Moving On

I saw this on Brit-Box, a real experience. A series that contains lifetimes' worth of experience. Moving, unvarnished, no holds barred, no sugar-coating. Superb writing and acting, so real you often feel as though you're there. I'm a psychologist and family therapist and I'm amazed at how everyone's perspective is presented, the wisdom condensed into every episode. Not preachy, not necessarily even talky- often subtle, usually following the dictum to "show not tell". Honest, absolutely nothing gratuitous, and usually profound. Often makes sticky, troubling issues, even initially incomprehensible ones, come to life. One of those rare shows that you're better off, wiser for having seen, and yet it's not preachy, quite a feat. At the end of each show someone moves on, in one way or another; inspiring. The full spectrum, the depth and breadth of human experience. One of the best shows, perhaps THE best show I've ever seen. Not for binge-watching.

And this folks....is why I adore British TV. They play this in the afternoon! This quality TV is head and shoulders above any prime time American shows! The casting, writing, acting, the way all british tv is filmed. I simply can't watch anything but british tv. The high quality is phenomenal.

I have to admit that I've only seen two episodes from series one of Moving On (described as BBC series consisting of standalone contemporary drama). The first was about a bully and the second about a woman who unwittingly gets involved with a drug dealer. Perhaps I've been unlucky and the rest are truly moving parables, timeless yet contemporary. However, in my opinion, this is underwhelming fodder for the daytime dazed. It's almost as though an inexperienced fifteen year old decided to create a number of one dimensional characters whilst leafing through the Littlewoods catalogue and later on, an over zealous parent decided to add some "broadly credible" circumstances for them to stumble woodenly through and then, p1ss1ng themselves with the opposite of creative excitement, entered the entire shambles in to a competition in a shopping arcade. What upsets me most are the pathetic female characters who, unable to stand up for themselves in any coherent or believable way, could easily be expected to suddenly pour themselves a bubble-bath whilst deep throating a Dairymilk and trying on all their shoes whilst chanting in monotone, "That's men for you! That's men for you!". Bl00dy sh1t! There are thousands of excellent screenwriters in Britain who could offer a short story for daytime TV with realistic dialogue and contemplative moral quandaries. There are thousands of incredible actors who could transport us to that fully relatable state of semi-detachment. Those two episodes made me hate my eyes.

I found this series because I'd thoroughly enjoyed Jimmy McGovern's "The Street," which was excellent, and unlike "Moving On" portrayed human drama in a much less mawkish, soapy way. I'd also watched "Broken" and found that to be excellent. So I looked up other series written or created by Jimmy McGovern. Sadly, Moving On is a real disappointment. It is true, as other reviewers have pointed out, that it features many well-known British actors, but even their impressive skills can't uplift the "poor me" storytelling. Perhaps I should have skipped Season 1. After the first three episodes, the repetitive, cloying, tinkling piano score became literally painful to hear. I did skip ahead to Season 9 and was relieved to NOT hear that music. But the stories were no less sadsack with exasperatingly victim-y or angry characters who blame other people or circumstances for their desperate, sad situations, or worse yet, go looking for reasons to feel angry, sad, and sorry for themselves. I'm mystified as to the "10" ratings reviewers have given. This is no better than any other melodramatic, sentimental soap opera. Ugh. No thanks.

This series of 'one-act plays' reminds me of the quality one off dramas that seemed to fill schedules in the 60s and 70s. Excellent scripts and top notch casts. A wide variety of story lines, moods etc, but one thing in common, a general feel of all round quality. Shown in the afternoons, made me wonder why not during prime-time? Possibly because its hard to market a one-off one hour play these days, evidence of the schedules suggesting that everything has to be open ended (more in the American style) in case it is a hot and can therefore be used to lure advertisers etc. Still, we all ought to be able to watch things when it suits us these days, so worth setting the recorder for. Credit to the progammers for commisssioning such a series.