I have just finished watching this superb drama for the first time in 2022. In 1996 when it was released for a multitude of reasons I simply didn't watch it. Probably because I was out on the piss.
The start of the drama is in 1964 ironically the year I was born. And the story of the characters within OFITN are basically revisited every few years to see how their characters have changed, this is fascinating because each character makes life changing decisions based on their immediate circumstances and the knock on effects over time are mesmerising to watch.
The drama quite clearly catapulted nearly every actor and actress within in it on to bigger things. I always remember Freddie Vaughan as the character " Grouty." in Porridge opposite Ronnie Barker. But his turn in this was quite simply oscar worthy. To see him go through his life with morals and decency to an aging father with alzheimer's slowly slipping away whilst trying to search for something is truly tragic and heart breaking.
Christopher Eccleston's character as Nicky is awesome as his son who becomes angry and disillusioned with his father as his father slips away with alzheimer's. Amazing performance.
I couldn't help but shed tears for Daniel Craig's immense performance as the unlucky Geordie Peacock. The transformation of him from film star looks to a homeless person was a combination of amazement and sadness at the realization that it could happen to anyone.
Gina McKee was fantastic throughout as the sort of person an entire group communicates with at any and all times. Mark Strong was again fantastic ( he had a good head of hair back then ) For a drama to span from 1964 to 1995 at roughly every 3 year intervals in 1996 was not only commendable and highly original but it displayed the differences of the North / South divide and the political decisions at the time .
If only they would have done a second season...
The start of the drama is in 1964 ironically the year I was born. And the story of the characters within OFITN are basically revisited every few years to see how their characters have changed, this is fascinating because each character makes life changing decisions based on their immediate circumstances and the knock on effects over time are mesmerising to watch.
The drama quite clearly catapulted nearly every actor and actress within in it on to bigger things. I always remember Freddie Vaughan as the character " Grouty." in Porridge opposite Ronnie Barker. But his turn in this was quite simply oscar worthy. To see him go through his life with morals and decency to an aging father with alzheimer's slowly slipping away whilst trying to search for something is truly tragic and heart breaking.
Christopher Eccleston's character as Nicky is awesome as his son who becomes angry and disillusioned with his father as his father slips away with alzheimer's. Amazing performance.
I couldn't help but shed tears for Daniel Craig's immense performance as the unlucky Geordie Peacock. The transformation of him from film star looks to a homeless person was a combination of amazement and sadness at the realization that it could happen to anyone.
Gina McKee was fantastic throughout as the sort of person an entire group communicates with at any and all times. Mark Strong was again fantastic ( he had a good head of hair back then ) For a drama to span from 1964 to 1995 at roughly every 3 year intervals in 1996 was not only commendable and highly original but it displayed the differences of the North / South divide and the political decisions at the time .
If only they would have done a second season...