Character Relationship Map: Men Up

Characters

• Meurig Jenkins (played by Iwan Rheon) — protagonist
• Ffion Jenkins (played by Alexandra Roach) — protagonist
• Moira Davies (played by Joanna Page) — supporting
• Peetham ‘Pete’ Shah (played by Phaldut Sharma) — supporting
• Tommy Cadogan (played by Paul Rhys) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Moira Davies → Tommy Cadogan (Professional Trial Recruiter And Participant) — Moira presents the trial to Tommy, whose discomfort with its heterosexual framing is weighed against the prospect of taking pills instead of injections.

  Moira tries to persuade Tommy to join the confidential clinical trial for diabetic men with erectile difficulties.

• Meurig Jenkins → Ffion Jenkins (Family Husband And Wife) — Meurig resists involving Ffion in his treatment, and their awkward anniversary does not resolve their marital problems. After a disappointing trial visit, Ffion suggests he take a lover.

  The plot identifies Ffion as Meurig's wife and describes their anniversary and his attempt to reconnect with her.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Tommy Cadogan → Peetham ‘Pete’ Shah (Social Clinical Trial Participants) — They are connected through the trial, although the plot reference gives no specific interaction between them.

  The plot says Tommy and the other men take part in the same clinical trial, attend hospital sessions, and later record their sexual experiences.

Story Analysis

A confidential medical trial brings private anxieties into the open, but treatment cannot guarantee that intimate relationships will recover.

Plot Progression

1. Private Troubles Surface — Meurig seeks help for impotence, while his therapist encourages him to speak openly and considers a psychological cause. Meurig resists involving Ffion and leans toward practical treatment.
2. The Trial's Uneasy Promise — Moira invites Tommy into a confidential trial, whose stated heterosexual focus makes him uneasy. The possibility of pills instead of injections persuades him to consider participating.
3. Hope Meets Hesitation — Tommy receives tablets for home use and tells Rhys the treatment has worked. Rhys wants to make the moment a date, while Tommy remains cautious; Colin also asks Teresa to meet after admitting his bad...
4. Marital Distance Deepens — Meurig and Ffion's anniversary brings an awkward attempt to reconnect. After a disappointing trial visit, Meurig refuses to return and Ffion suggests he take a lover, without resolving their problems.
5. A Painful Truth at Home — Pete prepares an evening in hopes of reconnecting with Alys, but she stops him and says she no longer loves him. She asks for a divorce, making clear that her parties are not the reason.