Prisoners Wives

[Mike]

This new 6 part drama premieres on BBC 1 on Tuesday 31st january at 9pm. Footballers Wives it is not. Prisoners wives is a gritty northern based drama foucusing on 4 women who's husbands/partners/sons are locked up for crimes they either did, or did not commit.

Starring Polly Walker and Ian Glenn and produced by Tiger Aspect productions, this is unmissable tv.

[James from London]

Is it one of those story-of-the-week things like THE STREET or THE ACCUSED?

[Mike]

Each week the story focuses on one of the 4 wives, but as their stories all become interwoven with each other, all of the 4 wives and their husbands/partners/sons also feature in every episode

[sunshineboyuk]

Polly Walker was brilliant in CAPRICA .

[Ome]

Sound interesting.

The show follows four women struggling to cope with having a loved one behind bars.

Although I don't want a repeat of 'Birds of a Feather'

[Mike]

I don't want a repeat of 'Birds of a Feather'

It's certainly not Birds of a feather Ome, and it doesnt have a different story each week, it's a continuing drama

[sunshineboyuk]

Six eps isn't very long is it. Tv producers are constantly complaiining about how uncompetitive our programming is with its short runs. Six eps is just enoug for something to start to take hold and find an audience, it'll be over before its begun. I probably wouldnt have known about it unless Mike had posted, but if things run for longer you've more chance of finding it.

I don't think short runs are good for television, in general.

[James from London]

I'll give it a whirl, if my iPlayer can take the strain.

Ome, where do you get your groovy avatar pictures from?? (Is avatar the right word?) Your latest is from one of the best scenes of telly ever!

[sunshineboyuk]

Oh my gosh I just noticed that avatar ! Its the " night out " scene isn't it... I must get back ON to BROOKSIDE !!!!!!! What's wrong with me...

[James from London]

The show follows four women struggling to cope with having a loved one behind bars.

The only thing that slightly puts me off about that is that they'll probably be four contrasting types of women ... which puts me in mind of MISTRESSES, another female-centric BBC1 9pm drama, which I completely hated. But I'll keep an open mind.

Oh my gosh I just noticed that avatar ! Its the " night out " scene isn't it... I must get back ON to BROOKSIDE !!!!!!! What's wrong with me...

Yes, you must! Where you are now is all leading up to that scene, I think.

[sunshineboyuk]

The always brilliant Noreen Kershaw , what's not to love !

[Mike]

Six eps isn't very long is it. I don't think short runs are good for television, in general.

Yes six eps isnt very long, but if UK drama's streched out as long as US ones (each series of Dallas was around 30 eps) we probably would'nt get as many new drama's as we do. although I think 8 eps would be surfice. I fear we Brits would get bored with our drama's if they stretch too long, mainly because of budget retstraints. Having said that though, Downton Abbey doesnt do too bad considering it has quite a long run.

[Mike]

The only thing that slightly puts me off about that is that they'll probably be four contrasting types of women.[/FONT]

Well, yes they are, but I think that makes it more interesting. It'd be kinda boring if the women were all similar types, wouldnt it ? They are 4 very different characters, all from different walks of life. It's basically making the point that not everyone in prison is from the same social background, that would be stereotyping.

[James from London]

Yes six eps isnt very long, but if UK drama's streched out as long as US ones (each series of Dallas was around 30 eps) we probably would'nt get as many new drama's as we do. although I think 8 eps would be surfice. I fear we Brits would get bored with our drama's if they stretch too long, mainly because of budget retstraints. Having said that though, Downton Abbey doesnt do too bad considering it has quite a long run.

And isn't it also because traditionally in the UK, TV drama and comedy are writer-driven, whereas in the US, they're led by the producer? So an individual writer over here isn't going to be able to match the output of a team of writers over there, in terms of volume.

Well, yes they are, but I think that makes it more interesting. It'd be kinda boring if the women were all similar types, wouldnt it ? They are 4 very different characters, all from different walks of life. It's basically making the point that not everyone in prison is from the same social background, that would be stereotyping.

