The Street - Series 2 - Complete on DVD (2007)

* * * This review contains spoilers * * *

Northernsky from Halifax [Highly rated reviewer] , 29/12/2007

For some reason, being a complete and utter arse is a strong contender, i missed the first series of 'The Street' .Apart that is for the last episode which i watched, probably on the strength of the lovely and talented Joanne Froggatt being in it.It quickly sunk in that this was quality TV drama- the sort that happens all too rarely. Superbly written(Not too surprising since Jimmy McGovern is involved) , brilliantly performed and all too believable this is television with a vibrant beating human heart . Every episode of series two has been a brilliantly conceived exercise in exposing with real empathy the foibles and frailties that bedevil us all.

Episode one centres on twin brothers Joe and Harry (David Thewlis) Joe who is married with two squabbling kids, a live in mother and has severe money troubles not helped by his low level gambling addiction envies Harry. Harry livers alone with all the freedom that brings is well respected with a past career in the military and is financially well off. When Harry suffers an almost farcical low key death Joe steals pretends it’s him who has died and steals his brothers identity . In keeping up the pretence Joe learns that his apparently misbegotten former existence had more going for it than he first thought and the wife he thought didn’t love him anymore ( Bronagh Gallagher) isn’t as easily fooled as he first thought. .

In episode two taxi driver Eddie (Timothy Spall) can’t resist meeting up with his child heart sweetheart Pat .When his wife Margie (Ger Ryan) drops out of the evening after discovering she has breast cancer -something she keeps secret from Eddie -the evening leads to serious repercussions for Eddie and he discovers that not everything from the past has the same resonance in the present.

In the next demolition man Eddie(Vincent Regan) works away .When he is bunked up with fellow worker Tom (Will Mellor) he makes a pass at Eddie who attempts to change rooms .Having found out this isn’t possible he comes to terms with a burgeoning attraction for his co-worker and the two begin an affair that has potentially explosive recriminations for not only Eddie but those closest to him.

Jan ( Gina Mckee) and Cath (Lorraine Ashbourne) are sisters living on the same street. Cath has three kids and a husband in prison for dealing drugs. When her eldest son Ian goes on a night out with Jan’s only son Gary , who is soon to join The Navy , the evening ends in violence with a badly injured taxi driver but its Ian who wrongly cops the blames. The question is will Gary , the real perpetrator do the right thing and admit his guilt?

Postman Wayne (Mark Benton) is contemplating a failed marriage to Val (Melanie Hill)and the fact that their new step dad can offer them far more than he can. He is also robbing from the mail , though he only takes from the mail going to the” posh estates“ in order to fund a life in Greece that he dreams about. Unfortunately the finger of suspicion points to a union affiliated colleague and when he slips on a takeaway fish and chip supper he puts his back out and is forced to get help from an Illiterate truant who he also teaches to read. Added to that he has met a women at a speed dating evening with a bad stammer and guilt about his crass behaviour has plagued him since. As his day to day existence plunges inexorably into chaos Wayne must decide whether his Greece reverie is worth all the things that could be potentially worthwhile in his life at home.

The final episode has gardener Paul (Toby Kebbell) living a solitary life in a bed-sit .He bumps into local girl Kirsty every morning on his way to work and starts a relationship with her but then deliberately alienates her so he won’t have to reveal the dreadful secret from his past. However when he is spotted in the street by Jean (Jodhi May) who is connected to this dreadful event he has to confront his guilt and learn that true forgiveness does exist.

By far the best true drama on television , this is revelatory stuff when compared to the so called true to life soaps that hog up the schedules. The acting is unbelievably good in every episode with not a frame wasted and as I’ve mentioned the writing is quite superb with diverse thematic nuances being explored every week. They all have one thing in common though. None of us is perfect , but with understanding , honesty , empathy humour and moral courage nothing is insurmountable and shining truth and decency can come out of any adverse situation. That is a message worth heeding and when it,s put across as well as it is in The Street it really does sink in.

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