Play for Today review – Channel 5 has turned wildly influential TV drama into banal pantomime

This revival of the classic BBC drama strand is utterly lacking in the innovative spirit of the original. The next Dennis Potter might be out there somewhere … but they certainly aren’t hereFantastic news! Channel 5 has revived the BBC’s wildly influential and much romanticised drama strand Play for Today. Well, it seemed like fantastic news until it became clear that the broadcaster has merely copied the name and necessarily broad premise – a collection of standalone dramas by different, often unestablished, writers and directors – and duly trumpeted a return for the trailblazing television format.Trading on this cherished cultural heritage with no connection to the original is a brazen move. Will the programmes themselves be as audacious? The BBC’s Play for Today, which concluded 41 years ago, had a radical spirit, pushing the boundaries of contemporary taste and confronting the viewer with topics rarely seen on TV at the time. Continue reading...

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