Mundane Madness, Rags to Riches Revenge, & Taking A Scouse Gamble!

Hello world! Welcome back to another blog. This time it’s another TV Reviews, where the shows I’m going to talk about include a series of Mundane Madness in the fictional world of Marvin Gardens, a story about a rags to riches business woman seeking revenge based on a well known novel, and a high stakes drama involving ALOT of money set in Liverpool. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on these three shows!

Small Prophets:

The first show I’m going to talk about is Small Prophets, starring Pierce Quigley, Michael Palin and Lauren Patel.

This tells the story of Michael Sleep, who with the help of his dad Brian, creates mysterious creatures in the mundane street of Marvin Gardens to seek answers about why his girlfriend disappeared 7 years before the events of the series. 

At the forefront of the show was Michael Sleep, played by Pierce Quigley. I relate to him on so many levels, which includes working at a job he doesn’t really want to be in. I quite liked how he could bring humour in certain situations, particularly when someone mistook him as Father Christmas to get himself out of a bad situation. But I could really tell that he was desperate for answers on Clea (his girlfriend that went missing), with maybe keeping the house as a way to hold on what he had left of her. I love his passion, determination and resilience to find the answers to his questions, which ultimately was the main objective of the series. To help Michael create the Homunculi was his dad Brian Sleep played by Michael Palin. Yes he may have had to live in a care home because of his dementia, but his knowledge on the prophets was something he could still contain, and despite Michael’s hesitancy, he wouldn’t have gotten the answers if Brian didn’t help him. I also found Brian quite humorous in certain situations, particularly when he kept getting lots of prizes for competitions he didn’t even want, which include a motorcycle and a train set. Someone who helped Michael with navigating answers for Clea’s disappearance was colleague Kacey, played by Lauren Patel. I loved their on screen chemistry, and I could tell she put the work into Kacey’s journey, helping Michael make the Homunculi. I also liked how like me she has a dream to be an actress, which brought a nice sense of humour to the show, and after reading about Lauren’s journey into the industry leading up to getting the role of Kacey, she has definitely inspired me to keep going. 

There have been other characters that each played a part in Michael’s journey. Two of them included nosy neighbours Clive and Bev, played by Jon Pointing and Sophie Willan. Clive was the sort of person who wants a peaceful life with no trouble, which includes Michael’s “sea monkeys” even though he technically isn’t hurting anyone. Whilst Bev was also curious, she approaches things the opposite way, reassuring Clive that Michael is a nice person, and seeing Sophie playing a more serious role was something nice to see (although the name of a podcast she was listening to was quite entertaining). There was also Olive played by Shola Adewusi, who always had something to tell Michael in her garden, along with teenager Elliot played by Adam Wright, who yes may have had no dialogue, but the gestures he made explained a lot about his character when Michael revealed to Kacey about his background. There was also a lovely moment in the last episode where he noticed Michael was wearing the same top, and Adam has just shown through Eddie that actions do speak louder than words.We also saw Michael’s boss Gordon, played by Mackenzie Crook (who also wrote the show), who was your typical boss where he thought about things outside of work not being as important. I liked how he timed the awkwardness perfectly when it comes to asking about breaks, showing that this character doesn’t really use his common sense, which I think comes across really well. Another character featured in the show was Michael’s colleague Brigham, played by Ed Kear. He was your usual colleague who would always tease you, and what made it funny to me was his voice and pitch, which helped lift the genre. But even I was surprised by how his personality changed after learning that Michael was nearly fired in episode 4, and even though it’s linking to how he wouldn’t get to tease him, it shows that he has a heart at least, making you have sympathy for him. Well it worked for me anyway, and that’s when you know they’ve done the role well. Care worker Hilary was played by. Charlotte Mills. I think her main role was to literally call in Michael at bad timings when Brian caused abit of trouble, but she took on the role with poise, dedication and took on the genre of the show well. And I could also show how much  she cares about Michael, knowing it’s not easy for a son seeing his father in a care home, and she and Pierce having really good on screen chemistry. There was also Michael’s brother in law Roy, played by, who yes was grieving for Clea as much as Michael, but was more of a realist. But I do think the way he was going about it felt abit forced, not knowing until the end of the series how much Michael was actually grieving the disappearance of her. There was also the appearance of Bea and Bob played by Kathryn Drysdale (who you may recognise as Genevieve Delacroix in Bridgerton) and Howard Gossington. I didn’t know what the actual intentions were, but they definitely weren’t who they say they were, and when mentioning a bird book from Clea, there was definitely more value to it than before, fabricating a story about how it went missing. There was also an appearance in the last two episodes from Rhiannon Clements (who you may recognise as Summer Ranger in Hollyoaks), who played a staff member from The Open University, looking for an important piece to add to her collection which was the meteoroid. I know it was only a brief appearance, but despite the wacky thing she was collecting, her role was professional, friendly and her character achieved her goal. And as a disabled person myself, she once again smashed it for those who think that having a disability makes it impossible, as it’s actors like her that prove you wrong. 

