I didn't know what I was expecting when I first stumbled upon G.B.H. I hadn't ever seen any of Alan Bleasdale's work, though my parents had said they were fans of his, probably because he hasn't produced any programmes since the 90s. As such, it was a delight to experience the gripping drama, intriguing characters and uncomfortable comedy. I decided to watch this out of all of his work first (I have started watching Scully since, which is hilarious) because I am familiar with Lindsay and Palin, granted only as comedians, but if anything that made me more invested to see both leads in a dramatic role. With that said, both of them do a terrific job with their respective characters: Lindsay's Michael Murray is utterly reprehensible at first, but his fall from grace over the course of the story shows the man in all his complexities and his guilt is left up to interpretation. Jim Nelson was a fitting hero to the piece, and I found every unusual aspect of his personality to be extremely interesting - the bridge phobia, the sleepwalking, the cupboards - all brilliantly portrayed by Palin. I was a little worried that the political climate, especially in the turbulent time of the early 90s, would dominate the storyline and alienate anyone who didn't already know a great deal about it, but happily that was not the case, this really is an exceptional drama in its own right, without having to rely on controversial real life allegories.
This episode was a great end to the story. I did feel that Jim was kept on holiday for a bit too long, it would have been good to see him back in the main story with the bulk of the supporting cast, but his determined return to form and his ensuing acceptance feels earned and justified. I came to realise, regardless, that the story of G.B.H. is more about Michael than anyone else, and this episode appoints its screen time appropriately by focusing mostly on him. In a convincing, emotional performance, Lindsay pulls off the climax of the story with aplomb, providing a great deal of shocking and poignant moments. Crucially, the subplot of Eileen's torture of Michael as a child and the long awaited reveal that Barbara is her sister has a very satisfying conclusion. The reveal of the actual incident surprised me, though they have been hinting at it earlier in the story. I respected mostly the unpredictable outcome of Barbara's decision: it would have seemed quite cliche for her to have a moment when she reveals herself and suddenly turns evil, so having her reassess her own feelings for her sister and choose Michael in the end really proves how good of a character she is.
The score and the cinematography complement the episode perfectly. The story really does feel complete as the final scene ends, which is exactly what a mini-series should try and achieve. I will most definitely be checking out the rest of Bleasdale's work, and G.B.H. is probably one of the best British dramas I have ever seen.
This episode was a great end to the story. I did feel that Jim was kept on holiday for a bit too long, it would have been good to see him back in the main story with the bulk of the supporting cast, but his determined return to form and his ensuing acceptance feels earned and justified. I came to realise, regardless, that the story of G.B.H. is more about Michael than anyone else, and this episode appoints its screen time appropriately by focusing mostly on him. In a convincing, emotional performance, Lindsay pulls off the climax of the story with aplomb, providing a great deal of shocking and poignant moments. Crucially, the subplot of Eileen's torture of Michael as a child and the long awaited reveal that Barbara is her sister has a very satisfying conclusion. The reveal of the actual incident surprised me, though they have been hinting at it earlier in the story. I respected mostly the unpredictable outcome of Barbara's decision: it would have seemed quite cliche for her to have a moment when she reveals herself and suddenly turns evil, so having her reassess her own feelings for her sister and choose Michael in the end really proves how good of a character she is.
The score and the cinematography complement the episode perfectly. The story really does feel complete as the final scene ends, which is exactly what a mini-series should try and achieve. I will most definitely be checking out the rest of Bleasdale's work, and G.B.H. is probably one of the best British dramas I have ever seen.
