Holding On

A rather amazing series from 1997. Fast-paced with quick editing, well-written and, almost without exception, wonderfully acted. Lovingly directed by Adrian Shergold.

David Morrissey is young and handsome as Shaun, an aggressive Inland Revenue investigator. He deservedly gets much of the air time, but there are many stories here which eventually weave in and out of each other. Phil Daniels is brilliant and funny and repulsive (not a mean feat) as a bulimic ex-football writer, now thoroughly cynical food critic who hates eating and food. It would have been nice to enjoy more of his ingenious character.

The series follows a dozen Londoners of all ages, races, and social backgrounds, none of whom seem able to find much love, which results in much havoc. All of them are interesting -- even compelling. Sandra Voe as Annie, the mother of a dangerously volatile schizophrenic man, turns in the most touching performance of all. Her final scenes with David Morrissey are deeply felt and profoundly heartbreaking.

In general, the emotions run high throughout -- too much, perhaps, at times -- but it is certainly preferable to the inanity on television today, especially in the US. And there are some dicey plot-points, chief among which is Shaun's abrupt change of character mid-series, but the show is so adhesive and engaging these seem slight misdemeanors.