Six of the Best: Helen Perry
The UKTV drama commissioning head’s picks include a “groundbreaking” US crime series, a character-led sports show and a fact-based drama that made real-world headlines.
The Shield
I’d read that the pilot episode of The Shield was groundbreaking, so I watched it purely for research. Little did I know I’d be sucked into the world of Vic Mackey and the Strike team for seven seasons. I binged 88 episodes and felt bereft when it was over. Apparently, showrunner Shawn Ryan instructed his co-writers to tell each story with the fewest beats possible and to end every scene with an ad-break-worthy hook. These techniques give the show a relentless pace and energy that has a visceral impact. You don’t passively watch The Shield, you breathlessly live it.
Mr Inbetween
Another anti-hero show. I love dramas that explore the complexity and messiness of morality and human behaviour. This Australian gem by Scott Ryan is a rare treat. I spend so much time thinking about story structure, genre and tonal cohesion that a defiantly ambiguous series that throws away every rule in the book feels truly revolutionary. You never know where Mr Inbetween (also pictured above) will go next, and I love its unpredictability.
Succession
It takes extraordinary skill to keep a single storyline – who’ll inherit the business – spinning over four seasons. Succession mastered the ‘event of the episode’ shape and provided unforgettable moments such as Kendall’s rap and Boar on the Floor. It also managed the remarkable – delivering an ending that was both surprising and inevitable. There’s a razor-sharp rawness to Succession, from the visual aesthetic to the line-by-line writing. It’s testament to the deep characterisation and all-round outstanding performances that, even within a single scene, members of the Roy family make you want to cradle them in your arms, before wanting to smash them to pieces.
Friday Night Lights
This show plays a clever trick. It pretends to be a macho sports series but actually it’s a deeply feeling relationship drama about a small-town community. It’s illustrative of three major lessons: a strong sense of place can elevate and authenticate a show; bigger plotlines aren’t always more impactful (S2 was nearly derailed by a murder plot that’s best forgotten); and if you’re clever enough, you can reinvent a show over and over (Coach’s S4 transfer to East Dillon is a genius piece of storytelling). Fundamentally, Coach and Mrs Coach make me want to be a better parent. That’s the power of great drama.
Mr Bates vs the Post Office
I was lucky enough to work on this series about one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history. No one knew it would land with the astonishing impact that it did, bar [ITV drama chief] Polly Hill, who greenlit it without a script, proving that some stories need to be told and bold decision-making equates to great commissioning. The other revelation was the sheer volume of tireless research and detailed personal care that was poured into the show by the producers and screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes. The dedication of passionate storytellers is not to be underestimated. Nor should we ever underestimate the power of television to inspire, enrage or to make change in the world.
My So-Called Life
Axed after one season, yet it’s a cult classic. It’s a time capsule of 90s angst-filled teenage life. It was pioneering, featuring TV’s first openly gay actor playing an out gay character. It dealt with difficult topics without glorifying them (guns, drugs, sex). Watching it as a teenager, I remember feeling ‘seen’ by a show for the first time. It’s a great reminder that we need to engage with future generations of viewers on their terms, reflecting their authentic experiences now. It also highlights that character is everything. Great drama doesn’t have to be astronomically expensive. Character is free.
tagged in: Helen Perry, UKTV