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Episode Guide
Episode 1 – | Review Score – 2.5/5
Episode 2 – | Review Score – 3/5
Episode 3 – | Review Score – 2.5/5
Channel 4’s BAFTA-winning series championing up-and-coming UK talent returns with 3 new short films, each based around the subject of care and caring.
Surprisingly, considering the overarching theme, the first episode, ‘Wet Look,’ takes a deep dive into the surreal. It tells the story of a young couple named Gwynn (Tanya Reynolds) and Rob (Iwan Rheon) who are experiencing a particular low in their relationship.
That ‘low’ is related to Gwynn, a mermaid who has lost her tail and is now forced to live on the land. While she loves Rob (who is human), she lacks contentment because the absent body part makes her miss the life she used to have.
This first story is an unusual tale but it is relatable. While we’re pretty sure mermaids don’t exist, there are people in this world who feel their lives are incomplete because of their disability. They think the things they used to be able to do – swimming, in Gwynn’s case – are out of their reach because of their physical handicap.
Writer Toby Parker-Rees and director B Welby use mermaid mythology to tell their story about the struggles newly disabled people go through when coming to terms with their life changes. These struggles are partly shared by those caring for them who don’t always know how to best help their loved ones.
‘Wet Look’ is certainly thought-provoking but the resolution of the tale is a little too tidy. Admittedly, this might be due to the short story format which doesn’t allow for more detail and character breadth in the storytelling.
The second story, ‘Letting Go,’ is the best of the three short films. Written by Beru Tessema and directed by Mitch Kalisa, it examines the theme of attachment and (as can be guessed by the title) the difficulty of letting a loved one go.
That ‘loved one’ is a girl named Faith (Luna Mwezi) who is being fostered by Gabe (Anthony Welsh) and Bella (Clare-Hope Ashitey). When Faith’s real mother becomes clean of drugs, she is allowed to spend more time with her. This is something Gabe struggles with as he loves Faith and doesn’t want his relationship with his foster daughter to end.
After Faith spends time with her mom, she becomes distant from Gabe as his attachment to her causes her to feel resentful. Understandably, this makes Gabe’s predicament all the more hard for him, as all he wants to do is show her the care that her mother failed to give in the past.
This story is heartbreaking and will be relatable to anybody who has ever had to say goodbye to somebody they have loved. There’s one particular scene where Gabe breaks down in tears that may have you shedding a tear yourself.
Powerful performances from all the cast members make this a story to remember. It’s a reminder that there are times when we need to let go, as that attachment we feel isn’t always helpful to the person we’re saying goodbye to.
The final short film is ‘The Final Countdown’ by writer Natalie Burt and director Jamie Dougherty. This is another story about letting go, with the focus on Ray (Paul Copley), a septuagenarian, who is unwilling to let go of his wife Dora (Eileen Davies) who has dementia. He pretends that everything is okay in their relationship, which is frustrating for his grandson Terry (Joseph Payne), who has become Dora’s primary caregiver.
After a comical beginning, in which Dora fakes an illness to move a young couple off her favourite park bench, the film skips ahead two years to a time when Dora is no longer able to care for herself.
The tale then takes on a rather sombre tone, with one particularly frightening moment when a confused Dora crosses a railway line and narrowly avoids being hit by an oncoming train. Thankfully, there’s a happy ending of sorts, so the film won’t leave you feeling depressed.
The three films in the new season of On The Edge benefit from excellent direction and talented performances from its cast, some of whom make their acting debut in the series.
The short story format is a tad detrimental to the tales being told as each episode ends with a rushed resolution. That’s not a major criticism, however, as the films in this series are all worth seeing, especially for those who can relate to the experiences of the characters they see on screen.
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Verdict - 7/10
7/10