The Lifeboat

Who would have thought that the lives of a Welsh lifeboat crew could be so enthralling. Although the themes tended to be a bit on the soap opera side, with almost everyone involved in sordid affairs, the characters and plots were well developed and captivating to see every week. Some Welsh speaking characters would have enhanced this production.

I was fortunate enough to catch this series on TV Ontario, the Canadian public broadcast channel, in 1998. My sister had originally seen it on its first run in 1994 and told me about it. Yes, some of the stories about the characters' lives were leaning toward soap opera but that is to be expected in many series. However, the show came to life when they launched the Lifeboat. This show had one of the most haunting song/scores I had ever heard. It fit the action of launching the lifeboat into an ever dangerous, rough, cold sea so perfectly. Suddenly you would forget some of the tawdry or tense goings-on among the characters and follow the real hero/main character of this show - The Lifeboat itself as it went down to the sea to complete its mission(s) for which it was built.

I, too, saw this on TVO in Ontario in 1998 and I still remember it and still wish I could see it again. It's never been released on DVD or re-broadcast, at least in Canada. I am sure it would still find an appreciative audience.