--- title: "Catastrophe" year: 2015 kind: "series" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/catastrophe-2015" fi1m_score: 86 critics_score: 85 critics_reviews: 15 published: "2026-09-17T03:04:32.880293+00:00" updated: "2026-09-17T03:04:33.421179+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Catastrophe (2015) Created by Rob Delaney, Sharon Horgan · 24m · MPA TV-MA · Comedy **Fi1m score: 86** · Critics 85 from 15 reviews *In a sentence:* Two strangers insult each other for four series and it is the most convincing marriage on British television > Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney write, star in and never once sentimentalise a comedy about two people who barely know each other and are having a baby anyway. It is quick, filthy and truthful, and everyone outside the couple is drawn thinner. ## Synopsis Rob Norris (Rob Delaney), an American in London for a week on business, meets Sharon Morris (Sharon Horgan), an Irish schoolteacher, in a bar, and they spend the rest of his trip in bed. He flies home. Some weeks later she rings to tell him she is pregnant, and he gets on a plane back. Neither of them knows the other’s surname. They decide to try. Around them are Sharon’s married friend Fran (Ashley Jensen) and her sardonic husband Chris (Mark Bonnar), Rob’s boorish mate Dave (Daniel Lapaine), Sharon’s brother Fergal (Jonathan Forbes), and an obstetrician, Dr. Harries (Tobias Menzies), whose bedside manner is not what either of them hoped for. ## Review Rob Norris (Rob Delaney), an American in London for a week on business, meets Sharon Morris (Sharon Horgan), an Irish schoolteacher, in a bar, and they spend the week in bed. He flies home. Some weeks later she rings: she is pregnant. He comes back. That is the whole premise of *Catastrophe*, which Horgan and Delaney created, wrote and star in, and which ran for four series of six episodes each from 19 January 2015 to 2019. It is a fine piece of work, quicker and ruder than most comedy about couples and, as it goes on, sadder, and we recommend it with one caveat about the people standing round the edges. The speed is the first thing you notice. Each episode is 24 minutes, and months go missing between them without anyone stopping to explain. A row starts, sharpens and is cut off by Steve Ackroyd and Christopher Watson on the line, usually before either party has won it, so that arguments in this show end the way real ones do, unresolved and interrupted by something else. The dialogue is insult delivered in full sentences. Sharon tells Rob he has the face of a man who has been hit with a shovel; he tells her she is a terrible person and he loves her. Both statements are meant. Delaney is a big, cheerful man who apologises with his whole body, and he plays Rob as somebody who has decided to be decent and is finding out how much work it is. Horgan gives Sharon the sharper tongue and the shorter temper: she says the cruellest thing available and then watches to see what it does. What makes the pair work is plain to see. Each of them waits to hear what the other will say next, and both of them seem to be enjoying it. Ben Taylor and Jim O’Hanlon direct it without fuss, and Richard Mott, Dan Stafford Clark and the three other cinematographers who worked across the four series keep the light ordinary. This is a London of rented flats, kitchen tables, hospital corridors and the pavement outside a primary school, and none of it has been prettied. Oli Julian’s music is a few bars in and out and then gets out of the way of the talking. The show has no interest in telling you when to be moved, and it is better for it. We laughed, loudly and often, in the first episode, and most loudly at a dinner party at Fran and Chris’s where Rob and Sharon discover that they both loathe another guest and fall for each other properly over the shared contempt. Then, somewhere in the second half of the first series, in a scene in a consulting room that we will not describe, we found we minded very much what happened to these two. That is not a thing a sitcom usually manages inside two and a half hours, and it is the reason the later series can go where they go. The caveat. Mark Bonnar’s Chris, a husband who has given up and says so at the table, is the one supporting character written with the same care as the leads, and Bonnar is bleakly funny in every scene he gets. Ashley Jensen’s Fran is brittle and a little underserved. Daniel Lapaine’s Dave is a type, the friend who exists to say the unsayable, and Jonathan Forbes’s Fergal barely has a job. Carrie Fisher turns up as Rob’s mother Mia, bone dry and plainly enjoying herself, and the lines around her are not