Friday, March 02, 2007

Recovery TV Drama


As you know by now, I'm a huge fan of the Scottish actor, David Tennant, who currently inhabits the role of The Doctor in BBC's "Doctor Who". I have been doing my best to keep up with his film and TV output, and last Sunday night the BBC aired a 90 minute, one-off drama called Recovery from the pen of Tony Marchant. This was not an easy drama to watch. Alan (Tennant) and Tricia Hamilton (Sarah Parrish) are very happy. He's the head of a building firm and at the top of his game. She's a part-time beautician and mother to their two sons, teenager Dean and younger son, Joel. However, one night their perfect, if unremarkable, life is torn apart when a last-minute decision to pop out for a quick drink with a colleague sees Alan step out in front of a passing truck. The resulting accident leaves him in a deep coma but with remarkably few physical injuries. Tricia is desperately worried about him and absolutely delighted when he comes round, only to discover that the man she loved has disappeared. His behaviour has changed, he's lost all of his inhibitions, and he's veering between angry and frustrated at the one extreme, and vulnerable and child-like at the other. Simple tasks like taking a shower, getting dressed and making toast are beyond him initially. He can't go back to the job he loves. Alan's behaviour puts an intolerable strain on his relationship with Tricia and she is desperate to find the soulmate and husband whom she loves - but fears she may have lost him forever.

Sons Joel and Dean are alternately frightened and charmed by their father - one minute he's throwing games around when Joel tells Alan it's his turn to make a move, and the next he's playing hide and seek, crawling through the grass with Joel. Dean, meanwhile, is in the process of taking his A-levels (pre-University exams) and veering between utter embarrassment at his father's lack of inhibition, and angry that his mother is prepared to abandon his father.

This was an amazing drama. Very moving, sometimes gut-wrenchingly sad, and sometimes laugh out loud funny. David Tennant's performance confirmed him to me as an utterly awesome actor who instinctively knows how to play any given role, without ever going over the top. If you get the chance to see it, do so.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just to add to your last thought...this was the only time I can recall that I found myself, several days after seeing a program, contemplating just how the character was faring now. The portrayal of Alan was so true that the character seems to have an existance beyond the 90-minute drama. I'm not sure technically how that effect was achieved; as you mentioned, the acting was modulated and appropriate, not especially showy. And the effect carried over to the other characters, through their link to Alan and through the skills of the actors. A very interesting and slightly disturbing effect.

Michele said...

I think that effect is achieved simply by the actor being fantastic at his/her job... I know exactly what you mean - and it's not something that happens to me very often with TV/film characters - I do occaaionally wonder about book characters for days afterwards, but very rarely do I wonder about TV/film characters. Very, very impressive performance.

And yes, you're right that the other actors were also very good and their links to Alan imprinted them on my brain, only to a slightly lesser extent...

Camille said...

Another one I will have to watch for over here. Thanks for highlighting these shows, Michele.

Michele said...

You're welcome Camille ! I'll watch absolutely anything that stars David Tennant because I've yet to see him perform badly - and his performances are always inspiring or moving in some way...

Anonymous said...

Hiya,
Can you tell me the song which featured in this brilliant drama?

Michele said...

That's Paul Weller's "You Do Something to Me"...

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for your quick reply. I thought it was an amazing drama and really made you think rather than the usual nonsense thats put on. I hope more similar standard dramas are on soon.

Michele said...

You're very welcome. I'd looked the information up after seeing the programme, being a music buff and someone who takes note of incidental music...