I think my only downside was that it just felt like I wanted more, as it never actually got confirmed what was going to happen with Michael’s house, and how Roy never got to understand why Michael had one of the rooms the way it was. But I have a feeling based on the ending, there’s going to be more adventures for Michael after he keeps getting mysterious phone calls.

Overall I would give the show a 4.7 out of 5. It was funny, relatable (especially with the job Michael works at), and also heartwarming. I just hope there’s a series 2 so not only can I put my skills from my “proper job” into good use, but to also see the adventures Michael has after he makes a decision at the end of the series.

A Woman of Substance:

The next show I’m going to talk about is A Woman of Substance, starring Jessica Reynolds and Brenda Blethyn.

As explained on IMDb, the synopsis for this show goes as follows:

“From servants quarters to business empire, Emma Harte’s indomitable spirit propels her rise from poverty to riches, yearning for one unattainable love.”

Throughout this show we got to see two versions of Emma. These were Emma in the 1970s, played by Brenda Blethyn, and Young Emma Harte in the early 1900s, played by Jessica Reynolds. I liked how we had two versions of the character, showing how the war between her and the Fairleys started, and then how it affected her in her older life. Young Emma Harte was strong willed, rebellious and wasn’t afraid to say how she felt. But her strength was also a weakness, particularly when it came to doing too much or shutting most of the people in her life out. But ultimately she was the definition of girl power, and that when you get on the wrong side of her, you don’t want to confront her. This was seen when Edwin broke her promise of a better life, and also when her dad died, when she found out a secret of her late mother Elizabeth (Jo Joyner), and when her boss at Fairley hall revealed a set up in episode 8, and she uses that fury into energy to get one up. That is how you achieve your objective, if you get positively angry. When we transferred to Emma in the 70s, it impacted not only her, but how her children saw her. She also, like her younger self, didn't want anyone to see her weakness when she became ill in episode 5, not wanting the rumours of her health to be true. But by the last episode she definitely had her intentions clear, and let’s just say the deal she made with her children is something I don’t want to get into with my own father. Throughout Emma’s journey for revenge and making something for herself, fellow worker Shane “Mac” O’Neill, played by Niall Wright, was there by her side. I don’t know if it’s an Irish thing or if it’s just him as a person, but throughout working at the Fairleys and when she settled into Armley, he was always there by her side, and regardless if she knew about who Edwina father really is, my guess is he would’ve stood by her anyway as that’s the sort of person he was. When my dad watched it, he was also right to say that deep down he had feelings for Emma, even when he married Laura (who I’ll mention in the next section), and I think Jessica and Niall have brilliant on screen chemistry, and I could tell they worked really hard on making Emma’s story come to life. For 70s Emma, her confidant was assistant Jerry Sloane, played by Tyrone Huntley. Unlike her children, he stood by her through the worst, and you know when he’s a good companion, when you advise them to listen to doctors orders after Emma had a health scare. It’s also moments like this where characters like Jerry should really be given more credit, as he played a crucial part in Emma’s life. 

