Roommates from Cult TV Shows: Fresh Meat
Nearly a year since they left our screens for good, the Fresh Meat housemates were for many British students the epitome of student living (even if they did go to the made-up Manchester Medlock University). Thrown together because they applied too late to get into halls, the 6 mismatched friends scraped their way through the trials of uni – and student housing.
Vod – the cool oneReal name Violet Nordstrom, Vod is independent and cool in a way the other housemates can only dream of. She loves the student lifestyle, but not so much actually studying. She manages to rack up an enormous amount of student debt, and does not put much thought into her career prospects.
Howard – the older oneHoward McGregor – whose surname changes throughout the series – is the only non-fresher at the start of the series. He is already living in the houseshare when the others arrive, and is definitely a bit of an oddball. Preferring his own company, he eventually comes out of his shell with the help of the new housemates.
Josie – the nice oneA girl from a small town in Wales, Josie seems just, well, nice. She tries the long-distance relationship with her boyfriend back home and has several other love interests, including her housemates Kingsley and, later, JP. She always means well, but things don’t quite go her way and she ends up having to stay a year longer than all her friends.
Jonothan or ‘JP’ went to private school but didn’t quite get into the top universities like he was expected to. He has an incredibly posh accent and moving up North to Manchester means he stands out like a sore thumb. As a result, he tried to seem cool and street, which inevitably ends badly. He has a softer side, and is much more than his posh exterior suggests.
Oregon – the clever oneOregon – a nickname she thought up to hide her more upper-class sounding Melissa Shawcross – is a thinker, a dreamer and an idealist. Unlike JP, she tries to hide her privileged upbringing and throws herself into ‘student life’, even running for Student Union President. She befriends Vod in attempt to become more like her, but the two end up close friends and end the series leaving for Laos together, where Oregon wants to write a novel.
Kingsley Owen is not prepared for student life. Having spent years looking after his sick mum, he arrives at university totally unprepared for what university will throw at him. Trying to reinvent himself never goes well, and gets in the way of a relationship with his housemate Josie. Despite his awkwardness, he does manage to bumble his way through. He is also ‘the guy with a guitar’. You know the type?
The extras: like many student houses, the cast is not the same for the whole time.
Paul Lamb – the Invisible ManMysteriously absent, Paul is rarely seen and leaves by the end of the 1st series. His absence is not noticed.
Sabine – the foreign oneReplacing Paul in series 2 and 3, the no-nonsense Dutch PhD student despairs of the messy, student British types she shares a house with, and doesn’t understand their antics or join in. She does form a bond with Howard, but later leaves.
Candice – the young oneJoining for series 3, the homeschooled girl is supposedly ‘guided’ by the older students, or maybe not…
If you’re planning on sharing a house at uni, you’ll recognise all of these people at one point and maybe realise which one applies to you! You can find lots of useful advice on our blog 10 rules for a Successful Flatshare.
Photo credit: Fresh Meat - Lime Pictures & Objective Productions
Author: Roomlala
