‘Vicious’ 2013 – 2016, Is Still Viciously Funny
Vicious, which aired from 2013 to 2016, stars acting legends Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Derek Jacobi as Freddie and Stuart, a bickering gay couple who’ve been together for over fifty years. The sitcom follows their various domestic adventures, which usually involve appearances from their upstairs neighbor Ash (Iwan Rheon) and BFF Violet (Frances de la Tour). The final episode was in December 2016, recorded in front of a live studio audience, in which we finally saw Freddie and Stuart get married.
“It’s been an absolute delight to see Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi and Frances de la Tour bring alive these wonderful characters on screen for viewers,” said an ITV spokesman told UK newspaper The Sun, apparently confirming the cancellation rumor. “We’re over the moon all the cast are returning for one final special.”
The news of the sitcom’s end wasn't incredibly surprising, given that ratings had been falling since its premiere, and since it boasted two leads with very full schedules, it took nearly two years to produce and air a second season.
In a way, having something like official word is nice – too often fans are left hanging forever about the fate of beloved properties, until we all just assume the series must have been quietly axed while we weren’t looking. Plus, it’s always good to see shows given the chance to actually craft a legitimate ending for themselves rather than just stopping and pretending that whatever the endpoint happened to be is the same thing as an actual conclusion. This way, at least you get to say goodbye.
All episodes of Vicious are available on PBS Passport.
