The Kindness of Strangers

There are certain elements to "The Kindness of Strangers" that betray it's a made-for-television (Granada) production. The direction is pretty pedestrian. The pacing of the story for the first half-hour is a bit sluggish (it aired as a two-parter so it had a time requirement).

It's a familiar set-up: harried professional builders Ellie and Joe Farrelly stumble into birthing twin girls after a random sex romp, then realize quickly it's impacting their everyday life and marriage to the extent that they're beginning to rapidly fray at the edges. Enter The Stranger Fiona Charters (Hermione Norris) a pretty blonde who may or may not be keeping something sinister up her past and her sleeve. She's the friend Ellie never had, the secretary Joe needs at the sites each day, the nanny who's always available and eager to help.

Sounds a bit dull and predictable, right? A bit too "Hand that Rocks the Cradle," maybe? Well, that's what you'd think, and you'd be wrong, mostly due to Kate O'Riorden's firecracker script.

The story is so subtle to start (and the performances by Norris and Julie Graham as Ellie are so brilliant), that you're not really sure you have the story nailed one hour into it. Isn't Ellie supposed to be so much more gullible? Isn't Fiona supposed to be so much more hysterically C-R-A-Z-Y? And look, now they're friends again...but WAIT...!

It's this kind of switching and baiting that makes this outing so much fun to watch. It never feels that over-the-top though it's definitely treading into soap opera-Lifetime Network territory. It's a solid script done well by solid actors and worth a tightened up theatrical remake some day --- but this will do more than adequately in the meantime.

Ellie and Joe welcome twins into the world, at a time when the pair have busy lives, Ellie befriends Fiona, who seems quite literally too good to be true.

The first twenty minutes or so may seem to drag, but looking back, everything is very deliberate, as it develops it just gets better and better.

You begin getting vibes of The Hand that rocks the Cradle, and rightly so, but this is altogether more subtle, it never at any point goes way over the top, the events are entirely plausible.

The lead trio of Graham, Norris and Pearson are excellent, each play their respective parts very well.

Transmitted over two nights, time has been very kind on this drama, it holds up very well, it's still a great story. 8/10.

kindness of strangers was deadly and Sean Verey was amazing and so fit i mean what a hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ha ha!!! well anyway Hermione Norris was amazing too as the intruder and the mad woman (apologies i cant remember her characters name) and portrayed the role very well. it was very well done and i would love to see the two episodes again!!!! i just loved them to bits. i didn't see the start of the first but my friend recommended it and i thank her and it was brilliant and it was a bit scary with the whole building site bit at the end but Sean Verey was amazing and so HOT!!!!!!!!! it was set out great and it was a bit scary that that could actually happen in real life and i think it was good as well that it helps people be more aware that these things are maybe happening all around then and just to be warned. thanks and Sean Verey is amazing and SO gorgeous!!!!!!!!!

Loved this TV show which played in Nov.I enjoy these mystery movies and always look forward to these ladies, Julie Graham and Hermione Norris in whatever program they perform in. I Missed the first episode of this cliff hanger and would love to catch up. When or how can I see it again. Can I buy a copy of this TV Program produced in 2006. None of my friends saw it on the night it was played. I thought one of them may have recorded it but so far no luck. I could quite cheerfully sit through the whole program again.There is no doubt the English have it out on their own when it comes to Drama and they have the knack of casting exactly the right actors for the right parts making for a more genuine performance. Well done.