TV Review: The Accused - Episode Two
Anyone who has ever viewed anything written by Jimmy McGovern knows that happy endings just aren't his style.
"Mo's Story", Dir. David Blair, Written by Jimmy McGovern. BBC1, 9pm-10pm, Tuesday.
Anyone who has ever viewed anything written by Jimmy McGovern (The Street, Bloody Sunday) knows that happy endings just aren't his style. But this week things were especially bleak as The Accused entered its second episode of series 2. Here, McGovern served up a family sized dollop of misery for his viewers as the story followed two mothers embroiled in gun crime.
McGovern is known for his dark, gritty writing, but he is also not afraid to tackle what some may consider "taboo" issues. In last weeks episode of the anthology series, we saw Hollywood hardman Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones) don a frock and a pair of stilettos as he portrayed a transsexual in "Tracies Story".
But the Irish born writer gets back to what he knows best here, as he creates a world of tension soaked misery where intimidating, hoodied youths patrol the streets on BMX's and gun crime is a part of day to day living.
The Accused, known for following a character on their big day in court ahead of sentencing, see's Mo nervously sitting in a prison cell before she is led by two guards to the docks, before interspersing scenes unfold depicting how she got there leading up to the judges verdict. The story opens with the funeral of a local gang member. All shops have been ordered to close by local drug pusher Cormack (Joe Dempsie, Skins), as a "mark of respect", but against the gang's wishes, and repeated pleas from her son (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), hair dressing salon owner Sue refuses to be intimidated and opes for business as normal. As a single gun shot reverberates and one of the mothers discovers their son hiding a gun, both women's lives change forever as repercussions are felt and Jimmy McGovern asks one of the more pointed ethical questions going - how far would you go to protect your loved ones? Que duplicity and heartbreak and what you get is one of the bleakest gang tales you are ever likely to see as no one comes out a winner. McGovern is a master at creating tension, and the plot is held together fabulously by Coleman (Peep Show, Tyrannosaur) and Duff (Nowhere Boy, Is Anybody There?) through a gripping, believable, heart-rending plot that will have you gripped to the end. Watch it now!