There were many other characters along with Shane and Jerry that have impacted Emma’s life in both the early 1900s and in the 1970s. One family in particular was the Fairleys, and it all started with her former lover Edwin, played by Ewan Horrocks. I could tell that he loved Emma deeply, wanting to treat her and the rest of the staff with kindness and was wanting to create a legacy for his fathers name for the right reasons. But it all went wrong when he convinced Emma to have a termination when pregnant with his baby, and has been living with that grief ever since. But when he served in the war, it made him realise that other things were important, and his final plan, convinced by his brother Gerald, got him to start a personal war between Emma and his family. There was also Edwin’s father Adam, played by Emmett J. Scanlon, who let’s just say is that sort of important person who twists things to protect his own reputation. He’s also the type of person who uses information to his advantage, revealing to Edwin that he knew about him and Emma before she left, but kept it quiet for his own selfishness. To think that Emmett is originally Irish, he has got a brilliant posh British voice, showing how versatile he really is, and I wouldn’t want to get on his bad side. There was also Adams wife Adele, played by Leanne Best, who had “problems” throughout the series. But I do think that some of the problems she had were down to his behaviour, and her forcing Emma to wear a dress in episode 2 maybe was a tactic to show his true colours. But she ultimately did her best to try and be a good mum after Edwin’s near death and Gerald revealing his money troubles, but her standing up to Adam in episode 4 led her to meeting a horrific end. There was also her sister Olivia, played Lydia Leonard, who whilst Adele was recovering, stepped in as Adams wife. But gradually she became more and more attracted to him, and their affair was soon caught by Adele. But I felt like Adams fling with Olivia was a distraction from Adele, and good on her for stepping up to him in episode 8 after finding out what really happened linking to Adele’s horrific end. There was also Edwin’s older brother Gerald played by Harry Cadby. I was surprised that none of the family, particularly Olivia, would acknowledge his behaviour, particularly when Emma revealed what he did to her in episode 5 which was hard to watch. But I think it all linked with Adele not being present in his life, and maybe putting on a tough front pressured by Adam led him to do the things he did. There was also Emma’s boss Murgatroyd played by Robert Wilfort. I didn’t like the way he treated Emma when she was working as a maid, but as she made a name for herself, he was impressed by how far he came. And you know when you change your opinion of someone when they help the main character, and NAME did just that when he revealed Edwin’s plot in episode 8. If it wasn’t for his intervention, Emma wouldn’t have gotten 2 steps ahead of their plan. Someone else who got roped into the Fairley family was Priya Chandra, played by Hiftu Quasem. Whilst being present at first so that Adam can speak with her father Sir Vikram Chandra (Sagar Arya) about a deal, she was also part of a plan for the family to arrange a marriage to Edwin. But she wasn’t like many wives, and when she met Emma, she did it with poise, kindness and sensibility, knowing that she wanted to see the person Edwin fell in love with (and still did) before she went ahead with the wedding. I also thought she was the voice of reason, as seen in episode 7 when she offered Olivia to join her in a club whilst Britain were at war, convincing her to think about her needs and not what Adam will think. And whilst shocked about Emma’s final move in episode 8, secretly I think she’s proud to stand up to the family, even if she didn’t show it. In the 70s, one of Emma’s enemies was none other than Edwin's grandson Jim Fairley, played by Toby Regbo. Maybe he was abit of a nice guy to begin with, but deep down he knew that he wanted to take revenge on Emma for what Edwin went through, and even getting his granddaughter Paula Amory (Mara Huf) involved. With Paula herself, I know she may have genuinely cared for Emma, but I think I do believe her when she said she loved Jim, and was genuinely shocked by the proposal Emma made at the end of the series. But she showed a really good work ethic, hence why Emma came to trust her more than her own children. And amongst her children was the eldest Edwina, who in the 70s was played by Rosie Cavaliero. I think she took the most resentment to Emma after the past showing Emma giving her away (but for good reasons). And her pleasure of finding out that Edwin was her biological father really summed up to Emma why she doesn’t trust her. But it was nice to see Rosie use her versatility after seeing her in Power of Parker, showing she can be in both comedy and drama. Whilst seeking revenge, there were plenty of people who stood by Emma’s side in her past along with Shane. These included David Kallinski played by Jeremy Neumark Jones, who at first I thought was abit off and wasn’t sure of his intentions. But gradually I came to like David, and felt bad for him when Emma didn’t return his feelings for him. There was also businessman Joe Lowther, played by Philip Hill-Pearson, who was the one to employ Emma and help her with her purpose, and later became her husband. I could tell he cared a great deal for Emma, and cared for younger Edwina as if she were his own, but it wasn’t until the war came where Emma realised how much she needed him, leading to him having a emotional fate. There was also Emma’s family in the form of brother Frank, played by Lenny Rush, and father Jack, played by Will Mellor. They supported Emma in her journey to achieving big things, even if it meant getting involved with the Fairley’s at first. But when tragedy struck for Jack, it was Frank who eventually got her in episode 8 to trust her gut, which ultimately paid off. And by her side was also Shane’s wife Laura, played by Ellie Mejia. I liked how she supported Emma through her journey to taking revenge on the Fairley’s, and felt like part of the family. But she secretly hid her jealousy of her and Shane when overhearing their conversation in the last episode, and I’d be intrigued to see if there is a second series, if Laura will realise their connection. 

