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The Children

Kevin Whately, Geraldine Somerville and Sinead Michael in The Children
  • Posted at 11:50am
  • 05 September 2008
  • by AlisonGraham-RT
  • 10 comments

An awful lot of attention has been focused on Lost in Austen, ITV1's middling fantasy drama about a 21st-century woman who steps through her bathroom door into her favourite novel, Pride and Prejudice.

Not that there's anything bad about Lost in Austen - it's frothy and has some smart lines, but it's a bit "meh" as Americans say, and it's obvious a mass audience hasn't been won over: viewing figures for Thursday's first episode weren't terribly good at 3.8 million (though Lost in Austen has the misfortune to be placed bang up against the BBC1 juggernaut Who Do You Think You Are?)

Anyway, my point is that while Lost in Austen has won the lion's share of advance publicity (including a very lovely RT cover, I might add), the best ITV1 drama of recent months has been allowed to slip in without fanfare. It's The Children, whose first episode went out on Monday (1 September). The Children is a thoroughly adult mainstream drama that tells a tough story without compromise. Just look at its opening shot - the murder of an eight-year-old girl who, we later discover, has been hit so hard she's propelled into a patio door. It doesn't get any tougher than that.

The death of Emily (who's played by Sinead Michael, a gifted young actress) is the catalyst for a story that's told in flashback, as we follow the events leading up to her demise. This isn't just a murder mystery, though Emily's killer is obviously a member of her extended family, it's a look at how children can drop through the cracks of marriage break-ups, with parents becoming selfish as they try to forge new relationships.

In Emily's case her mother (Geraldine Somerville) has moved in with a new man (Kevin Whately) and his difficult, but basically nice, teenaged son. Emily's dad, a feckless DJ, has similarly found himself a new family, a drippy younger woman who's just had their baby. Poor little Emily can't quite work all of this out, becoming baffled and, later, angry to the point that she makes a terrible, thoroughly false accusation.

What's brave about The Children, which is written by Lucy Gannon, whose credits include Peak Practice and Soldier, Soldier, is that it's not afraid to ask difficult questions, and it doesn't shy away from painting the adults involved in a bad light. Neither is Emily shown as a little angel who can do no wrong - she lies and she is manipulative.

The Children is well structured too - sometimes flashbacks can be clumsy, but not here, where they don't interfere with the ebb and flow of the story. It's good, gripping stuff. A rarity.

**

Alison Graham is TV editor of Radio Times - read her column in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale now.

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Comments

  • Posted on 28 September 2008
  • at 1:16pm
  • by Tom Cotterill

ITV's 'The Children' had such a great premise but simply failed to deliver.

Both the characters and the plot were well written however the final episodes so called, 'climatic conclusion' simply fell flat. Who actually killed the little girl? Did everyone literally take turns in debotch her frail body?

Why oh why did ITV choose to end, what had been a thrilling and suspenseful show, with such a confussing and anti climatic ending?

  • Posted on 25 September 2008
  • at 11:40pm
  • by maz

the ending of 'Lost in Austen' was so much better, with more depth [surprisingly], than the 'serious' 'The Children,' which seemed rushed far too much at the end, as if the makers had simply run out of time and took the easy way out. Very bad, with such a serious subject.

  • Posted on 16 September 2008
  • at 1:28pm
  • by Anon Too

I agree with Anon. I thought the scenarios at the end weakened the impact of the horrible and violent nature of the child's death. It also meant that my partner actually missed the point - who did commit the murder. He disagreed with my view that the final scene implied the 'step mother' did it. He felt that it would be too much of a cliche to portray a new mother in that light.

I agree that this sort of drama is meant to provoke thought but I would have preferred less violent scenarios and more follow up and closure.

  • Posted on 16 September 2008
  • at 7:56am
  • by Anon

I saw the episode yesterday and I was pretty impressed, a lot more gritty than anything ITV usually produces, I was actually kept to the edge of my seat. Also the way the story is told in flashback works well as a device and the acting is fantastic. I don't think it was necessary though for the program in the last fifteen minutes to show how any of the characters could have conceivably killed Emily (the viewer is shown each possible scenario after another). Firstly, it weakens the impact of the murder itself, as it is being replayed and watched over and over again. Secondly, some of the conceivable scenarios aren't plausible, the mother's reaction in particular was so over-the-top as to be ridiculous. Thirdly, it's unnecessary as the viewer along with watching the show, is actually trying to work out whodunnit. To have it illustrated in front of them spoils the interaction. It's an alright show, but I do get the feeling it is relying a tad too much on the shock value of the material.

  • Posted on 15 September 2008
  • at 10:24pm
  • by dave

who killed her ?

  • Posted on 09 September 2008
  • at 3:30pm
  • by richard

The children...episode 2: mmmm..

I think ITV has some balls to show this in its current script form.. It was FAR too stereotypical and exaggerated in its character assesment. Way over the top...

I've been in a step family now for 3 years or so and its not without its difficulties true.. but to tie us all with the same brush and sentiments that was shown as uncaring, selfish, drunk sexmad, is just very insulting..

I found this programme so annoying and way off the mark.!! that i dont think i'll watch the final 'whodunnit' episode...

