Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3/5
In the 1971 Hindi film Anand, there’s a famous dialogue that says, “Relationships, my friend, are not made of blood, but of the heart.” This line resonates with the 2024 release of the BBC series, The Way. The three-part series marks the directorial debut of Michael Sheen, with each episode spanning 59 minutes in runtime.
The Way chronicles the story of a dysfunctional family from Wales. The series begins with an industrial labor movement and strike in Port Talbot, a town near Swansea, Wales. The Driscoll family, who are dysfunctional, is trying to navigate the anti-Welsh conflict and the riots plaguing the town. Denny Driscoll, Geoff Driscoll, and Owen Driscoll represent three generations of the family.
Geoff has a strained relationship with his wife, Dee Driscoll, while Owen’s bond with his older sister, Thea, is also strained. As for Thea, she is married and has a four-year-old son. Each family member has their own reasons for wanting to leave Port Talbot, aside from the riots. Despite this, the Driscoll family finds themselves on the Most Wanted list of the Welsh governing body.
Now, each family member must not only contend with each other but also with the police and the chaos of the riots. What is their fate, and what led them to become the most wanted family in Wales despite the industrial unrest in Port Talbot? To find out, you’ll have to watch the series. The series is watchable owing to its realistic portrayal of the riots, character design, and thematic exploration, along with decent technical support.
Let’s start with the thematic exploration. There’s a scene in a refugee camp where everyone is willing to sacrifice Owen to save themselves. This scene shows how people tend to think only of themselves, leading to humanity’s defeat by inner evil. Here, negative powers, or rather, the system, use the divisive tactic of “divide and rule” to overcome such situations.
In this instance, Dan tells his wife, Thea, not to worry about the Driscolls, as he and their son are now her only family. The selfish and self-centered behavior of humans in a crisis situation makes the series more realistic. The show also offers a strong commentary on the portrayal of evil committed by the police in the name of law. In one instance, someone throws a pipe at the police, and they replace it with a Molotov cocktail to frame him as the main culprit behind the riot.
Framing someone to resolve a situation is not a new accusation against law enforcement, and screenwriter James Graham subtly incorporates this theme into the storyline. During their journey to England, Thea becomes angry with her father, Geoff. She expresses that fleeing to escape a dangerous situation as fugitives to protect their own family is not uncommon.
This theme resonates worldwide, as they later encounter refugees in the coastal area of the country. The monologue by Thea to her family and the portrayal of refugee camps and their surroundings serve as a reminder of political conflicts worldwide. The industrial revolt depicted in the series may also bring to mind popular revolts throughout history.
The creators of the show have done an excellent job fleshing out the dysfunctional family. Thea, in particular, is portrayed as fighting against all odds for her family.
The relationship between the three generations of Driscolls—Denny, Geoff, and Owen—is the most important aspect of the show. Denny is seen as a true leader to the people of Wales, whereas Geoff is quite different and constantly tries not to resemble his father. Geoff often has visions of his father whenever he is pretending to be someone else.
He carries a part of his father in his mind, with whom he contends in every difficult phase of his life, and when the issue is resolved, the visions fade away. In addition to his father, Owen also struggles with serious mental illness and takes medication for it. Owen also experiences visions about unknown things at times. The visions or hallucinations (call it what you like) are significant to the plotline, so you need to pay extra attention.
A full-fledged character arc is evident in the series, as both father and son start off confused and aimless. By the end, both Geoff and Owen find purpose in their lives. They try to distance themselves from certain traits of their father without realizing they have inherited them.
Alongside the development of the dysfunctional family, the character arcs of the last two generations are heartwarming. Aside from the strong character development, the series also benefits from solid technical support in cinematography, sound, and editing. The cinematography includes notable shots such as the thunder shot, the evening scene, and the overall portrayal of the town. In the riot scene, the use of camera placement, such as in a police helmet or riot shield, adds to the intensity.
‘The Walk’ and ‘The Wait,’ the last two episodes, are engaging throughout. They feature strong character development and emotional depth, which adds to the overall quality of the series. However, the lack of engagement in the first episode, ‘The War,’ is a major setback. While the performers do their best to salvage the episode, the build-up needed improvement in the screenwriting.
In terms of performances, all of the actors deliver solid performances and portray their characters convincingly. Steffan Rhodri as Geoff Driscoll and Sophie Melville as Thea are particularly noteworthy. Additionally, the actor who portrayed a mentally ill character in the series deserves special mention for their convincing portrayal.
If you’re after a decent drama to watch this weekend, The Way is well worth checking out.
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Verdict - 7/10
7/10