Douglas Is Cancelled – Season 1 Storyline Recap
Wanna know or catch up on what happened in season 1 of “Douglas Is Cancelled” on ITV1? Check out our season recap (and expect spoilers).
[Unless Said Otherwise] Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Storyline: What Did Douglas Say At The Wedding?
Who Was Involved: Douglas, Madeline
The core of “Douglas Is Cancelled” is what did Douglas said at a wedding weeks ago? Douglas feigns innocence throughout most of the season. But then he finally admits that, in the season finale, he may have made a joke or told an anecdote regarding knowing Madeline would make it when he saw her in his producer’s, Toby’s, hotel room. That’s what has caused all this trouble –admitting he was aware of something unbecoming happening and doing nothing.
Storyline: What Happened In That Hotel Room Between Madeline and Toby?
Who Was Involved: Toby, Madeline, Douglas
So, what happened in that hotel room between Madeline and Toby? Originally, it was an interview, which Douglas interrupted twice since Toby took so long to come downstairs to celebrate Douglas getting a career achievement award. However, with Toby recently divorced and finding Madeline attractive, he tried to feel her out to see if she would willingly do anything while dangling the carrot of a job.
The thing is, Madeline wasn’t for it. She isn’t attracted to Toby, and between him trying to push alcohol on her and ignoring how he was making her uncomfortable, the only thing that did happen is that Madeline learned how the game was played at that level.
Also, she got to see who Douglas might have truly been. He had the opportunity to save her and be the man she had idolized for over 20 years, yet he walked away. He even pushed the idea, knowing she was scared and uncomfortable, that what he assumed she was about to do was worth it.
Yet, there wasn’t a moment in Madeline’s head that was for sleeping with Toby. Instead, she threw papers he asked for in the tub he was sitting in, naked, the wine he kept pushing on her, and took pictures of him as evidence in case he tried anything.
Storyline: Did Madeline Want Revenge, A Confession, Or Simply An Apology?
Who Was Involved: Douglas, Madeline, Toby, Sheila, Claudia
It isn’t 100% clear whether or not Madeline was associated with Patrick Harland, but all signs point that she wasn’t. However, after hearing that Douglas tells stories, especially when intoxicated, and like many older men, he repeats himself, she had a hunch she was the subject of Douglas’ stories. She didn’t have proof, but to push him to confess something, she retweeted what Patrick Harland said in a pseudo-defense of her co-presenter.
However, the truth is, she was setting him up. She wanted him to spiral and confess, and when he kept saying he didn’t remember, she added pressure and opportunities for him to tell the truth. All of this comes to a head in episode 4 after she presents the idea that Douglas and her should do a practice interview. He is going to be doing one in a few weeks, which is scheduled to be 90 minutes, and because of the scandal, what would have been a fluff interview piece has now potentially become him fighting for his reputation and career.
In the rehearsal interview, Madeline gets dirty and throws everything at Douglas to test who he is, including inviting Claudia to watch the rehearsal to really put pressure on him. This eventually leads Douglas to confess he did make an anecdote regarding his assumption that Madeline and Toby slept together. She asks why he thinks that, and his response is that he saw she was afraid. Yet, despite seeing that fear, he did nothing but walk away and still has the audacity to push the narrative that he is a good guy. But, knowing the truth, while Madeline may question if he is a good guy, and were they ever friends, she seems ready to let it go because she doesn’t want the story to come out and affect her career.
What Happens To Douglas In The End?
Who Was Involved: Douglas, Claudia, Jenn, Bently
Ultimately, the show lives up to its name, and Douglas gets cancelled. However, it has nothing to do with Madeline. The environment created to protect Douglas ends up being his undoing. He might be a decent person, but between Bently, his agent, and the situation leading him to crack and talk down about the public to his daughter Claudia, Jenn, an engineer at the studio, shows who Bently and Douglas are and posts it online.
General Information
Episode 1
| Director(s) | Ben Palmer |
| Writer(s) | Steven Moffat |
| New Characters and Cast | |
| Toby | Ben Miles |
| Sheila | Alex Kingston |
| Douglas | Hugh Bonneville |
| Madeline | Karen Gillan |
| Claudia | Madeline Power |
Episode 2
| Director(s) | Ben Palmer |
| Writer(s) | Steven Moffat |
| New Characters and Cast | |
| Bently | Simon Russell Beale |
Episode 3
| Director(s) | Ben Palmer |
| Writer(s) | Steven Moffat |
Episode 4
| Director(s) | Ben Palmer |
| Writer(s) | Steven Moffat |
| New Characters and Cast | |
| Jenn | Ramanique Ahluwalia |
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