I think there were a few downsides to this show where like Small Prophets I wanted more. The main one being the big twist at the end, and even though in a past series based on the novel it’s a different ending, I can see why people were wanting a second series. 

Overall I would give the show a 4.90 out of 5. It was tense, it had me hooked, and Emma was the true definition of girl power, showing that nothing is impossible. I know a series before hand was a one off, but after that twist at the end, I’d be intrigued to see if there was a series 2 how how Emma in the 70s would navigate the announcement. 

The Cage:

This final show I’m going to talk about is The Cage, starring Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha, created by Tony Schumacher and casted by Shaheen Baig,

This tells the story of Matty and Leanne, who for different reasons rob from their own casino, and work together to get out of their sticky situations.

Sheridan Smith took on the role of Leanne, a cashier working at the casino and needing some money to help her family. She was a single mum who yes was working, but was under pressure to find somewhere to live and keep the family together hence why she planned to rob from the casino. And I relate to Leanne in the sense of worrying about her health, as I too am abit of a hypochondriac. Michael Socha took on the role of Matty, an addict who gets himself into a lot of trouble. I know this isn’t a comedy, but he gets himself into situations like getting Leanne to be mistaken for his girlfriend and also moments like eating a sandwich making it quite entertaining. But it wasn’t until the last episode that got to see how his addiction expanded and why he was afraid of water, and it’s moments like this where it’s living proof that there’s always a reason behind a person’s behaviour. And I love the chemistry Sheridan and Michael have on screen, from the tense moments, to the warm one in episode 5. And it wasn’t until then that Matty took responsibility for everything he did and vowed to put things right. 