There are a huge number of stepfamiles in this country that get this right and work hard for their kids to ensure they are settled, happy, have 2 homes etc etc - and to have that work literally tossed into the gutter in 2 hours of drama was a disgrace...

No one spoke to the young teenager at all - you would talk to him if you were still married so why stop now - just because youre in a split family...!!

The question i asked last night was 'Where are the grandparents then.?' they have a big part in a split family - they cant all be dead or living in Canada... Honestly - this was as true to life as the advert for washing powder that followed it.!!

I dont know anything about script writing whatsoever so the writers plotting bypassed us i'm afraid.

What i do know about after being divorced for 5/6 years and having 2 teenagers myself and 2 younger stepdaughters, is...We need dramas that reflect what is actually happening in split families - not the bulled up world of some writer thinking that because she saw 1 bad episode in her life, that we're all selfish bad sods of a parent that once we become divorced or split - then we are out for nothing more than a free ride, more sex than we had before, more chardonnay and less time with our kids....

Honestly - tell you what - lets get Lucy Gannon to write a drama about so called normal families and play them ALL to be bad parents, uncaring, selfish, whacking kids, no family times, etc etc…

You mean thats unfair and not true to life.!! Oh dear don't commission it then eh?

To hear the dad - played by an otherwise respected Kevin Whateley - say to a teenager: "No wonder yer mother wanted shut!!"

Has the writer no idea.!! That may happen in some split family circles.. but this programme made it out to be ALL…

There was no balance AT ALL, no happiness, no smiles...nothing but scared kids and parents that quite honestly none of them deserved kids..

Except for maybe the mother of the young teenager who tried to stick up for him..

As far as balance goes - in any split family there are always mothers, sisters, freinds and other fathers telling their story in the pubs - and none of that was shown nor indicated..

There should have been at least some outside family influence, someone in the pub, someone at his work saying... "Why dont you talk to the lad?.. see how hes feels...?"

In this day and age of more divorces and more families breaking up for whatever reasons - did we really need a drama that intensifies this situation and fuels all this...?!?!?!?

I know it's a story line that ended up in tears, but quite honestly there should have been some balance to it...

Life is so hard these days for kids at school in a 'broken family' or split family unit call it what you will - - to have it blasted on tv as all tears and tantrums fights and arguments with unhappiness all the way through was just a crying disgrace and showed the writer having no real understanding whatsoever at all for this topic of real family life..

I guess ITV are going for some reaction in the TV awards, and will prob get nominated for best drama..

So while all the writers and producers of this sham and untruth are shaking each other warmly by the hand - we in the split family units will continue to work hard for each other - silently and indefinitely.... and for the kids...

Regards

  • Posted on 09 September 2008
  • at 1:24pm
  • by Elaine

Just a little thing - you suspend your disbelief, not your belief.

  • Posted on 09 September 2008
  • at 7:20am
  • by Phil

I totally agree about "The Children" but I wouldn't dismiss "Lost in Austen". It is good to see ITV producing intelligent drama after years of dross. Is this the influence of Michael Grade.

  • Posted on 07 September 2008
  • at 4:53pm
  • by JK

I watched this excellent piece of acting, you could understand the diffculties,of all the families and people involed . I think both Sinead Michael and Freddie Boath both did a excellent job, acting to make us simpathise with them. Also it left me wondering who killed Emily, most dramas you get a idea straight away but this was a cleverly written drama.

  • Posted on 06 September 2008
  • at 10:33am
  • by Miranda

Ms Graham, I am surprised and saddened that you do not share my delight in Lost in Austen because I usually find myself agreeing with you!

The programme is funny and silly on the surface but it is also clever and stimulating underneath. Just what we need as the nights draw in after this miserable summer and the credit crunch bites. Good old fashioned (but also nicely modern) escapism.

The casting of the Pride and Prejudice characters is pretty damn good. I was expecting a send up,but this is nicely arranged. Of course I loved the Andrew Davies adaptation but I think I might actually prefer some of this cast. Firstly because they are the right ages- Jennifer Ehle, Julia Swahala and Susannah Harker all seemed to be a good eight or ten years too old for their characters, and the same is true of Alison Steadman and(the wonderful) Benjamin Whitrow. I didn't much take to Gemma Arterton as Lizzie but I loved the rest of the family. Alex Kingston and Hugh Bonneville were superb. The actor playing Jane was lovely. Bingley was divine- so puppyish and sweet. Mr Darcy looks disconcertingly like Heath Ledger, but that's not a bad thing. There's some gorgeously subtle stuff, and I believe these characters.

The central conceit is ridiculous but somehow the ease of the execution meant I suspended belief very cheerfully.Lots of it made me smile, but I also found myself caring for them all, especially Amanda, played by the delightful and natural Jemima Rooper. Most unexpectedly, it made me love the book more. It freed it up, for me, and gave it new life. Clever writing is rare, and ITV are to be applauded for going with an idea which must have seemed like a gamble on paper. I didn't see The Children but ITV have always done good psychological thrillers. This is a real breath of fresh air, and it shines like a little jewel. I hope the remaining episodes don't disappoint, and I look forward to meeting Mr Collins and the rest!

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