Hardware (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Hardware is a British
sitcom
that aired on ITV
from 2003 to 2004. Starring Martin Freeman
, it was written and created by Simon Nye
, the creator of Men Behaving Badly
.
The show's opening theme was A Taste of Honey
by Herb Alpert
's Tijuana Brass.
, where main character Mike (Martin Freeman
) works with Steve (Ryan Cartwright) and Kenny (Peter Serafinowicz
) for shop owner Rex (Ken Morley
). They relax at the next-door-but-one cafe, "Nice Day Cafe", where Mike's girlfriend Anne (Susan Earl) works with Julie (Ella Kenion
). The series revolves around the store staff as they engage in a daily wisecrack battle with packs of DIY obsessed clients.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that aired on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
from 2003 to 2004. Starring Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman
Martin John C. Freeman is an English actor. He is known for his roles as John in Love Actually, Tim Canterbury in the BBC's Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. John Watson in Sherlock and Mr. Madden...
, it was written and created by Simon Nye
Simon Nye
Simon Nye is an English comic television writer, best known for creating the hit sitcom Men Behaving Badly, writing all of the four ITV Panto, co-writing the 2006 film Flushed Away, co-writing Reggie Perrin and creating the latest adaption of William Brown in the Just William CBBC...
, the creator of Men Behaving Badly
Men Behaving Badly
Men Behaving Badly is a British comedy that was created and written by Simon Nye. It follows the lives of Gary Strang and his flatmates, Dermot Povey and Tony Smart It was first broadcast on ITV in 1992...
.
The show's opening theme was A Taste of Honey
A Taste of Honey (song)
"A Taste of Honey" is a pop standard written by Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow. It was originally an instrumental track written for the 1960 Broadway version of the 1958 British play A Taste of Honey . Both the original and a cover by Herb Alpert in 1965 earned the song Grammy Awards...
by Herb Alpert
Herb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
's Tijuana Brass.
Cast
- Martin FreemanMartin FreemanMartin John C. Freeman is an English actor. He is known for his roles as John in Love Actually, Tim Canterbury in the BBC's Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. John Watson in Sherlock and Mr. Madden...
- Mike - Peter SerafinowiczPeter SerafinowiczPeter Szymon Serafinowicz is an English actor, comedian, writer, composer, voice artist and occasional director.-Early life:Serafinowicz was born in Liverpool, England. He attended Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Primary School and St Francis Xavier Secondary School...
- Kenny - Ken MorleyKen MorleyKen Morley is an English comedian and actor who is best known for his role as Reg Holdsworth in Coronation Street. He played the role from 1989 until quitting the show in 1995...
- Rex - Ryan Cartwright - Steve
- Susan Earl - Anne
- Ella KenionElla KenionElla Kenion is an English comedy actress, known for her versatility in shows such as The Catherine Tate Show, Five's sketch show, Swinging and most recently in BBC4's Fear of Fanny. She's probably best known for her portrayal of Mrs Cakeworthy in The Green Green Grass. She played the role of Julie...
- Julie
Plot
Hardware is set in "Hamway's Hardware Store" in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where main character Mike (Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman
Martin John C. Freeman is an English actor. He is known for his roles as John in Love Actually, Tim Canterbury in the BBC's Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. John Watson in Sherlock and Mr. Madden...
) works with Steve (Ryan Cartwright) and Kenny (Peter Serafinowicz
Peter Serafinowicz
Peter Szymon Serafinowicz is an English actor, comedian, writer, composer, voice artist and occasional director.-Early life:Serafinowicz was born in Liverpool, England. He attended Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Primary School and St Francis Xavier Secondary School...
) for shop owner Rex (Ken Morley
Ken Morley
Ken Morley is an English comedian and actor who is best known for his role as Reg Holdsworth in Coronation Street. He played the role from 1989 until quitting the show in 1995...
). They relax at the next-door-but-one cafe, "Nice Day Cafe", where Mike's girlfriend Anne (Susan Earl) works with Julie (Ella Kenion
Ella Kenion
Ella Kenion is an English comedy actress, known for her versatility in shows such as The Catherine Tate Show, Five's sketch show, Swinging and most recently in BBC4's Fear of Fanny. She's probably best known for her portrayal of Mrs Cakeworthy in The Green Green Grass. She played the role of Julie...
). The series revolves around the store staff as they engage in a daily wisecrack battle with packs of DIY obsessed clients.
Episodes
Series One (2003)
- "Nice" (23 March 2003)
- "Naked" (30 March 2003)
- "Bondage" (6 April 2003)
- "Finger" (13 April 2003)
- "Women" (20 April 2003)
- "Hutch" (27 April 2003)
Series Two (2004)
- "Bastard" (7 March 2004)
- "Big Foot" (14 March 2004)
- "Nude" (21 March 2004)
- "Loser" (28 March 2004)
- "Tony Two-Ways" (4 April 2004)
- "Celebrity" (11 April 2004)
DVD releases
The first series of Hardware is available on DVD in Region 4 (Australia). The complete series of Hardware was released in February 2009 in the UK on Region 2 from Network DVD.External links
- Hardware at bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...