Well, you could make the argument that four women from the same social background are still four individually distinct human beings, while relying on contrasting "types" to differentiate between characters means they can be portrayed with a broader brush stroke. To use the example of BROOKSIDE, one of the brilliant things about it in the 80s was that you had two working class families living opposite each other, the Grants and the Corkhills. Both families had moved there from the same estate, both had a teenage son and daughter living at home, both were totally believable - yet as individuals they were completely different. I found that fascinating. But I hasten to add that's not to say anything against this particular programme, PRISONERS' WIVES, which of course I haven't seen.

[sunshineboyuk]

And isn't it also because traditionally in the UK, TV drama and comedy are writer-driven, whereas in the US, they're led by the producer? So an individual writer over here isn't going to be able to match the output of a team of writers over there, in terms of volume.



.

Yes that's very true, I read a lot of complaints about this from the production companies. IIt's a shame we can't have both , more writers and longer runs. Longer runs are just better because there are more odds an audience will find it. One of the best , if not the best , new show is MISFITS , it could be 3 times the run it is,nnew writers could surely take up the mantle and it could be developed much iin the way that original DOCOTR WHO was with multiple writers , I think thats an interesting model. Of course budgets are slashed and theres not much money so its a cry in the dark but short runs are not a good commercial model.

[Mike]

And isn't it also because traditionally in the UK, TV drama and comedy are writer-driven, whereas in the US, they're led by the producer? So an individual writer over here isn't going to be able to match the output of a team of writers over there, in terms of volume.

Very true. Although I find these days that producers seem to have more control over productions than they used to, ie more of a say about scripts, costume and direction ect. Not so long ago the director was the one who called the shots on set, that seems to be changing, and probably not for the better.


[/QUOTE] To use the example of BROOKSIDE, one of the brilliant things about it in the 80s was that you had two working class families living opposite each other, the Grants and the Corkhills. Both families had moved there from the same estate, both had a teenage son and daughter living at home, both were totally believable - yet as individuals they were completely different. I found that fascinating.[/QUOTE]

Good example, but what I also found facinating and quite entertaining about brookside was the interaction between the middle class families, the Collins's, Heather. Max and Patricia etc and the working class characters. That mix of characters from very different backgrounds worked quite well I think.

[James from London]

Good example, but what I also found facinating and quite entertaining about brookside was the interaction between the middle class families, the Collins's, Heather. Max and Patricia etc and the working class characters. That mix of characters from very different backgrounds worked quite well I think.

In the beginning, it definitely worked because the original residents, aka the Haves, the Habitats and the Havenots, were so well observed - but I remember my heart sinking when, at the Jordache trial, you had David Crosby (posh and therefore intelligent) patiently explaining the workings of the legal system to Ron and Bev, (common and therefore 'comedically' thick) who just stood there with blank expressions and open mouths. So depressing, so hypocritical.

[sunshineboyuk]

MISFITS series 3 has more eps and its rubbish, lost its lead actor and they haven't handled it well so .....

Max and Patricia didn't seem to make any sense . They seemed to be around when peopel would come and go and storylines would happen off screen , Patricia's exit made no sense at all nor did Bing's wife ( Patricia's Mother) , it was a very weird time on Brookie. But it was the last watchcable time for me after that it was leisure centers and international terrorists and awful Linsey Corkhill and Jackie Dixon.

[Ome]

I'll give it a whirl, if my iPlayer can take the strain.

Ome, where do you get your groovy avatar pictures from?? (Is avatar the right word?) Your latest is from one of the best scenes of telly ever!

Ah - well.. I found a box of old VHS tapes in the garage, full of old Brookie classics, the odd Corrie and Eastenders, with a few Top of the Pops thrown in.

I started to convert them to video files, which is quite a long and drawn out job (only because I keep watching them as I'm transferring) and then I attempt to make a few interesting avatars.

[Mike]

I seen a preview episode last thursday evening and I was very impressed. Footballers Wives and Birds Of A Feather this is definately not, with great performances from everyone involved, this promises to be compulsive tuesday night veiwing for the next 6 week

Our 4 main women from left to right, Natalie Gavin, Emma Rigby, Polly Walker and Pippa Haywood.