... Or at least it feels that way. Party Animals, penned by Ben Richards, concluded last night, amidst minimal fanfare, which has been the way with this under-sung TV drama. I hope it gets a second series, although with only 1.2m viewers last night, I'm not hopeful.
This was yet another top quality BBC drama which I fear will bite the dust. We recently had it confirmed that the marvellous Lilies, written by the acclaimed and talented Heidi Thomas, has been prematurely given the chop - reportedly because it didn't attract the "right sort" of viewer and because the BBC wants to make way for 'New Drama' (go figure). Last year we had the highly entertaining Sally Wainwright drama The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, which the BBC canned because of lacklustre ratings.
In both cases, the series closed with loose ends, and a major cliffhanger in the case of The Amazing Mrs Pritchard - and a lot of fans have thus demanded resolution, most especially in the case of Lilies. The BBC Lilies web site has been literally inundated with hundreds of heartfelt demands for a second series - all ignored. Obviously demands from the wrong sort of audience fall on deaf ears at the BBC which is increasingly (and worryingly) preoccupied with ratings it seems, and facing off ITV - which is not why we pay the BBC vast sums of money via our license fees. I honestly believe the BBC never intended to renew Lilies, based on the shoddy promotion and poor scheduling the show received. Perhaps it wasn't seen as cool and 'yoof' enough to share the same BBC branding as the 'hallowed' likes of Doctor Who, Torchwood and the inexecrable Robin Hood. Perhaps if Lilies had been set in a hospital, and starred yet another bleedin' police detective with slightly maverick tendencies and a drink problem, as seems to dominate British TV output these days, it would have stood a better chance.
Party Animals suffered a similar fate to Lilies in the sense that advertising for the show was minimal. Yes, ratings have been poor, but little has been done to boost them. This was a quality drama with some very strong acting performances - this blogger has already raved Andrew Buchan, and deservedly so. Such a fine actor! And like many admirers of the show no doubt, I'm dying to know if Scott and Ashika are ever going to put aside their 'party' differences and kiss and make up.
If anyone learns of Party Animal's fate in the hands of the BBC commissioners, don't hesitate to tell - I'm eager to know, and hope that the news is good. The BBC simply can't keep dropping it's quality dramas, leaving us with the dross and drivel of so much of the populist formulaic crap currently being foisted onto our TV screens.
7 comments:
Well I will write a second series: Danny and Jo have an affair, their pupils dilate everytime they do a scene - its inevitable! Kirsty realising she is in love with Danny sets out to destroy Jo.
Scott returns to sleazy form, shagging everything in sight until he has an HIV scare, still yearns for Ashika.
Ashika, pregnant - doesnt know whether the father is James or Scott.
Chuck in some politics and there we have it!
Fantastic! You have a natural talent there and should get to pitching this idea immediately!
I must say I've never seen Danny and Jo's pupils dilate when they're around each other - and will have to wait for repeats or a DVD to check that one out, darn it. I thought he kind of 'loved' her but not in a sexual way - and surely she's too much woman for him, bless his little cotton socks?
So do you have a Scott/Ashika reconciliation on the cards?
And professionally, what does poor Ashika do now?
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Danny admires Jo and that develops into what he thinks is love. She needs the love while dealing with an ongoing custody battle with her ex.
Scott and Ashika tip toe around each other after a period of blanking each other, they might reconcile over the baby - which thrusts Scott into a whole new way of thinking.
Or, Ashika has an abortion, tells no one and we see her decline into a coke dependant depressive, barely hanging onto her job- demoted to a desk job which fuels her frustration.
The upside being she starts to properly examine why she became Tory, that its not just a mere act of rebellion against her staunch Labour family.
OK ... what about ...
Jo has an affair, but with another, reputedly unscrupulous politician, and Danny does all he can to convince her it is a bad idea. I don't know about something between Jo and Danny ... maybe a drunken lurch? Anyway, he finally quits working for her, which leaves Kirsty his job ... but maybe she feels guilty about this?
As for Ashika. She gets a job in Conservative Central Office and is set to be 'groomed', but then finds she is pregnant ... I rather like the idea though of her starting to struggle with her political ideals!
And Northcote. We can't forget the disgraced politician. How about a love affair with Sophie?
Ooh. It's all sex and scandal!
Or...
Danny & Jo go from strength to strength politically, he is her rock and his ideals remind her of how good she can be. No affair, mutual respect. We see Jo start to look out for Danny more, helping him grow personally and giving him confidence - the mother figure he lost.
James takes a sabbatical, to save his marriage.
I enter as a new character, seduce Scott and he forgets all about Ashika, realises I am the woman of his dreams and the series ends with us getting married in India. Danny has a crush on me too, due to my Labour stance, but I convince him to go for someone younger!
Ah well Pucci. Let's hope there's a second series so we can get to see your star turn!
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