Coupling: How it all ends.


Steven Moffat is one of the greatest TV writers in the world.

Coupling is probably the show he’s best known for. It lasted four series in the UK. He’s also written for Doctor Who. As well as being a bit of a fan.

So when someone asked him on the Outpost Gallifrey message board what happened after the last episode, he told them. As I couldn’t link to the post because the registration system is down, I asked Mr Moffat if I could repost it here.

So here you are, Coupling fans.

Closure.

Originally Posted by IMForeman

My only complaint: I need closure on this. I know it’s unlikely any “ending” will be made, but I just need closure! I need to know if Jane and Oliver work out. I need to know if Sally actually gives Patrick a slightly less rude answer to his proposal. I need to know that Susan was ok after the C-Section, and what kind of neurotic father Steve made. I NEED TO KNOW!!!!

Ok, that’s me venting for today. Move along. Nothing more to see.

Oh, all right.

Sally said yes to Patrick, they got married and are very happy. Especially as Sally beat Susan to the altar, and finally did something first. Patrick is now a completely devoted husband, who lives in total denial that he was anything other an upstanding member of the community. Or possibly he’s actually forgotten. He doesn’t like remembering things because it’s a bit like thinking.

Jane and Oliver never actually did have sex, but they did become very good friends. They often rejoice together that their friendship is uncomplicated by any kind of sexual attraction – but they both get murderously jealous when the other is dating. Jane has a job at Oliver’s science fiction book shop now – and since Oliver has that one moment of Naked Jane burnt on the inside of his eyelids, he now loses the place in one in every three sentences. People who know them well think something’s gotta give – and they’re right. Especially as Jane comes to work in a metal bikini.

Steve and Susan have two children now, and have recently completed work on a sitcom about their early lives together. They’re developing a new television project, but it keeps getting delayed as he insists on writing episodes of some old kids show they recently pulled out of mothballs. She gets very cross about this, and if he says “Yeah but check out the season poll!” one more time, he will not live to write another word.

Jeff is still abroad. He lives a life a complete peace and serenity now, having taken the precaution of not learning a word of the local langauge and therefore protecting himself from the consequences of his own special brand of communication. If any English speakers turn up, he pretends he only speaks Hebrew. He is, at this very moment, staring out to sea, and sighing happily every thirty-eight seconds.

What he doesn’t know, of course, is that even now a beautiful Israeli girl he once met in a bar, is heading towards his apartment, having been directed to the only Hebrew speaker on the island. What he also doesn’t know is that she is being driven by a young ex-pat English woman, who is still grieving the loss of a charming, one-legged Welshman she once met on a train. And he cannot possible suspect that (owing to a laundry mix-up, and a stag party the previous night in the same block) he is wearing heat-dissolving trunks.

As the doorbell rings, it is best that we draw a veil.

Steven Moffat


30 responses to “Coupling: How it all ends.”

  1. At this point, I think I’d much rather see Moffat do another series of Coupling than another of Doctor Who. I’m a big fan of Who and I’ve enjoyed his time on Who, but proper closure on Coupling would be really awesome. Especially the way Jeff ends up. It doesn’t get much more awesome than that.

  2. Thanks so much for this. Coupling is probably my favourite comedy show of all times, though I missed Jeff so much in the last season (Oliver was fun, but somehow I couldn’t get the same familiarity like with the rest of the cast).

  3. I hope he does a fifth, sixth, seventh etc. season after Doctor Who. I’ve got nothing against Dr. Who, but Coupling was unique, and I miss it! Sort of like Firefly.

  4. A big thank you to Steve Moffat and his producer and wife Sue Vertue, for allowing us to experience the birth of “their” relationship. Coupling is a show that my wife and I can watch from beginning to end and right back through again. The depth of madness inherit in each character reflect the friends that have flocked to our life that we are building together, even Jeff. So, Steve and Sue, thank you for all the hard work in creating that which fills our nights with laughter.

  5. Excellent ,light enjoyable series ,,still holds currency after the years have passed, good to be able to show our sons and daughter in laws (now all in there early 3o’s),,Could have of course gone another series but sometimes good to end on a ‘high’. Thank you for a wonderful series well written and well acted. Richard & Christine White . Australia.

  6. Hopefully, a reunion series of a few episodes or maybe one big episode. It would make me pretty ecstatic. And of course, we need Jeff back for that. If someone who can make this happen is reading this comment, please try. Coupling is still undeniably one of the best sitcoms of all time.

  7. do an animated ending (Christmas special)
    Keep the adult themes, like the Ricky Gervais animated show.
    Oh! and it MUST have Jeff

    • I can’t believe this show premiered over 16 years ago. I was rewatching it with my brother and we were both laughing like the first time.

