The Little House 

A reluctant mother, young Ruth Clee's post natal vulnerability and failure to bond with her baby is exploited by Elizabeth, her manipulative mother-in-law in a battle to seize control of the child.

Stars:

Francesca Annis, Jonathan Aris, Rupert Evans

Cast

Series cast summary:
Francesca Annis	...	Elizabeth 2 episodes, 2010
Jonathan Aris	...	Doctor McFadden 2 episodes, 2010
Rupert Evans	...	Patrick 2 episodes, 2010
Lucy Griffiths	...	Ruth 2 episodes, 2010
Sam Hazeldine	...	David 2 episodes, 2010
David Mallinson	...	Doctor Fairley 2 episodes, 2010
Tom McKay	...	Ruth's Father 2 episodes, 2010
Tim Pigott-Smith	...	Frederick 2 episodes, 2010

Storyline

Ep 1 Young Ruth Clee's independent city life is turned upside down when her in-laws buy a long coveted country cottage on their doorstep for their son and daughter-in-law. Isolated and remote, it's the exact opposite of everything Ruth has planned for the future but the pressure to move is irresistible when she unexpectedly falls pregnant and her husband Patrick, ever in thrall to his mother, is determined to move. After the difficult birth of her son Thomas by caesarean section, Ruth, struggling to bond with her demanding and fractious child is driven to the point of exhaustion through lack of sleep. However, her subtly manipulative mother-in-law Elizabeth, is always on hand to ease tensions, and seizes every opportunity to remove the child to the sanctuary of her own house. Patrick's work leaves him little time to lend a hand and as Ruth bears the brunt of Thomas's demands matters come to a sudden head when baby Thomas suffers a cigarette burn. Ruth stands accused and Ruth is ...

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Plot Keywords:

baby | mother in law | in laws | grandmother grandson relationship | postnatal depression | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in The Wright Stuff: Episode #14.65 (2010)

User Reviews

Okay drama

This was aired in the UK in November 2010 in two parts on ITV to great hype. The story concerns a woman who moves in with her new husband after unexpectedly falling pregnant. The couple initially move in with her husband's parents, Annis' creepy mother and her meek, doting hubby. The first part is extremely creepy, well written and acted by all and very believable. The plot concerns the mother-in-law's seemingly unhealthy fixation on her new grandson. Does she have a secret agenda or is it all in the mind of our young protagonist, the baby's mother? The paranoid tension is sustained throughout the first episode and we are left gagging to find out what happens next. Unfortunately, the second part doesn't do so well. Sub-plots are tantalisingly introduced and promptly dropped, e.g. a long-distance call from the grandparent's estranged daughter, the main character's mysterious background involving a car-crash and her missing parents, the main character's friend and confidant (who has feelings for her) and who it turns out has nothing to do with the story, and the grand-father who has a bewilderingly unexplained out-of-character change of heart toward the end. Worst of all though is a deeply unsatisfying and unbelievable cop-out of an ending that seems to have been made up on the spot. Perhaps they should have stretched the plot out to three episodes to allow the story to breathe and the plot threads to be resolved. Overall, an exciting drama but one I'd have reservations in recommending due to the silly ending

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 2010 (UK)

Also Known As:

Anyák és fiúk

Company Credits

Production Co:

TXTV

Technical Specs

Color:

Color