Anthony Head Credits

Manchild

Television series regular (UK)

Series summary: The show revolves around Terry, James, Patrick and Gary who have been friends since childhood. Terry and James are both divorced, Patrick has never married and Gary is still married to his childhood sweetheart, Cheryl. All are wealthy and determined to avoid acting like the 40-something year old men they are.

Role: James
Episodes: all
Original air dates: February 19, 2002 - April 15, 2003
Network: BBC2
Availability: Series one is currently available on DVD

Series One

Episode 1.01
Original air date: February 19, 2002

In the series premier, James finds himself unable to perform sexually with a hot young model (thus creating the infamous nickname Mr. Floppy). He seeks medical assistance and has surgery to correct his erectile dysfunction. While he's at it, he decides to have some length added as well.

Episode 1.02
Original air date: February 26, 2002

James tries to convince Patrick to help him buy the artwork that will be the most valuable in 10 years. Instead, Patrick insists that James buy the art that he loves. Patrick ultimately agrees to give James what he wants when James agrees to show the results of his surgery to the others. James finally buys a male nude by Robert Mapplethorpe.

Episode 1.03
Original air date: March 5, 2002

James is nervous about testing the results of his surgery. He visits a prostitute but cannot go through with it. He ends up visiting his ex-wife, Elizabeth, seeking reassurance but she only reacts with laughter and fakes threatening him with a butcher knife.

Episode 1.04
Original air date: March 12, 2002

James has a nightmare about Scarlett (the model from episode one) and goes to see Elizabeth again. This time, she sticks her hand down his pants, grabs a handful and helps James find out that his surgery was indeed a success.

Episode 1.05
Original air date: March 19, 2002

James really doesn't have his own story in this episode. It revolves around the preparations for Terry's daughter's marriage and the boys worrying about Patrick who is missing following his mother's death.

Episode 1.06
Original air date: March 26, 2002

After making a fool of himself in front of a couple of women while smoking a cigar at his club, James decides to seek change - by switching to a pipe.

Episode 1.07
Original air date: April 2, 2002

James has a mouse in the house. To be more precise, underneath his cooker. While on a hunting trip with the boys, he has set up a webcam to see if the traps he set are successful. He is distracted only by flirting with one of the two beautiful women who run the lodge. She points out James' errors in trap setting and ultimately reveals that the male mouse is actually a pregnant female. James starts to grow attached to his prey and the boys ultimately decide that country life isn't for them and head back to the city.

Series Two

Episode 2.01
Original air date: February 25, 2003

James' main concern in this episode is achieving the perfect golf swing and he believes that singing Bob Marley will do the trick.

Episode 2.02
Original air date: March 4, 2003

James falls for his interior designer, Kitty. After a brief and intense affair, James is ready to move on – but Kitty is hurt and retaliates by destroying his flat. James finally resorts to asking Elizabeth to intervene on his behalf. Naturally, Elizabeth and Kitty hit it off, but Kitty does agree to leave James alone.

Episode 2.03
Original air date: March 11, 2003

An old school friend, Dirty Dixon, arrives back in London after time in Africa. He joins the boys at a charity event and delights in pushing their buttons and pitting them against each other (for example, implying to James that Terry has slept with Elizabeth). They move on to a bar where Dirty end up picking a fight. On the limo ride home, the boys finally explode into an argument, during which Dirty has a heart attack and dies. The boys mourn his passing, but still decide to hang onto the diplomatic limousine for a few days.

Episode 2.04
Original air date: March 18, 2003

While his flat is still being repaired, James moves in with Terry. Terry is annoyed by everything James does: making friends with the neighbors, interrupting a date and walking around nude (although he does put on an apron to make a BLT). Their friendship is strained but Terry finally admits maybe he needs to lighten up a bit.

Episode 2.05
Original air date: March 25, 2003

James goes with Terry to see Terry's family dog, who is in critical condition.

Episode 2.06
Original air date: April 1, 2003

James breaks some horrifying news to the other boys: he is about to become a grandfather. He goes to visit Elizabeth to discuss plans, putting up a front about being annoyed at the inconvenience. Unfortunately, Elizabeth buys it. She tells him that their daughter doesn’t want him to be part of the baby’s life and just wants him to pay the bills. James goes home and wanders alone around the room he had fixed up as a nursery.

Episode 2.07
Original air date: April 8, 2003

Patrick is bored with his life and seeks a new dream. James realizes he doesn't really have a dream for his life and ends up helping Patrick achieve his.

Episode 2.08
Original air date: April 15, 2003

Sadly, not much James in the final episode ever of Manchild. He basically pops up a few times to offer some really bad advice to Terry who is upset because his ex-wife is selling the family home.