterious phone calls, she confides in Mike, but with Mike’s marriage hanging in the balance, the chemistry between him and Beth is difficult to ignore.
Episode 2: ‘Tracy’
Tuesday 24 March 2015, 9pm
Yearning for a luxurious lifestyle of designer clothes and glamour, JS Motors’ young, party-loving receptionist Tracy is determined to find a way out of her mundane life.
She believes she has found the answer when she starts a relationship with local DJ, Jimmy. When he offers an all-expenses-paid trip to the Caribbean for her and fellow receptionist Viv, it appears the pair have finally got the chance to sample the lavish lifestyle they crave.
Lying to not arouse suspicion, Tracy and Viv tell everyone that they are flying to Ibiza for a week of partying. In reality, they board a plane to the Dominican Republic where flights and accommodation have been arranged by Jimmy. However, upon their arrival, it’s soon revealed that there is more than meets the eye about the idyllic getaway.
Meanwhile, Beth’s suspicions continue to grow after she discovers that her husband’s mysterious late night calls were from his colleague Marianne. When confronted Marianne stubbornly denies her involvement, but Beth remains unconvinced.
Episode 3: ‘Kathy’
Tuesday 31 March 2015, 9pm
This episode tells the story of JS Motor’s biggest gossip and PA to company boss Mike, Kathy Kavanagh. Keen to make everyone’s business her own, Kathy is the self-proclaimed moral compass of the office, who makes sure she offers her opinion on every aspect of her colleagues’ lives.
Happily married to her doting husband Ralph and with two grown-up children, Kathy seems to have it all. However, her picture-perfect life belies a much deeper frustration.
After enduring years of a sexless marriage Kathy spends months meticulously planning to meet a secret cyber suitor. The tryst, however, has life-shattering consequences when she finds herself witness to a brutal and violent crime. Kathy’s own moral compass is put to the test and she is forced to decide whether she steps forward with crucial evidence or keep quiet and protect her secret life.
Meanwhile, following Marianne’s shocking confession to Beth that she had been lying about her relationship with Dave, Beth is determined to find out more. However, unable to reach Marianne who has not been turning up to work, Beth is forced to take matters into her own hands.
Episode 4: ‘Rick’
Tuesday 7 April 2015, 9pm
When Rick moves in with Mike, his boss, he finds himself in very dangerous territory as he establishes a friendship with Ruby, Mike’s daughter.
It’s a friendship no-one can know about, and which rapidly spirals out of control.
Episode 5: ‘Pete’
Tuesday 14 April 2015, 9pm
Renowned as the office hypochondriac, enigmatic salesman Pete is never without his inhaler and pain killers, but it soon becomes clear that his ailments are the least of his worries.
Having suffered a number of tragic miscarriages over the years, when Pete and his wife Vannessa find out that they are expecting a baby it seems like luck is finally on their side. However, as a recovering gambling addict with crippling debts, Pete is already feeling the pressure financially.
When he and colleague Fat Jason are involved in a violent car robbery during a test drive, things soon spiral out of control. Brutally beaten and bloody, the men end up in hospital where they are questioned by the police. With the police convinced the robbery was an inside job, attention quickly turns to Fat Jason whose increasingly suspicious behaviour is causing concern.
Meanwhile, Beth and Mike take the next step in their relationship as Beth tries to move on with her life. However, continuing to receive the silent phone calls, Beth is feeling pressure from Dave’s mother to not give up on her husband.
Episode 6: ‘Beth’
Tuesday 21 April 2015, 9pm
Sixteen months have passed since her husband Dave disappeared, but just as JS motors’ Head of Admin Beth Corbin feels ready to move on and make serious plans for the future with company boss Mike, she is rocked by unexpected news.
Reeling, Beth leaves her girls with her mother-in-law Gina and travels to Margate to face her past. There, she is forced to decide whether she should leave her old life behind or move on with her new-found love Mike.
While Beth has a difficult decision to make, Mike must also accept how much his life will change. With his wife Alison flying into a fit of rage and her father a 51 percent shareholder in the company, Mike’s wife, girlfriend and job are all on the line.
> Order Ordinary Lies on DVD on Amazon.
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