Single Father, ep 1
Oct. 10th, 2010 11:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caz963It's been a gorgeous day today - sunny and warm and more like July than ... er... July actually was. So we've been out and about and I'll post some pics tomorrow when I get a chance.
It's late, but I can't go to bed without a quick mention of the first episode of Single Father.
Needless to say I enjoyed it a lot. Which is probably the wrong expression to use when you consider the subject matter, but I was gripped from the start. Not just because of the presence of the delectable Mr T, but because of the way we were introduced to the family - there were situations there that were very familiar, and which I'm sure were to most parents. The opening chaotic breakfast scene - it's bad enough with two kids, let alone four! Getting the kids to tidy their rooms... going a bit ga-ga over cute pics of your kids... calling the old man a wanker when he buggers off out when you don't want him to!
The accident scene was absolutely horrific. No blood or guts but - BAM! Okay, so I knew what was coming and was waiting for it, but even then it was incredibly shocking.
People who were lucky enough to see this episode in advance had posted about how good David was in the scene towards the end where his character finally breaks down. It's like he's held it all in for ten weeks - because with four kids in the house, what else can he do? (I can identify so closely with that; being able to be upset and/or cry or scream or let off steam when there are kids in the house to take into consideration is well-nigh impossible, and so you bottle stuff up and set it aside, telling yourself you'll "deal with it later".)
He is amazing in that scene - someone asked him in an interview how he's able to plumb the depths of despair like that, and he did admit that sometimes he has to go to "a very dark place". He's not afraid to go for it, or to look a total mess (complete with tears, drool and snot!) - and he does, and it's brilliant.
But you know the scene where he really got me? The bit where he rushes to school to pick up his kids, and he finds out what's happened to Rita. I can't do justice to it - but watching his reaction - when he literally has to sit down before he falls down - made me feel like I'd been punched in the gut.
And then there's the scene where he gets pulled over for speeding - the scorn and loathing on his face...
So that's the fangirling done with. I can see why David was so enthusiastic about the kids - they were all fantastic. The part where the little girl, Evie, was planting the cut flowers in the garden because her mum only liked flowers that were growing was a real lump-in-the-throat moment.
I know I've missed out plenty of stuff, so I'll try to marshall my thoughts better when I'm more awake!
It's late, but I can't go to bed without a quick mention of the first episode of Single Father.
Needless to say I enjoyed it a lot. Which is probably the wrong expression to use when you consider the subject matter, but I was gripped from the start. Not just because of the presence of the delectable Mr T, but because of the way we were introduced to the family - there were situations there that were very familiar, and which I'm sure were to most parents. The opening chaotic breakfast scene - it's bad enough with two kids, let alone four! Getting the kids to tidy their rooms... going a bit ga-ga over cute pics of your kids... calling the old man a wanker when he buggers off out when you don't want him to!
The accident scene was absolutely horrific. No blood or guts but - BAM! Okay, so I knew what was coming and was waiting for it, but even then it was incredibly shocking.
People who were lucky enough to see this episode in advance had posted about how good David was in the scene towards the end where his character finally breaks down. It's like he's held it all in for ten weeks - because with four kids in the house, what else can he do? (I can identify so closely with that; being able to be upset and/or cry or scream or let off steam when there are kids in the house to take into consideration is well-nigh impossible, and so you bottle stuff up and set it aside, telling yourself you'll "deal with it later".)
He is amazing in that scene - someone asked him in an interview how he's able to plumb the depths of despair like that, and he did admit that sometimes he has to go to "a very dark place". He's not afraid to go for it, or to look a total mess (complete with tears, drool and snot!) - and he does, and it's brilliant.
But you know the scene where he really got me? The bit where he rushes to school to pick up his kids, and he finds out what's happened to Rita. I can't do justice to it - but watching his reaction - when he literally has to sit down before he falls down - made me feel like I'd been punched in the gut.
And then there's the scene where he gets pulled over for speeding - the scorn and loathing on his face...
So that's the fangirling done with. I can see why David was so enthusiastic about the kids - they were all fantastic. The part where the little girl, Evie, was planting the cut flowers in the garden because her mum only liked flowers that were growing was a real lump-in-the-throat moment.
I know I've missed out plenty of stuff, so I'll try to marshall my thoughts better when I'm more awake!
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no subject
Date: 2010-10-11 12:37 pm (UTC)However, I really didn't like the motorbike scene. It slipped into cliche and, as at least one reviewer has pointed out, it seemed OOC for Dave to do something so dangerous, maybe borderline suicidal, when his kids had just lost their other parent.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-11 05:58 pm (UTC)What struck me as odd about that scene was that they'd just leave this distraught bloke sitting on the edge of the motorway without attempting to get him home safely.
But other than that I completely agree with you :)
no subject
Date: 2010-10-11 09:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-12 09:46 pm (UTC)