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Must Watch reviews: Unforgivable

Every week, the Must Watch podcasters review the biggest TV and streaming shows.

Unforgivable is a one-episode feature-length drama written by Jimmy McGovern.

It’s about a family who are dealing with the aftermath of sexual abuse, committed by a member of their own family, who is about to leave prison after two years.

It stars Anna Friel, David Threlfall, and Anna Maxwell Martin.

What do the Must Watch reviewers make of it?

What do the Must Watch reviewers think of ‘Unforgivable’?

Scott Bryan and Hayley Campbell give their views on ‘Unforgivable’.

Naga: “Scott?”

This is a must watch. A difficult watch, understandably, because of the content, but really well handled"

Scott: “This is a must watch. A difficult watch, understandably, because of the content, but really well handled.

“Jimmy McGovern is behind Time, Accused, The Street, Hillsborough, some of those really thought-provoking dramas in the country currently, I think. As much as it is about the plot and the characters, his work looks at society and challenges and different issues facing our country in a really thoughtful way.

“He’s also posing questions, not necessarily providing answers, whilst also not coming out with answers. Kind of leaving you to come up to those conclusions. This is certainly the case because the character Tom, played by Austin Haynes here, he's a victim of sexual abuse caused by a family member - and you learnt very early on in the drama that he has to wait 21 weeks for mental health support.

“Meanwhile, Joe, the uncle played by Bobby Schofield, has a support process straight away set up for him in prison. And rather interestingly, Jimmy McGovern did an interview with The Big Issue the other week and says that the starting point for this drama was because he received a letter from someone's mother, whose child had been sexually abused by a family member, and that had been the case for her.”

Scott: “The drama looks at the consequences of sexual abuse. It looks at the allegations that sexual abuse victims face in the course of lodging a criminal trial and how awfully detrimental that can be.

“I don't think many channels would have had faith in commissioning such a drama on such a difficult topic in case it was handled poorly.

“I also don't think many writers would be trusted in terms of looking and exploring at this particular issue but, Jimmy McGovern has had such a track record of doing such dramas so well and so thought provokingly, that's why he's been given this opportunity and I felt that he was able to really, really have something that will stick with you and stay with you.

“I think also it's a feature length, it's 90 minutes. It's also an engrossing story. Not saying anything about how it ends, but it then has a plot that goes in a trajectory that really was thoughtful, so for me it is a Must Watch even though it's a difficult one.”

Naga: “Hayley?”

To me it felt rushed"

Hayley: “Mine is a yes, but. So, Jimmy McGovern is one of my favourite TV writers. It started for me with Cracker in the 90s and then also The Lakes and after that I would watch anything he does. And I did think this was good.

“But to me it felt rushed. I think by making it a one feature-length thing instead of a series, they were rushing through all this horrible complexity that I thought needed more space to breathe and be meaningful.”

Hayley: “To me, it felt a bit surface level. It was doing that thing that Adolescence did, where the subject matter will be news to loads of people, but not to others, or at least to the level they were able to go into it in the amount of time they had. In this case, it’s the idea that abused people sometimes go on to abuse others. So, I think it will depend on you as a viewer as to how much you get out of it.

"I think it will depend on you as a viewer as to how much you get out of it"

“Also, it was relentlessly depressing for 90 minutes, whereas I think in a series, you'd be able to have bits of levity and normal life, which are always the things that, to me, make the misery more meaningful because you have the other side. And McGovern can be very funny as well.

“Especially in something where it's a domestic horror like this, to see what was going on while abuse was happening and how an abuser can switch from one thing to another while their victim is shattered, that's always something that, to me, is shocking in hindsight. When people have to ask themselves why they never noticed.”

Hayley: “So, I think there were grounds for this to be excellent. Also, because the cast are so great. All of them: the kids, everybody. I just didn't think it was given the chance to get there. It felt a bit, “push the big red button”, obvious to me. I think it needed to be a three-episode series to capture the nuance.”

Naga: “I watched it in two parts. I think it was worth going through.

“For me it is a must watch. Just because, I mean, the quality of acting, the change in tone of it and how you're drawn through it and the anger through it as well. I think it's definitely a must watch.”

Unforgivable is available to watch on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer.

But before all that, why not contact Scott and Hayley with the shows you’ve been loving, loathing or both on mustwatch@bbc.co.uk.

This week, the team reviewed The Assassin and Critical: Between Life and Death.

Must Watch is released as a podcast every Monday evening on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sounds.

As always, we like to include your reviews - on shows you love, loathe or lament.

Message @bbc5live on social media using the hashtag #bbcmustwatch or email mustwatch@bbc.co.uk.

Here’s a recommendation from Kathryn…

“First of all, I love listening to Must Watch. I’m often travelling (not glam - mostly walking and on the bus) when I listen and your conversation, insights and recommendations are the best traveller’s companion.

“I don’t think you’ve discussed ‘Families Like Ours’ on iPlayer - it’s my watch of the year. It’s about refugees but in a dystopian near future set in climate change affected Denmark.

“It’s gripping, devastating, and moving - it looks beautiful and has hope even in the bleakest situation. I feel it should win all the awards and urge you, and of course, your listeners to watch.”

Last week we reviewed ‘Narrow Road to the Deep North’. Tina & Vince have some thoughts...

“We were so looking forward to [Narrow Road], it had all the boxes ticked for a top-notch riveting drama with some big names & excellent locations, not to mention an excellent script.

“However, after 20 minutes of really struggling, we switched off. Very disappointed, in fact to the point of being annoyed, as we found it impossible to follow the dialogue such was the poor diction/editing/sound, meaning we were unable to catch much more than one word in five from any of the actors.

“All that time, money & effort & it is unwatchable.”