Episode #1.6

With the finale, the co-writers & creators Daisy May-Cooper & Selin Hizli succeed in paying off every single previously established plot line, tying each loose dangling thread up beautifully by the time the credits begin to roll & I must concede that it is an absolute joy to watch, from beginning to end.

Deliciously dark plot twist after the next, they are realised masterfully on screen by director Jonny Campbell & cinematographer Tony Slater-Ling - who do justice to the impressiveness of the script - their efforts & accomplishments in all the production's respective departments culminate to form a cohesive, concluding episode that visually manages to strike an outstanding balance between humour, character & story, conveying the sheer level of detail within the narrative in a way which is understandable for general audiences, without losing the complexity as it develops - & it finally provides viewers with the full (?) context, so they're able to comprehend all the ambiguous nuances previously left unaddressed. I'm totally floored.

What an achievement. Genuinely, phenomenal.

The day of Alex's memorial had arrived, and everyone involved has something to get off their chests.

What a rollercoaster of a series this has been, and this was a perfect sign off to the first series, the sheer magic of the writing has been evident throughout, the way that every minor detail has meant something, even the smallest of things has had a significance, I'm sure it's a show that will get even better with subsequent viewings.

So, the finale, a blend of humour and drama, perfectly twisted and dark, we went into this one wondering if the secret would come out, and if we'd learn who the young couple are, I wouldn't dare spoil it, but all I'd say is this was a hugely rewarding watch, producing a few moments I hadn't planned for.

Wonderfully acted, this was perfect, again I have to say the writing was sublime.

Twisted brilliance.

10/10.

Another show that came across my radar from the Guardians's top TV of 2022 list, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, but it's a dark and funny sitcom, not unlike the sort of material that Julia Davis was producing twenty years ago.

Nicola (Daisy May Cooper) is married to Dan (Dustin Demri-Burns) but is still reeling from the accidental death of Dan's brother Alex (David Flynn) with whom Nicola was having a passionate affair. Jen (Selin Hizli) is new in the village but finds an immediate friend in Nicola. However, Jen also has as a secret or two that she's hiding.

Firstly, this is another wonderful performance from Daisy May Cooper. I said in my recent review of "Rain Dogs" I really am coming around to appreciate just how good she is. I watched "This Country" but, perhaps as it was her first prominent role, I wondered if she might actually just be like Kerry, but these have certainly convinced me otherwise. She's great here, as is Lenny Rush, who plays Nic's son Ollie, who is also outwardly charming but hiding his emotional damage, which comes out in a horribly destructive way. Dustin Demri-Burns continues to play "horrible family member" which he's good at, but I'd like to see him play something else. Karla Crome is a welcome addition to any show.

Cooper and Hizli are also the writers of the series which both dark and quite sexual but very funny with it. There's a semi-improvised style to the dialogue that works really well. There are regular flashbacks to Nicola's affair with Alex, but those include her guilt about it, and his death and as that becomes worse the severity and abruptness of them increases.

I enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to the second season that has been commissioned.