As Lunar New Year approaches, for some, it might be the perfect time for a bit of binge watching of Netflix. Therefore, I thought now might be a good time to share some of my thoughts on British TV dramas available that I’ve watched on Netflix. Although I’ve seen each episode of every series for all of these dramas, it was a while ago that I watched some of these, so forgive me if my memory is a little hazy! I’ve ranked them in order from my least to most favourite (though I enjoyed them all).
5. Heartstopper
Starting off on an upbeat note, Heartstopper is an adaptation of a teen graphic novel of the same name. Whilst it centres on the development of the relationship between Charlie and Nick, it also includes a variety of LGBT themes such as the inclusion of Elle, a trans girl, who has recently transferred from a boys school to a girls school. However, unlike many LGBT dramas, which often involve tragedy, this frames the lives of young LGBT people in a much more positive way. This doesn’t mean that issues such as homophobia and transphobia are not touched upon, but such themes are not necessarily central to the character’s storylines. Whether Heartstopper accurately represents what it is like to be LGBT in British schools today is hard to say. I certainly hope so, and it would help to show how far society has developed since I was at school in the 1990s. Back then, I knew of no openly LGBT students in my school, and the thought of anyone finding out about my sexuality at school terrified me beyond belief. For this positive portrayal alone, notwithstanding some clunky screenwriting and being a little twee at times, Heartstopper is definitely worth a watch. Especially so if you’re looking for a sweet and uplifting romance that showcases LGBT lives in a fun and joyful manner.
4. The End of the F***ing World
This is pretty dark right from the beginning when we learn about 17-year-old James’ sadistic childhood hobby of torturing and killing animals. Not content with animals, he decides he wants to take his sadistic fantasies to the next level. This is where he meets Alyssa at school, a troubled girl of the same age who sees in James a like-minded soul who doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the world. With both of them seeing an opportunity (though they have different ideas in mind), they steal James’ dad’s car and embark on a journey that starts off in fairly gruesome style and doesn’t get much better after that. However, as well as all the violence, there are also some sad, some funny and occasional uplifting moments along the way. Even amongst the litany of despotic crimes committed, there are still parts of James and Alyssa’s character that one can find room to empathise with, even if it takes a little searching for. Overall, it’s definitely not one for the faint-hearted, as it looks into the darkest recesses of the human soul and what it finds is not always particularly pretty.
3. Black Mirror
If you wanted something a little more cheery, Black Mirror probably isn’t the programme for you. Mixing the twin themes of technology and a dystopian future, the show has often been disturbingly prescient of real-life events, even if it wasn’t intentional. Though some of the imaginary futures depicted are obviously a little far-fetched, the series provides a useful social commentary on the dangers of humanity relying too much on the possibilities afforded by the uncritical adoption of technology. That said, not every episode offers a glimpse into the possible malfunction of society. For instance, my favourite episode is the enchanting ‘San Junipero’ from season three, which offers a thoughtful perspective on life and death, amid a whirlwind of nostalgia and romance. With six series made in total (and at least one more in the pipeline), it is possible that Black Mirror has lost some of the innovativeness of the earlier series as the shock-factor has certainly begun to wane. In spite of its gradual decline, few other TV dramas pack as much punch while offering a window to the potential alarming (and often real) uses of technology in modern society.
2. Afterlife
Although the creator of Afterlife (Ricky Gervais) is better known for his comedic work, Afterlife is more likely to have you break into tears rather than into laughter. After all, what could be sadder than losing the person who means everything in the world to you? That is what happened to Tony (played by Ricky Gervais) and Afterlife tells the story of how Tony coped in such difficult circumstances. In the beginning, the answer was not very well, as Tony lost all purpose in life and took out his revenge on those around him for the tragedy of losing his partner, Lisa. However, with the help of a chance encounter whilst visiting Lisa’s grave, he slowly starts to make sense of Lisa’s death and how to move forward with his life. There are scenes of unbearable sadness during Afterlife, but also funny, touching and uplifting moments too. And most of all, there is hope. There is hope that no matter what life throws at you, there is always a path forward, even if it can be difficult to find it at first.
1. Sex Education
When I first heard about Sex Education, I assumed that it would be a show with lots of terrible jokes about sex and very little depth. How wrong could I be? Actually, there are some funny scenes related to sex, many of which centre around the awkwardness of Otis, such as some toe-curling conversations his sex therapist mother tries to initiate with him. Surprisingly though, in spite of his lack of experience and awkwardness around many issues related to sex, Otis follows in his mother’s footsteps and starts his own sex therapy business at his high school; hence, the title of the show ‘Sex Education’. However, it would be a mistake to think that a) the show is primarily about sex, and b) that Otis is the star of the show. Firstly, the show is really about relationships and not just of the romantic variety. For example, the relationship that Otis has with his Mum, best friend (Eric) and his on-off girlfriend (Maeve) all have numerous ups and downs throughout the course of the show.
More important though, are the relationships that the characters have with themselves. As an example, both Eric and Maeve go on remarkable journeys in the course of the show’s four seasons that leave you in awe of their strength and resoluteness. However, my favourite character is undoubtedly Aimee. On first appearance, she might not seem the most intelligent character, but in the face of adversity, she shows herself to be fierce, determined and funny, but above all kindhearted and a really good friend when she is needed most. In fact, Aimee is one of many characters on the show who prove the old adage ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. There are a few examples of characters (such as headteachers) who at first sight seem to be rather unpleasant characters. But once a few layers have been stripped back, they show themselves also to be quite troubled and vulnerable creatures in some way, making it hard not to feel empathy with even some of the seemingly least likeable characters on the show. And if there is one overriding strength of the show, it is the characters and the depth that many of them show. Therefore, if there is one legitimate criticism that is to be leveled at Sex Education, it is that it brings in too many new characters in the final season. Whilst each one has an interesting backstory, there isn’t enough time to do justice to their individual and competing storylines. That said, this doesn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the show, which had me frequently both laughing and sobbing uncontrollably, and sometimes even at the same time!
Self-Study English 