always as good as she is. Everyone in the show speaks in the Horgan-and-Delaney rhythm, which is a good rhythm, but it means the world outside the marriage can feel like an echo of the marriage. The genre these two are working in usually hands the woman the sense and the man the jokes. Here both of them are clever, both of them are wrong about half the time, and the show is honest about which half. Later series darken considerably and not everyone will want to follow; we did, and were glad we had. Watch it in order, two episodes at a time, and do not stop after the first six. *Fi1m score 86, published 17 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics like Catastrophe a great deal. The praise clusters on Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, whose rapport as writers and leads is described over and over as easy, spiky and believable, and on dialogue that moves fast and avoids the usual sitcom shapes. The reviews credit the show with treating an unplanned pregnancy, postnatal depression, infidelity and the grind of raising small children as material for jokes rather than lessons, and with staying funny while it does so. The reservations are few and mild, and the spread is narrow: fourteen of fifteen reviews are positive. The one exception, The Telegraph, judges only the first episode, finds it crude in places and wants more warmth to go with the bite. Variety’s sole complaint about the second series is that it is too short. Critics returning for the final series find the show has kept its quality and ended well. ### Reviews we read (15) - **The Times**, Gabriel Tate (★★★★★): The second series maintains the show's farcical yet grounded tone, with strong chemistry between the leads and sharp writing that renders everyday chaos both irredeemably funny and truthful. Carrie Fisher appears as Rob's awful mother. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/tv-review-catastrophe-imagine-shylocks-ghost-hfdgrm3vvjr) - **Radio Times**, Ben Dowell (90/100, inferred): The review highlights the show's fearless embrace of authentic, thorny issues like postnatal depression while maintaining its warm-hearted comedy. It praises the consistently excellent performances and spiky, cliché-free writing that turn everything into comedy gold. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-vba7es/catastrophe-season-2/) - **The AV Club**, Molly Eichel (A-): Horgan and Delaney have created a lovely little TV rom-com with easy chemistry between the leads that delivers barbed dialogue naturally. It is a wonderfully sharp entry into the rom-com genre that does not always work on TV. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/catastrophe-episode-1-1798184128) - **Variety**, Maureen Ryan (90/100, inferred): The second season has only one flaw: it is too short, with nimble craft that reveals hard truths about domestic life and real love without losing its bouncy charm. The easy rapport and frisky dialogue between the leads incorporate anger, frustration and affection in equal measure. [Read](https://variety.com/2016/tv/reviews/catastrophe-rob-delaney-sharon-horgan-review-1201747835/) - **Vulture**, Matt Zoller Seitz (90/100, inferred): Catastrophe is the romantic comedy of the year, a likable half-hour sitcom with sharp dialogue and fresh takes on familiar situations through its rapid-fire storytelling and authentic couple dynamics. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2015/06/seitz-catastrophe-review.html) - **The Guardian** (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the show's breakneck pace, nimble dialogue and high gag rate as it follows the whirlwind romance and accidental pregnancy of its leads. The review highlights the honest, self-loathing humour and strong chemistry between the stars without cloying sentimentality. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jan/20/catastrophe-review-sharon-horgan-rob-delaney-channel-4) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Amy Amatangelo (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it a charming and hilariously subversive British comedy about an unplanned pregnancy leading to an awkward romance. She singles out the authentic rapport and chemistry between the two leads for praise. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/catastrophe-tv-review-803124/) - **IndieWire**, Liz Shannon Miller (70/100, inferred): The series is far from a disaster for Amazon and excites for season 2. It highlights the strong writing and performances in this unconventional rom-com setup. