First post in a long time... I just wanted to comment on a little series called Rocketman (UK, 2005). Written by Alison Hume and starring Robson Green, it's the story of a man's quest to build a rocket to send his wife's ashes into space.
British TV is almost exclusively blue collar. It's about families or individuals struggling to make ends meat, keep their families together and survive to fight another day. It's managed to remain local, serialized and grounded for fifty plus years; qualities American TV left in the 90s. Brit TV is also almost invariably about the place where it was made. Community feeds stories. And is often a story's saving grace or dues ex machina. Rocketman is all of those things and more because it's also aspirational. It's about a dream. And it's about letting go.
Robson Green plays George Stevenson a middle-aged widower, engineer extraordinaire, chocolate factory worker and single dad. There were some nice touches for his character. He has trouble reading, which I don't think I've ever seen the male lead protagonist of any story have such a simple problem/disability. It doesn't make him less intelligent, creative or respected ... and he's honest about it. It's kind of awesome. Robson Green gives a wonderful performance.
It was a treat to discover the british Mary Mcdonnel in Janine Wood and Kai Owen aka Rhys (from Torchwood) as another hapless, overweight welshman.
It's a quirky, homespun, family drama that is both heartfelt and engaging. Top shelf writing and directing, with a stellar cast.
Utterly delightful.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/rocketman/
