Best Interests on BBC
Be it historical or modern, BBC dramas are well-known for tackling important social issues and sparking conversations. One such drama is Best Interests, which aired in June 2023. Starring actors Michael Sheen and Sharon Horgan, the four-part series questions what is in the best interests of a patient’s life if their medical treatments no longer seem to be working. This article discusses the drama’s plot, making, cast, and any relevant news about season two.
BBC drama series Best Interests follows the story of parents Nicci (Sharon Horgan) and Andrew (Michael Sheen), along with their teenage daughters, Katie (Alison Oliver) and Marnie (Niamh Moriarty). Marnie deals with a rare kind of Congenital Muscular Dystrophy. She is described as visiting the hospital throughout her life but still tries to live a happy and peaceful life with her small family.
When her chronic condition suddenly worsens one day, she suffers brain damage and is comatose. Seeing no signs of improvement, the doctors suggest withdrawing her treatment. The parents, however, refuse to comply. They believe there is still some chance of her being better and initiate a legal struggle to save her life.
The show is written by Jack Thorne, winner of the Bafta award for screenwriting in The Fades and Help. It addresses some of the ethical, medical and legal dilemmas in the modern times. The audience experiences the mental and emotional struggle of the parents as they are compelled to make a dreadful choice.
Best Interests is commissioned by Piers Wenger and Charlotte Moore, the director of BBC Drama and the Chief Content Officer. Michael Keillor is the director for all four episodes of the drama. The cinematography of the show is done by David Raedeker.
Episodes were filmed the episodes in the town of Cleeve Hill in Gloucestershire. This is where the family in the show appears to be residing. The courtroom scenes in the drama were filed in London. The drama was filmed in the summer, of 2023.
In terms of production, the production companies involved were, namely,
The short series is being produced by Jenny Frayn and Abi Bach. Sharon Horgan, Michael Sheen, Sophie Gardiner, Toby Bentley, Michael Keillor, Jack Thorne, and Lucy Richer serve as executive producers for the series. The executive in charge of commissioning is Nawfal Faizullah.
The show is not based on a true story. It was inspired by real-life medical cases, but the creators have not confirmed the exact incidents they drew from.
Sharon Horgan (playing Nicci in the show) revealed in her interview with the Guardian how Nicci’s story in the show hit incredibly close to home for her as her daughter had suffered from meningitis when she was young, and this helped her bring her character alive.
Best Interests is a four-part television series. BBC One aired the episodes at 9 p.m. as per the following schedule,
The run-time of all the 4 episodes ranged from 56 to 60 minutes. It was well-reviewed and watched by a consolidated audience of around 2.7 to 3 million per week.
Thorne’s narrative of the show tugs on heartstrings as it navigates the harsh journey of parents grappling with all odds to save their comatose daughter’s life, led by the stellar performances by both Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen. It eventually poses a poignant question: How much control should parents have over their children’s lives?
One can find themes such as the value of life, parental rights and ethics in medicine being interwoven in the drama. It shows the lengths parents would go to for their child.
Series Mania awarded Michael Sheen the ‘Best Actor in International Competition’ award for his role as Andrew(Marnie’s father) in the drama.
Nominations at the TV Choice Awards (2023) included the ‘Best Actor’ category and Best New Drama category.
As of now, in 2024, Best Interests has received a nomination in the Best Limited Series category in the Royal Television Society (RTS) Programme Awards 2024.
With a great response from the audience, the series has sold to a wealth of territories. The production company, Fifth Season, has struck deals with some major companies. Such as
Following the success of the show, Best Interests is now in talks of being renewed soon for a second season. It will portray another complicated medical case that has made its way to court and show a similar dilemma. However, there have been no confirmations or announcement dates from the makers yet.
So, while discussions swirl around its second season, Best Interests is not on air now on the traditional television channel of BBC One. However, it readily remains accessible to UK audiences who are eager to engage with its compelling narrative on BBC iPlayer and Sky Go. You can even download and watch it on Apple TV, Amazon Video, and Sky Store.
Best Interests is not just a television drama but also an exploration of human experience with medical and moral complexities in contemporary times. With great performances from a strong cast and a thought-provoking concept, it is a must-watch for viewers interested in this genre.
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