Are You Ready for Doctor Foster?

One of the UK's most popular television shows, Doctor Foster, has surprised everyone by returning for a second season

We are going to make the assumption (and given the context we think we have the right to do so) that you have seen, and were completely riveted by the first season of Doctor Foster. If you haven't seen it, then you have most likely heard of it and know that the show from start to end had viewers on the edge of their seats. The premise is simple, almost cliché. In the mystery drama series Dr. Gemma Foster (Suranne Jones) suspects that her husband (Bertie Carvel) is having an affair. After some investigating we see her life take a strange and violent streak as the lure of the vengeful woman begins.
The show was meant to be a one-off season - no one expected there to be a second season of the show, least of all the cast members themselves. But hey, we aren't complaining and neither are they. City Times had the opportunity to speak with Suranne Jones and Bertie Carvel as the show and viewers prepare themselves for season two of one of the best shows on television.
Suranne Jones
How did you feel about returning to the role of Dr Gemma Foster?
At first, I didn't think there would be a second series. I wasn't sure about it. I said to my agent, "Maybe we should do something else." But I knew it would still be worth having a conversation with the writer Mike Bartlett about a second series because he is so brilliant.
What happened next?
Mike and I sat down and he told me what he wanted to do in the second series. It sounded amazing. He sold me there and then on the premise. I think it's something we haven't ever seen on TV before. This series is about two people who are divorced, but still have to be with each other because of their child. We've had War of the Roses and Kramer versus Kramer in the cinema, but nothing like this on television.
Why do you think we haven't seen this story on TV before?
TV writers usually write about affairs and infidelity - all the explosive stuff. They don't write about the tightly coiled aftermath of a divorce when two people who hate each other still have to live with each other for the sake of their child. Two people who loathe each other have to come together. How do they treat each other now? The answer is, not very well!
How do you feel the second season differs from the first?
This feels like a completely new story. The first series was about Gemma's breakdown after she discovered something she hadn't known about. She was heartbroken and manipulative and out of control. This series is set two years later. This time she has a lot of anger and bitterness - all the good things! There is also a great deal of tension between Gemma and Simon. Before they split up, everything seemed good between them. So there are still a lot of unanswered questions.
Do you think people like the character of Gemma Foster?
She's not particularly likeable. It's not a case of, "Let's all root for Gemma because her horrible husband is having an affair." I think the great thing about Doctor Foster is that they are ambiguous characters. As you read the script, you think it's going to go one way, and then it doesn't. That's what I love about Mike's writing.
Will there be an incendiary scene similar to the celebrated dinner party in the first season?
There is a scene to rival the dinner party. Emotions are so tightly wound and feelings have to be kept on a leash because there is a child involved. Gemma and Simon try to pretend that everything is OK and that they're dealing with the divorce well. But underneath that there is this horrendous turning of the screw, and emotions just have to come out. By episode five, they are in such an uncomfortable position that something has to give.
Why do you think that the first series of Doctor Foster was such a success?
Beforehand, I thought it might be quite niche. I thought that people wouldn't want to watch a drama about infidelity because it's uncomfortable. I also know that family dramas weren't very popular with commissioning editors at the time. It was all about cop shows and murderers and medical dramas and thrillers. The first series had an element of investigation to it, but it was basically about an Everywoman.
Now there are a lot of family dramas out there because of the success of Doctor Foster. How did you feel when you won the BAFTA for Doctor Foster?
It was amazing. At the time, I said, "Of course, I'll go to the ceremony. It's the highlight of my career." But I also had an eight-week-old baby. So I went to lots of dress fittings with my son, and I remember bending over with a pin on my back to feed him. Beforehand I thought, "If I win, I'd better remember who to thank." But when Tom Hiddleston presented me with the award, I said, "I don't know what's going on because I've just had a baby." I was all over the place!
Bertie Carvel

Was it a no-brainer to make a second series of Doctor Foster? What happens in the second season?
I'm not going to spoil the plot because it's a psychological thriller, and it would be unfair of me to reveal the details. But what is great about Mike's writing is that he finds the epic in the everyday. He taps into the anxiety about infidelity that a lot of people share. That storyline doesn't finish at the end of the first series. In the final episode of the last series, everything was laid on the table, but of course Simon and Gemma's lives didn't end there. They still had a child and a marriage to deal with. As Mike is such a brilliant writer, he says, "These people's stories don't end here. What next?" I can tell you, it's definitely worth the wait!
How does Simon develop in this second season?
In series one, his life was spiralling out of control. He was doing everything to try to put the genie back in the bottle. He was attempting to spin lots of different plates and keep everyone smiling. He was very reactive. He was on the back foot, while Gemma was the detective hunting out the truth and pushing all the levers. Now Simon has gone away and done work on himself. He has rebuilt himself and has a plan. The power has shifted in their relationship, and there is an epic battle between two ordinary people fighting over everything.
What are the other strong points of Doctor Foster?
Another thing I like is that it is not set in the capital. You see so many dramas that take place in the metropolis, as though everyone lives in London. But Mike's writing about the nation as a whole. I love the fact that the town of Parminster in Doctor Foster stands for communities around the country.
Do you like Simon?
I don't think we have a lot in common, but it's my job not to judge him. I'm not going to make a moral judgement of him. As an actor, it's not helpful to do that. There's a lot not to like about him and there is a lot to like about him. He's a human being. I'm going to leave the audience to decide.
Would you like to do a third series of Doctor Foster?
Mike would not do something for the sake of it. He wouldn't say, "Let's do more because it's been a huge hit." He would have to have something to write. But I would hope the answer would be yes. I love his writing and have really enjoyed playing this role.
Finally, why do you think the first series struck such a chord?
The subject of infidelity is an anxiety that lots of people can relate to. The drama is also set in a recognisable, everyday Britain. It's not one of those tent-pole shows that presents an idealised version of Britain. Mike looks at what is actually there. But also, he is not afraid of a grand guignol. That's very realistic because life contains both those extremes. The show is obviously also so popular because it features fantastic acting - that's a given!
Doctor Foster Series 2 starts Tuesday, September 5, at 11pm (KSA) and Midnight (UAE) on BBC First (OSN)

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