There were many characters that impacted both Leanne and Matty’s money journey. One of them was Detective Sergeant Fen Ning played by Sophie Mensah. She was a woman on a mission, using Matty to gather information on the villain Gary Packer (who I’ll mention in a moment). It was clearly a more personal case, with it being revealed briefly in episode 4 by her boss Jane,  and then fully in episode 5. She was definitely one of those people where once you get onto something, you can’t rest until it’s done. The man himself Gary Packer, played by Barry Sloane, was definitely a man you don’t want to make enemies with. Posing as a taxi driver, he decided to choose the difficult path, and even fooling Leanne about who he really was, and I don’t blame her for stepping away from him after finding his true colours. He did mention about his childhood, and how because of the decisions his parents made, it led him to the path. And his mum Nancy Packer, played by Geraldine James, owner of the Envoy casino, who didn’t realise how severe the situation was until the end of episode 4, where he thought he was rolling a high roller night. But you know you’re being a proper parent, when you admit your child needs help. Most parents would cover it, but not Nancy, as she knows what happened that caused Gary to go down the path. I also liked how kind she was, showing Matty how to deal and also showing sympathy for Leanne, helping her at the time of need by the end of the series. Someone who fell victim to both Matty and Leanne’s crimes was Leanne’s Nanna, played by Eileen O’Brien. It would be difficult for anyone to take on a character who has dementia, but sue clearly has done her homework. As someone who has a family member with dementia, it’s great to see the reality of what Leanne has to go through when trying to provide for her kids and keeping a roof over her head. And there were also some entertaining moments which I know were linked with dementia, but the timing they came at was brilliant. Another member of Leanne’s family who came to her aid was Leanne’s sister Kel, played by Abby Mavers. She was there as a mixture of things really. The voice of reason for Leanne, the protector when it came to some dramatic moments linking to Thomas and Ruby (who I will get onto in a moment) and was there to support Leanne in the final episode. Ultimately she was the sister Leanne needed throughout the series. There was also Leanne’s children Thomas and Ruby played by Anton Bibby and Rose McDermott. It was clear that they were both struggling themselves after the death of Chris (assuming it’s their father). Ruby was playing truant from school, maybe as a way to escape, and Thomas ended up in the path of drug den leader Kendo (Lee Morris) and got into a relationship with Paige (Isobek Khan), who soon did the dirty with Kendo, which led to serious consequences when trying to get revenge on him. But I liked how from Michael’s advice, he soon turned himself around, being the big brother to ruby. There was also Gary’s right hand man Alan, played by Shaun Mason. I knew you wouldn’t want to mess with him, but I could sense he secretly didn’t want to be part of it. What made it worse was that he got his nephew Neil, and his ditsy fiancée Jade, played by Max Ainsworth and Gemma Barraclough (who you may recognise from G’Wed), involved. I loved their growth in their journey from the Scouse comedy to a high stakes drama like this, making Liverpool proud whilst shaping off their versatility. I wasn’t too sure what to make of Matty’s friend Paul, played by Louis Emerick (who you may recognise as Donny Clark in Hollyoaks). Yes he forced Matty into some dodgy stuff, but suddenly he was there in the final episode where Matty and Leanne faced the music. Either way, Louis did a brilliant job at playing this role, but it could’ve been abit more clearer on what his intentions were, and whether he was forced to make Matty do it or if it was for his own gain. Someone who had to witness Matty’s mindset was his daughter, Emily played by Freya Jones. She knew that she loved him deep down, and was genuinely wanting to help when she interfered with a dodgy dealing. But I think what she really wanted all along was for Matty to take accountability for his addictions and the crimes he did, which seemed to have done the trick for both of them. And lastly there was Michael’s mum Shelagh played by Sue Jenkins. I think she was a little bit clueless as to what was going on, and bought some funny moments to break the seriousness, which included asking if Leanne was Matty’s girlfriend. But when it came to the last episode, I think she got to realise what was actually happening, giving a powerful speech to talk about Matty’s childhood and how much she loved him, but also acknowledging he needed help. 

I think the only observations I had were about some of the characters not having a clearer outcome of what happened to them at the end of the series. These included Thomas’ involvement with Kendo and Paige, but I just assumed that he’d cut contact with them completely, and focusing on his family, along with Alan, Neil and Jade in the aftermath of the “high roller night”, but I would assume that they’d cut tied with Gary completely and carried on with their life. 

Overall I would give the show a 4.95 out of 5. It was tense, humorous in some moments, and I got to see the characters develop as time went on. I don’t know if Tony Schumacher will be writing a second series, but if he does, I’m intrigued to see how Leanne and Matty adapt to life after the events of the first series and what challenges they bring to next! 

And that is it for my latest instalment of TV Reviews. Let me know which show you watched and your thoughts on them.

See you soon for another blog. Until next time…

This is The Autistic Actress signing off :)