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/review-catastrophe-season-1-is-far-from-a-disaster-for-amazon-and-has-us-excited-for-season-2-60807/) - **The Telegraph**, Benji Wilson (50/100, inferred): The debut episode is crude in places but shows promise through its characters and a standout dinner-party scene where the leads bond over mutual dislike of another guest. More sentiment could help it succeed as a comedy. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/11355871/catastrophe-series-1-episode-1-review.html) - **Collider**, Lloyd Farley (90/100, inferred): Praises Catastrophe as a rare perfect sitcom that consistently finds humor in real-life catastrophes like health scares, infidelity and family stress. Singles out the outstanding chemistry between leads Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, along with sharp writing and supporting cast including Carrie Fisher. [Read](https://collider.com/prime-video-catastrophe-sitcom-rob-delaney-sharon-horgan/) - **Digital Spy**, Frances Taylor (90/100, inferred): Catastrophe is subtle, dirty, hilarious and could be the best comedy on TV in 2015, with unique tone, spot-on writing and believable performances from its leads. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a625072/channel-4s-catastrophe-could-it-be-the-comedy-of-the-year/) - **Paste**, Amy Amatangelo (90/100, inferred): Declares Catastrophe one of the decade's best series for its dark humor and unflinching honesty about marriage, parenting and daily family slog. Singles out how it realistically portrays the exhaustion and small moments of raising young children without making them afterthoughts. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/catastrophe/why-catastrophe-is-one-of-the-decades-best-tv-seri) - **The Ringer**, Alison Herman (90/100, inferred): The critic finds the final season of Catastrophe a lovely, bittersweet conclusion that makes a strong case for the show's enduring quality and realistic take on long-term relationships. She singles out the series' ability to blend humor, specificity, and the mundane challenges of partnership as its greatest strength. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2019/03/18/tv/catastrophe-season-season-four-ending) - **/Film**, Shania Russell (85/100, inferred): Calls the series darkly hilarious and painfully honest as it follows the messy relationship of Rob and Sharon from unexpected pregnancy through years of chaos. Highlights their authentic chemistry, sharp writing drawn from real experiences, and how it finds humor in the absurd and awful parts of life and love. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/607447/the-daily-stream-catastrophe-laughs-at-the-worst-parts-of-life/) - **Den of Geek**, Joe Matar (4/5): Season two continues to find comedy and drama in its honest depiction of an unlikely couple’s lives, serving up scenes of pure drama with sincerity. It is a funny, unique, and bold look at life that will not disappoint fans of season one. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/catastrophe-season-2-review/) ## Details - **Created by:** Rob Delaney, Sharon Horgan - **Creator:** Rob Delaney, Sharon Horgan - **Director:** Ben Taylor, Jim O'Hanlon - **Writer:** Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney - **Cinematography:** Dan Stafford Clark, Mattias Nyberg, Adam Etherington, Oli Russell, Richard Mott - **Editor:** Steve Ackroyd, Christopher Watson - **Music:** Oli Julian - **Cast:** Sharon Horgan as Sharon Morris; Rob Delaney as Rob Norris; Mark Bonnar as Chris; Ashley Jensen as Fran; Daniel Lapaine as Dave; Jonathan Forbes as Fergal; Seeta Indrani as Harita; Carrie Fisher as Mia - **Runtime:** 24m - **Certificate (MPA):** TV-MA - **Release (the US):** 19 January 2015 - **Genres:** Comedy - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfccan1k2_4 ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: streaming - Apple TV: buy, sd *Checked 2026-09-17.* Also available in: AU, GB, IE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Pulling* (2006): Horgan’s earlier sitcom, meaner and drunker, about three women avoiding adulthood in Penge. - *Fleabag* (2016), Fi1m 90: Another London woman saying the cruellest thing available and watching what happens. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/fleabag.md) - *Better Things* (2016): Pamela Adlon on raising daughters alone; the same honesty about exhaustion, from Los Angeles. - *Scenes from a Marriage* (1973): Bergman’s six-part marriage, without the jokes and with the same unsparing eye. - *Him & Her* (2010), Fi1m 84: A couple, a bedsit, almost no plot, and a great deal of truth about staying in. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/him-and-her.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/catastrophe-2015