Best Interests

A great but sad story brilliantly written and executed. Excellent performances from Sheen and Horgan as would be expected but surprisingly surpassed by the two more junior starlets, Alison Oliver and Niamh Moriarty. Looking forward to the concluding episodes, it has me hooked from the start and is highly recommended.

The story and characters jump off the screen at you from the first scene with the parents on a short respite break which shows their humanity and close relationship but we are quickly dragged into a world where the couples relationship will be tested to the full. Katie, played excellently by Alison Oliver, is the older sister of Marnie, played superbly by Niamh Moriarty, and her own life struggling with teenage years and the lack of attention and normality from her parents who have to spend so much time on the medical needs of critically ill Marnie is an absorbing subplot.

The drama shines a bright light on the real life struggles of a family, a medical team and their contacts struggling with an impossibly difficult question to which there is no right answer. Excellent writing, directing and editing shine through, highly recommended.

Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen play the parents of a child who, after a lifetime of illness is on life support in the hospital and have a massive disagreement as to how her future should be managed.

Jack Thorne wrote it and as always, he capturers the emotions and anguish of the conflicted parents in all its pain and desperation.

I admit to crying many times, wondering how I would react to such a life changing challenge as in what they are faced with.

The couple are torn apart as their older daughter handles the while situation in a dangerous way herself, with her unknowing parents caught up in their younger daughter's precarious health.

Riveting film, brilliantly acted.

Recommend.

8/10.

I enjoyed Best Interests, similar in storyline to The Children Act. Thought provoking, emotional, hard to watch at times, but being the BBC, it has to include every minority in a small community which makes it a bit ridiculous. The father is realistic, and likeable but the mother is the irrational and blind sided parent who is convinced everyone is out to kill her daughter, not considering her "best interests".

It really opens your eyes to the challenges faced by families with a terminally ill child. There really is never any break or respite and puts massive strain on all the family relationships.

Michael Sheen is TREMENDOUS.

Parents Nicci and Andrew face a huge decision, when Doctors suggest removing treatment from their seriously ill daughter, claiming that she's suffering as a result of being kept alive.

I'll start by saying this is a very tough watch, if you or a loved one is in a similar position to anyone here, this may prove to be an uncomfortable watch, as it does deal with an incredibly sad and sensitive issue.

This is The BBC at its best, this is an outstanding drama, I've said many times that drama works when it makes you think, question and feel, this show prompted several passionate discussions at work, all of us had different opinions.

It's evenly paced, sincere and perfectly believable, a scenario I'm sure a number of families have found themselves in. This takes on a real journey, you see the family experience from start to finish. All sorts of moral questions are raised.

The acting is off the scale, Sharon Horgan, I'm so used to seeing her in comedy, but wow she showa just how good she is. Alison and Noma Dumezweni are both first rate too.

Michael Sheen, I am certain he will pick up an award for this, it's hard not to watch and know that he's adding a touch of greatness, I have no doubt at all that one day he will be regarded as one of the best actors on the planet, it's a captivating performance as Andrew.

Brilliant drama.

9/10.

I'm a single guy with no kids so there's no way I could ever truly empathise with these parents.

What I can comment on though is how incredibly well the core characters have been crafted, warts and all. I found myself swinging from loathing Sharon Horgan's character to rooting for her and her unrelenting quest. She is not a martyr though. She is flawed - like all of us - and her character can be so polarising at times. However, at the core is a truly brilliant performance. Michael Sheen is great as always and T'nia Miller (uncredited???) continues to show her brilliant acting chops. I'm obsessed with her charismatic performances.

What I loved most about this limited series is the fact that sometimes we, as the audience, are not meant to view in black and white but instead feel squeamish, sympathise,, hurt deep in the gut, be angered and unsettled, take sides, lose faith in those sides, reposition our own compass and, at the end, leave with soulful wonderings after the credits roll. This is what top class storytelling is all about.

It's not a 10 for me but damn, this is fine viewing.