Mistresses is a British drama television series that follows the lives of four female friends and their involvement in an array of illicit and complex relationships. The series was created by S. J. Clarkson, Lowri Glain and Rachel Anthony, and filmed in Bristol by Ecosse Films for BBC Drama, Wales.
The first series was broadcast on BBC One from 8 January to 12 February 2008 in a six-episode run. A second series of six episodes aired from 17 February to 24 March 2009. Mistresses returned for a third and final series comprising four episodes on 5 August 2010.
Contents
Main characters
Katie Roden (Sarah Parish) is a GP who, at the beginning of series 1, is having an affair with John Grey, a terminally ill patient whom she later helps commit physician assisted suicide. After John's death, his son, Sam (Max Brown), discovers evidence of this. Distraught, he confides in Katie, unaware of her role in his father's life and they begin a reluctant relationship as she struggles with her grief and guilt over helping John die. Ultimately, unable to lie any longer, Katie tells Sam, who informs his mother and the authorities resulting in Katie being suspended from work for a year.
Series 2 begins with Katie taking a junior post in a hospital department working alongside an old lover from medical school, Jack Hudson (Steven Brand), now married to Megan (Natasha Little) but still holds a torch for Katie. Katie also meets Jack and Megan's friend, fellow surgeon Dan Tate (Mark Umbers), with whom she strikes up a relationship. All goes well until Jack decides to act on his feelings for Katie and they embark on a brief affair. Katie ends the affair before she is discovered but Dan witnesses a final kiss between the pair and decides to move to Australia to take up a medical post he's been offered. Katie leaves a heartfelt note of apology for Dan, which he reads before asking her to go with him to Australia.
Series 3 introduces Katie's mother Vivienne Roden (Joanna Lumley), with whom Katie has a tense relationship. Vivienne has found a new man and intends on selling the old family home where Katie lived as a child, much to Katie's distaste. Later, Katie discovers that her (now-deceased) father had a mistress during his marriage to Vivienne, and Katie softens toward her mother. Additionally, Katie becomes close with Trudi's partner, Richard, (Patrick Baladi) and the two lean on each other during hard times as well as sharing a kiss. Katie rejects a relationship with Richard, but agrees to counsel him on his marriage; but Richard is killed in a car accident on his way to meet Katie at the railway station. Trudi later discovers the plan and, feeling betrayed (thinking the two were having an affair and that Richard intended to leave her for Katie), ends her friendship with Katie.
Trudi Malloy (Sharon Small) is a 9/11 widow and mother of two, who is convinced her husband, Paul, is still alive. In the first episode, she receives a cheque from a 9/11 bereavement fund worth around £1 million and begins seeing Richard (Patrick Baladi), a single father whose daughter goes to the same school as Trudi's daughters. A woman, Sally, makes contact with Trudi, claiming she was Paul's lover while he was in New York City and that they have a son together. Trudi decides to split the money with Sally in order to provide for the son Paul fathered with her, but is stunned to discover that she was right all along - Paul is alive, and used 9/11 as an excuse to carry out his plan of leaving Trudi for Sally. Trudi informs the authorities and returns the bereavement money.
Episodes
Filming locations
Locations used for filming other than Bristol: The wedding sequences in episode 1 of series 2 were shot in the gardens and cloister of Iford Manor, near Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire. Siobhan's flings in series 2 are filmed in a suite at the Bath Spa Hotel.
Home releases
The first series was released on DVD in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 4 February 2008. The second series was released on 30 March 2009.
International broadcasts
In Australia it was broadcast on the Seven Network from 29 April 2008, New Zealand on TV One from 5 November 2008, USA on BBC America from 20 February 2009, and Ireland on RTÉ One from 23 June 2009.
Remakes
American remakes
Lifetime produced a pilot in 2009 which was never picked up to series. Coincidentally, Alyssa Milano's Charmed co-star Holly Marie Combs was to star and produce it. Rochelle Aytes was also featured in this version, as well as in the ABC series, which ran for 4 seasons.
American Broadcasting Company (a 50% owner of Lifetime) commissioned another Mistresses version, which began in 2012, starring Yunjin Kim in the role of Karen (based on Katie from the British series), Rochelle Aytes as April (based on Trudi from the British series), Jes Macallan as Josslyn (based on Jessica from the British series), and Alyssa Milano as Savannah (based on Siobhan from the British series).
South Korean remake
Studio Dragon and Chorokbaem Media announced a South Korean remake of the series, Mistress, set to air in April 2018.
Japanese remake
NHK has bought the remake rights to Mistresses from BBC. It is the first sale by BBC to the Japanese broadcaster.
The 10-episode series is set to air from April 2019 in Drama 10 of NHK General TV.
Turkish remake
Fox has bought the remake rights to Mistresses from BBC Studios. It is the first sale by BBC to the Turkish broadcaster.
Slovak adaptation
TV Markíza bought remake rights for Slovak remakes of series.