STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
I'm a little confused with myself why I didn't bother to watch and review this final part of last year's Accused series when it was first aired, given it was the last part and was a continuation of the previous episode, which had been one of the most dynamic. I think I'd just got it in my head that the series was going to run on and on, and something that sparked my interest in the first place at the novelty of seeing Sean Bean in drag probably didn't have the strongest grounds to keep me hooked.
If the downbeat tone of the last episode (and indeed, those few before it) hadn't been enough, for the final act Jimmy McGovern thrusts us headlong in to the dark, humourless world of a young offender's institution, where suicides, rapes, despair and recrimination are the order of the day. Into this world comes Stephen from the last episode, convicted of trying to kill his step mother, and finding the regime too much to cope with, takes his own life. A female prison guard falls under pressure to get her colleague off the rap for not taking adequate measures to ensure his safety. In the end, she helps the killer from the episode before the last one escape, for which she herself ends u8p in the dock.
It's relentlessly grim stuff, with shades of humour and light completely cut out, but it's no less sterling, dynamic drama, driven as much by the strong performances as the unfolding events. ****
I'm a little confused with myself why I didn't bother to watch and review this final part of last year's Accused series when it was first aired, given it was the last part and was a continuation of the previous episode, which had been one of the most dynamic. I think I'd just got it in my head that the series was going to run on and on, and something that sparked my interest in the first place at the novelty of seeing Sean Bean in drag probably didn't have the strongest grounds to keep me hooked.
If the downbeat tone of the last episode (and indeed, those few before it) hadn't been enough, for the final act Jimmy McGovern thrusts us headlong in to the dark, humourless world of a young offender's institution, where suicides, rapes, despair and recrimination are the order of the day. Into this world comes Stephen from the last episode, convicted of trying to kill his step mother, and finding the regime too much to cope with, takes his own life. A female prison guard falls under pressure to get her colleague off the rap for not taking adequate measures to ensure his safety. In the end, she helps the killer from the episode before the last one escape, for which she herself ends u8p in the dock.
It's relentlessly grim stuff, with shades of humour and light completely cut out, but it's no less sterling, dynamic drama, driven as much by the strong performances as the unfolding events. ****
