The Family

The Family was a British 'documentary' series inspired by a prior American production, An American Family. Whereas the successful American version depicted a middle class suburban family, this show's producer Paul Watson, exploits the cultural splendour of Reading's Whitley Wood for his effort. Now I've lived in Whitley Wood, during which time a man was crushed against the wall of a local pub with a car and the sight of drivers knocking cyclists of their bikes for fun was, while not an every day occurrence, a reasonably common sight. It's the only location I've seen a mixed race individual sporting an NF tattoo on their neck, it's into this fairy-tale land that the BBC delved to showcase a typically British Family's everyday trials and tribulations.

The British press had a fit when this series first aired because it's--well a teensy bit contrived and the behaviour and manner of Whitley's finest doesn't quite fulfil the middle class expectations of your average journalist's view of working class life. Although in fact the drama and conceit of this series, is actually rather tame compared to reality but I suppose it's just as well because the culture shock would've been too much for 1974.

This series has been called a precedent within the Reality TV genre and I supposed that considered in the light of the standards of realism and probity of that genre, that this accolade is deserved.

I found this 12 part documentary very enjoyable, as an American who is kind of an anglophile. Also enjoyed the nostalgia of the 1970's, a time when I was a child. If this documentary had featured a "middle class family" as the preceding American documentary had, I'm not sure I would have been much interested.

The Wilkins family are a working class household with nine members: Parents Margaret and Terry, children Marian and her boyfriend Tom, Gary and his wife, Karen who lives with them, Heather, young Christopher, and their grandchild (Gary's son) Scott.

It's interesting to watch the older children going through the trials of independence, under the guidance of Margaret, their mother. For example, the viewer gets to see Gary and Karen's arduous journey to secure a council flat (public housing), something many people all over the world face in today's economy. But the viewer gets to see what it was like in the early 1970's; almost a history lesson.

It was also interesting to see a working class family coping with cramped conditions, and just spending so much time together; planning for the future (holidays and weddings), caring for the younger children, preparing meals, dining together, talking together. So intimate. Very different from what life is like today with all of us glued to our respective and separate screens, not really interacting with one another in daily ritual.

If you are an American anglophile, or if you enjoy honest portrayals of the working class, you might enjoy this very much.