The ‘This Country’ Star Transforms Into a Complex Lead in this Hilarious and Gripping New Show
Daisy May Cooper, best known for her iconic role in This Country, delivers a standout performance in Am I Being Unreasonable?, a darkly comedic exploration of relationships and secrets. Co-created with Selin Hizli, this new series is an unpredictable blend of humour and tension, set in a quintessentially middle-class English village, where the lines between reality and deceit blur.
While the title may suggest a satire on the parenting website Mumsnet, Am I Being Unreasonable? is much more nuanced. The central character, Nic, played by Cooper, does indeed frequent Mumsnet to seek validation for her personal dilemmas. From questions about her husband’s behaviour to her struggles with emotional intimacy, Nic’s life is far from perfect. She resides in a comfortable home in the Cotswolds, with her young son, a strange cleaning lady, and a rather unfulfilling marriage to Dan (Dustin Demri-Burns). Although her life appears idyllic, Nic is tormented by the tragic memory of a passionate affair that ended in a horrific accident.
The show takes an intriguing turn when Nic forms a connection with her new neighbour, single mother Jen (Selin Hizli). What begins as a friendship over mutual dislike for their village neighbours quickly escalates into something far darker. After a drunken confession, Nic opens up to Jen about the absence of “real, intense passion” in her life, revealing that her last experience of such intensity was with a man named Alex, whose death remains shrouded in mystery. Jen, however, begins recording the conversation, suggesting that she has ulterior motives.
What follows is a series of questions that viewers can’t help but ponder: What is Jen’s true intention? Why does she seem to form a connection with Dan? What are the details of Nic’s past affair, and how will the show’s escalating tension unfold? The script, co-written by Cooper and Hizli, keeps the audience on edge, expertly blending moments of comedy with psychological intrigue, as truths and lies slowly unravel.
Cooper’s performance as Nic is both brilliantly flawed and deeply relatable. While her character’s straightforwardness brings levity, it’s the nuance and subtlety of Hizli’s portrayal of Jen that adds a layer of chilling manipulation to the narrative. As Jen, Hizli effortlessly exudes a quiet menace beneath her seemingly friendly exterior, keeping viewers on their toes as the power dynamics shift.
For Cooper, Am I Being Unreasonable? marks a significant step in her career, evolving beyond her breakout role as Kerry Mucklowe in This Country. The series showcases her growth as an actress and writer, offering a more complex and multifaceted role that proves her talent is far from limited to comedy alone. Just like the unpredictable twists of the show, Cooper’s career is undoubtedly heading in the right direction.
