Birds of a Feather

When the husbands of sisters Tracey Stubbs and Sharon Theodopolopodos end up in prison for armed robbery, the sisters' lives are flipped. Sharon leaves her council flat in Edmonton and moves into Tracey’s more affluent home in Chigwell, bringing together two very different personalities under one roof. Their next-door neighbour Dorien Green, a glamorous and often scandalous married woman who favors younger men, becomes an unlikely friend. The show mixes everyday domestic moments with comic set pieces and melodramatic turns as the trio cope with changed circumstances and shifting social situations, later relocating the action to Hainault during the run. The series ran through 1998 and later returned to screens in a revival.

Created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, Birds of a Feather premiered on BBC One in 1989, running until 1998, and was revived on ITV in 2013, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph.

Across its original run the series and its performers received attention at British television award ceremonies, picking up nominations and industry recognition that helped keep the principal cast in the public eye throughout the 1990s and beyond.

The show lodged itself in British popular culture through its distinct, easily recognizable characters and its portrayal of female friendship in a comedic setting. Its revival nearly two decades later testified to enduring audience affection, and the characters have remained touchstones in discussions of British sitcoms centered on women.

Critical reception mixed over the years, reflected in a modest 6.1/10 user vote from one database, but many viewers and reviewers highlighted the chemistry between the three leads. Themes commonly noted include solidarity among women, class contrast, social survival, and the way humour and domestic drama are combined to keep the storytelling lively.