      Well… they can do better than an animated ending. We now live in the Netflix era, where tv shows are brought from cancellation (Arrested Development) and those that got proper endings get short runs to please the fans (X Files, Gilmore Girls, Full House). Then there are cult shows that get mainstream appeal when they are rebooted to larger audiences (Black Mirror), so I don’t really see why I could not happen with Coupling. The whole cast (Coyle included) should be on board. People are still talking about it! Just look at us, Moffat!

  8. I actually thought Coupling had a good ending with speech Steve gave about his son. It was only the Sally and Patrick story that got no real closure. I loved all of the characters but the show was not as good without Jeff. Steve and Jeff were great together. Patrick was great too. Sarah Alexander was orignally why I wanted to see the show, though. One of the top 10 hottest women ever. Anyways, I do not like cliffhangers and was disappointed to not have a fifth season. The way the 4th season closed, though with Steve saying he was adifferent person was a perfect way to close the series.

  9. All great characters and this is my ranking of the characters (Sarah Alexander, again, is one of the hottest women, and, this list is based on comedy)
    1) Jeff
    2) Steve
    3) Patrick
    4) Susan
    5) Jane
    6) Oliver
    7) Sally

    Great Show along with Mr. Bean, Coupling, and Fawlty Towers, in that order.

  10. Richard Coyle channeled that unbeatable sense of humor, and I just can’t think of any other character that made me – or makes me, for that matter – laugh out louder. I know its been 12 years since the last air, but a reboot is in order.

    Please. I implore you, Steve Moffat. For Jeff’s sake.

  11. I have just binge re-watched it again, and was crying with laughter most of the time, apart from when Jeff missed out on the beautiful Israeli girl and when Jeff lost his office girlfriend to her crazy Ex, when I just cried

    I loved the way Sally matured into a very attractive lady, how much was intended and how much was just Kate Isitt getting better?

  12. Please, please bring this back. Just as funny the fourth time round and this many years later. But I would still love to see an episode or two on what happened next.

  13. Owww Coupling is a bloody institution lol. We Brits adore it because actually it’s almost a factual rendering of our own lives and relationships LOL ( 16 years ago LOL had so not been invented).
    My boyfriend and I (13 years of boyfriend I hasten to add!! #shocking #ringonit?) have recently binged watched the series again ( we watched originally and have the DVDs…SO???!!) and this series and the wonderful characters just never lose their charm. There is a bit of each charade in all of us and Moffat does a wonderful job of aligning that..its still relevant to me now!!
    Anyway I’m rambling but I for one would be joyous if we had just one little teensy weensy little Xmas special of Coupling ( please Mother Mary, Moses and the Baby Jesus) but please Lord ( Steven) can we please have Jeff back??
    Love you all
    Xxxxxxx

  14. Ahh, sweet release. Just what I needed to move on. I’m there with Jeff mentally right now. I don’t smoke, but think I need a cigarette. Thanks Steve. JP

  15. It’s 2018 and I still watch the show. I remember this show being aired on TV when I was still a little kid and didn’t understand much of the adult part of it but I remember laughing so hard at the humorous storyline. Made me rewatch the show. I do feel like we need at least a reunion episode with Jeff in it. I so love all the different characters..

  16. I just watched all four seasons in one week, as I couldn’t stop.

    Excellent show and it’s a pity it ended after only 28 episodes.

    The saving grace was that the character of Jeff didn’t return for the fourth season (I disliked that character tremendously).

    After doing a bit Googling on the actors, I found out that the actress that played Julia, passed away in 2006, so sad ?.

    Anyways thank you Steve for a great series. ?

    AJ
    13th February 2019

  17. Just watched coupling again. Started on May 12th exactly 20yrs since the first episode aired. Loved reading this ending as closure. Coupling was a truly unique, clever and well acted british comedy. 20 years on it still feels fresh but now also charming. Time for a revival….?

  18. We’re in Canada. Very few people have heard of it over here. I’ve bought the DVD sets several times- every time I do, I convince one of my friends to try it, and the DVD’s mysteriously disappear. Jeff is, by far, my favourite actor in a comedy.
    Between this and Sherlock, I extend my heartfelt thanks for the best shows ever.

  19. great show Mr.Moffat, I laughed out loud after a long… long time, Actually your ‘Patrick’ character is exactly me eventually ending with the “ONE” Sally

    I never knew the existence of this show and one fine day Amazon poped it up

    If you ever read this, please bring a hilarious end to “Coupling”

  20. Hello, I discovered Coupling recently and watched the first three seasons in a short time. WOW, I really like this show! It’s often compared to Friends, which I watched at the time, but I admit I like Coupling better! When a Friends sequel is considered now, I join the voices that would like to see a Coupling sequel… at least one episode… maybe one and a half hours long… 🙂 And with Jeff, of course! God, even though I started watching the sitcom because of Jack Davenport, who I have a soft spot for, I very quickly fell in love with Richard Coyle and his Jeff Murdock.

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