Cucumber (2015)

The stories feel like polished fables, not precisely realistic.

The plot complications occasionally feel forced, and Henry’s overwhelming dyspepsia sometimes comes off as meanspirited and a little mystifying (through two episodes, anyway). But Mr. Davies, as “Doctor Who” fans know, has perfected a style of propulsive, almost manic comic dialogue with an undercoating of melancholy, and there are plenty of hilarious and touching moments in Cucumber.

These episodes of Banana are lovely self-standing short stories that build to revelatory moments, but then they also add scope and layers of depth to “Cucumber.”

Not everything works, but enough does.

Davies is best at capturing the easy camaraderie that develops among friends and lovers.... He’s on less sure footing with some of the more drastic shifts in tone in each series.

A shorter, slicker look at Manchester's LGBT youth [than Cucumber]. [17/24 Apr 2015, p.104]

Banana is the more conventional of the two shows with its focus on young characters.... Of the two series, Banana is more fun but "Cucumber" offers higher stakes.