Feel Good is a British comedy-drama television programme created by Mae Martin and Joe Hampson. It is a semi-autobiographical romantic comedy starring Mae Martin as a fictionalised version of themself and Charlotte Ritchie as Mae's girlfriend, George.
The six-part first series premiered its first episode on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom on 18 March 2020, after which all six episodes were released on All 4. Netflix handled international distribution and released it internationally on 19 March 2020. Independently of Channel 4, Netflix renewed the programme for a second and final series, which was released on 4 June 2021.
Contents
Plot
The show follows the development of Mae and George's romance in contemporary Manchester. Mae (Mae Martin), a Canadian comedian (a version of Mae Martin's own personal life), meets George (Charlotte Ritchie), a repressed, middle-class English woman, at the comedy club where Mae performs. The pair begin dating, and George learns that Mae is a former drug addict. George encourages them to attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, where Mae meets fellow recovering addicts. Mae's addiction causes problems in their relationship, as does George's reluctance to come out and tell friends and family about her relationship with Mae.
In the second season, Mae's career advances. They address trauma in their past after receiving a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Cast and characters
Main
Mae Martin as a fictionalised version of themself
Charlotte Ritchie as Georgina "George" Lawson, Mae's girlfriend and a secondary school English teacher
Lisa Kudrow as Linda Martin, Mae's mother
Recurring
Phil Burgers as Phil, George's flatmate
Adrian Lukis as Malcolm Martin, Mae's father
Pippa Haywood as Felicity Lawson, George's mother
Ophelia Lovibond (season 1) and Stephanie Leonidas (season 2) as Binky, George's best friend
Tom Durant Pritchard as Hugh, Binky's husband
Al Roberts as Jared, an unwelcome love interest of George
Tobi Bamtefa as Nick, MC of the Gag Bin comedy club
Jack Barry as Jack, a fellow comedian and Gag Bin regular
Sophie Thompson as Maggie, Mae's Narcotics Anonymous (NA) self-declared sponsor (season 1)
Ritu Arya as Lava (who goes by Laura), Maggie's daughter (season 1)
Ramon Tikaram as David, NA leader (season 1)
Tom Andrews as Kevin, NA member (season 1)
Jordan Stephens as Elliott, George's colleague (season 2)
John Ross Bowie as Scott, Mae's former housemate (season 2)
Anthony Head as George Lawson, George's father (season 2)
Steen Raskopoulos as Pete Lewis (season 1 and 2), a Gag Bin comedian
Episodes
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, season 1 has an approval rating of 100% based on reviews from 41 critics, with an average rating of 8.3 out of 10.
Caroline Framke of Variety wrote: "Feel Good feels lowkey, insightful and real in a way that so much of TV tries to be, but rarely achieves quite like this – and yes, it also can feel pretty damn good."
At the 2021 RTS Programme Awards, Martin and Hampson won Best Writer – Comedy.