I missed Perfect Strangers when it first aired on BBC back in 2001 and I'd never heard of it until I read that it is now to be found on BBC iPlayer. The premise, about a family reunion, sounded interesting, and I was also attracted by the fact that the writer was Stephen Poliakoff, who is truly gifted, and the cast was terrific - Michael Gambon, Lindsey Duncan, Muriel Pavlow, Matthew Macfadyen, Claire Skinner, Toby Stephens, Timothy Spall, Anton Lesser....wow.
So I was hopeful about it when I sat down to watch. What I didn't really except was a drama that I found truly outstanding and also strikingly original and unpredictable (I had one theory about what was going to be revealed about the family which proved way off beam). There are touches of humour as well as pathos, and Poliakoff's understanding of human nature is to the fore in his subtly nuanced screenplay. Even some of the minor characters (such as Poppy, who is obsessed with table plans) are memorable. A special word for the reliable Lesser, who is terrific as an enthusiastic genealogist.
The story begins with a glitzy reunion of the Symon family at a fancy London hotel. Gambon and his wife (Jill Baker) and son Daniel (Macfadyen) are poor relations who, for some mysterious reason, have been out of touch with their relations for twenty years. But secrets slowly start to emerge from the darkness where they have been long buried.
This is a story about the long shadows cast by past events. It's not a crime story, but there is a significant 'detective' element. Daniel is drawn to his pretty but enigmatic cousin (Skinner) and is befriended by Duncan, whose relationship with Skinner is mysteriously strained. Hidden truths of all kinds slowly emerge. It is a subtle story, marvellously told, and amounts to a masterclass in screenwriting, immeasurably superior to most present day fare. Very highly recommended.
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