You know that feeling when you stumble upon a British drama that just feels like a warm blanket? That’s William and Mary. Honestly, if you haven’t seen it, you’re missing out on one of those rare shows that manages to be both incredibly macabre and deeply sweet at the exact same time. It’s about an undertaker and a midwife. Talk about the circle of life, right? But what really kept people glued to their screens during its run from 2003 to 2005 wasn't just the quirky premise. It was the chemistry. The cast of William and Mary turned what could have been a cheesy ITV soap into something that felt genuine, messy, and lived-in.
Finding a show where the leads actually look and act like real people is harder than it should be. Martin Clunes and Julie Graham didn't just play characters; they inhabited them. They made you believe that a lonely man who spends his days with the dead and a frantic woman who spends her nights delivering babies could actually find a rhythm together.
Martin Clunes as William Shawcross
Most people see Martin Clunes and immediately think of the grumpy, blood-phobic Doc Martin. But before he moved to Portwenn, he was William Shawcross. William is different. He’s sensitive. He’s a romantic who listens to opera while preparing bodies for burial. It’s a bit weird, sure, but Clunes plays it with such a gentle touch that you totally get it.
Clunes has this specific way of using his face—those expressive, slightly mournful eyes—to convey a guy who has seen a lot of grief but hasn't become hardened by it. He’s a widower. He’s lonely. When he signs up for a dating agency, you really feel for the guy. His portrayal of William is arguably one of the most underrated performances in British television history because it lacks the "gimmick" of his later roles. He’s just a man trying to find a spark in a life surrounded by the stillness of death.
Julie Graham as Mary Gilcrest
Then you have Mary. Julie Graham is a powerhouse here. While William is calm and methodical, Mary is a whirlwind of chaos. She’s a single mother, she’s a midwife, and she’s constantly running on about three hours of sleep and far too much caffeine.
What makes the cast of William and Mary so effective is the friction Graham brings to the table. She isn't playing a "love interest." She’s playing a woman who isn't even sure she has room in her life for a man, especially one who deals with hearses and coffins. Graham’s energy is infectious. You see her juggling her sons, her demanding job, and her own internal doubts, and you realize she’s the engine of the show.
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The Supporting Players: Family and Chaos
You can't talk about this show without mentioning the kids and the extended family. They aren't just background noise. They are the obstacles and the glue.
- Dominic Gilcrest (played by Ricci McLeod): Mary’s older son. He’s at that awkward age where he’s trying to figure out his own identity while watching his mum date a "death guy."
- Brendan Gilcrest (played by Alexander Shaps): The younger, more inquisitive son.
- Julia Shawcross (played by Georgina Terry): William’s daughter. Her relationship with her father is one of the emotional anchors of the series. She’s protective of him, and seeing her navigate her father’s new romance adds a layer of realism that most sitcoms skip over.
The house is always full. The streets are always busy. It feels like London.
The Underrated Brilliance of the Secondary Cast
Peta Cornish played Kate, and you had Cheryl Campbell as Mary’s mother, Molly. Molly is a piece of work. Honestly, every time she shows up on screen, you know there’s going to be some level of drama or a sharp-tongued comment that makes Mary roll her eyes. It’s that classic mother-daughter dynamic where love is buried under layers of lifelong annoyance.
And let’s not forget the colleagues. The midwives at the hospital and the staff at the funeral parlor provide the necessary levity. They remind us that for these characters, birth and death are just... jobs. It’s their "nine to five." That perspective is what gives the show its unique flavor.
Why the Chemistry Worked (And Why It Still Holds Up)
Why do we care about the cast of William and Mary two decades later? It’s the lack of pretension. In many modern dramas, the dialogue feels like it was written by a committee trying to sound "edgy." Here, the dialogue feels like something you’d overhear in a pub in Southbury.
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- They argue about mundane things.
- They have bad hair days.
- The romance isn't "Hollywood" perfect; it’s clumsy and sometimes poorly timed.
The show was created by Mick Ford, who clearly understood that the stakes don't always have to be world-ending to be compelling. Sometimes the stakes are just "will they manage to have a nice dinner without someone being called away to a crowning baby or a grieving widow?"
A Look at the Production Reality
The series was filmed largely around London, specifically in areas like Richmond and various spots in North London. This grounded the cast in a reality that felt accessible. When you see William driving his hearse through the rainy streets, it doesn't look like a set. It looks like a Tuesday.
Interestingly, Martin Clunes actually did quite a bit of research into the funeral industry for the role. He didn't want it to be a caricature. He wanted to show the dignity in the profession. That dedication reflects in how the entire cast approached the material—they took the "unusual" aspects of their characters' lives seriously, which allowed the audience to do the same.
What Happened to the Cast?
It's always fun to see where everyone landed. We know Martin Clunes became a household name with Doc Martin, which ran for a staggering ten seasons. He’s essentially British TV royalty at this point.
Julie Graham has stayed incredibly busy too. You might have seen her in Shetland, Benidorm, or The Bletchley Circle. She has this incredible range—she can go from hilarious to heartbreaking in a single scene. Watching her in William and Mary now, you can see all the seeds of that talent.
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The younger actors, like Georgina Terry, stayed in the industry for a while but many moved on to different paths. That’s the nature of child acting; sometimes the screen is just a chapter, not the whole book.
Is it Worth Re-watching?
Absolutely. If you’re tired of high-octane thrillers where everyone is a secret spy or a serial killer, this is your palate cleanser. The cast of William and Mary offers a masterclass in "low-stakes" storytelling that feels incredibly high-stakes because you actually care if these people end up happy.
It’s about the courage it takes to start over in middle age. It’s about the fact that life is messy, death is inevitable, and the only thing that makes any of it bearable is finding someone who can handle your brand of crazy.
Actionable Insights for Fans and New Viewers
If you're looking to dive back into the world of William Shawcross and Mary Gilcrest, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch for the subtle cues: The show relies heavily on non-verbal communication. Pay attention to Clunes' expressions when he's alone in the mortuary versus when he's with Mary.
- Check the streaming platforms: In many regions, the show rotates through services like BritBox or Acorn TV. It’s worth the subscription for a month just to binge the three seasons.
- Appreciate the soundtrack: The music, including the opera selections, isn't just background noise; it’s a direct reflection of William’s internal state.
- Look for the "London-ness": For those who know the city, identifying the filming locations adds a layer of fun to the viewing experience.
The legacy of this cast isn't just a list of names on an IMDb page. It's the way they made a quirky, slightly dark premise feel like the most natural thing in the world. They proved that you don't need explosions or massive plot twists if you have two people, a lot of honesty, and a really good script.
To truly appreciate the series, start from the pilot. Don't skip episodes. The slow-burn development of their relationship is the whole point. You need to see the awkward first dates to appreciate the comfort of the final season. It is a complete journey of two people finding their way toward each other against a backdrop of life's most extreme moments.