YMMV / Gavin & Stacey

• Alternative Character Interpretation: Is Stacey's long spell of homesickness in series 2 spoilt and unecessary Wangst as described in the entry below, or a justifiable response to Gavin's lack of sympathy towards her situation - being bored and jobless at home in a new place with an overbearing mother-in-law - as well as his new dismissiveness towards her own family and hometown?
• Diagnosed by the Audience: Nessa's blunt manner of speaking, limited emotional range and occasionally saying weird things are somewhat reminiscent of Autism. That she always wears the same footwear no matter what she's doing is also somewhat similar to a comfort item.
• He Really Can Act: Smithy's increasing emotional depth in the second series elicited this reaction to James Corden from many reviewers.
• Memetic Mutation: "Oh! Doris! Where's the salad?!"
• Momma's Boy: Gavin.
• Retroactive Recognition: James Corden guest-starred in Doctor Who twice and now hosts The Late Late Show.
  • Mathew Horne in The Catherine Tate Show.
  • Russell Tovey as Gavin's friend Budgie.
  • Samuel Anderson, Gavin's friend Fingers, later played Danny Pink in Doctor Who
• Tear Jerker:
  • The letter from Stacey's dad in series 1, episode 6.
  • Gavin's reaction when they learn that he's the reason Stacey is having trouble getting pregnant. While he wasn't nearly as obsessed as Stacey was about having children, you can tell he's devastated. There's something heartbreaking about the way he pretends he's poorly so he can go on up to bed rather than face his family.
• Vanilla Protagonist: The series was openly sold on the premise that Gavin and Stacey themselves are vanilla protagonists and the real point of the show is how their relationship affects their friends and families. It's telling that the show's two BAFTA Award nominations were for members of the supporting cast (James Corden and Rob Brydon) rather than the designated leads.
• Wangst:
  • Stacey's endless longing for home in series two. Being homesick is one thing, but she's actively rude and spiteful to Gavin and his family, and throws a tantrum simply because she isn't getting her own way.
    • Stacey's prone to this, her wangsting over not being able to have a baby right there and then.
    • Although they have been trying regularly for well over a year with no results at all, which has to get kind of worrying, and her longing for home is intensified by her boredom and inability to find a job. See Alternative Character Interpretation above.
  • Pam tapdances in this trope frequently with some of the issues she throws up, be it her complaining at Mick and Gavin following her misunderstanding of a no-carb diet, to an utterly jerkish moment in the Christmas Special where she begins screaming at Stacey and her family because Gavin has opted to take a job that will allow him to be closer to Stacey.
  • Smithy's general reactions to Gavin's engagement and marriage in series 1 fall under this, too, although as with Pam it's mostly Played for Laughs.

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