Mr Swainey

I really loved how they wrote and developed Mr Swainey’s character. His extreme chirpiness and politeness could often be funny as it was often so overbearing and got on Victor’s nerve. But he wasn't a Boy Scout stereotype and despite his kind, caring and compassionate nature, there was actually hints that he wasn't as cheerful or happy as he often behaved, and in fact, he may have even been miserable and depressed, maybe even so much as Victor. And despite his genuine good intentions, nothing ever good actually happens to him.

In the episode The Exterminating Angel when he meets Tania the nurse and is infatuated with her, he hesitates to ask her out as he believes she’s “way out of his league” and doesn't think he is good enough for her. Margaret tells him she was dying for him to ask her out to which he very solemnly says “I’d love to believe that Mrs Meldrew but life’s never that wonderful is it?” and then he quickly decides to leave to avoid pursuing the discussion. I found it fascinating that Mr Swainey would say something as unequivocal as “Life’s never that wonderful”. Nonetheless he does ask her out and when he tells Margaret later she still encourages him. But then she finds out that Tania is actually going out with Lewis Atterbury and so has to tell Nick the unfortunate news. When she does tell him, Nick is clearly disappointed but noticeably not surprised. And so ruefully Margaret has to concede that’s he was right and that “life’s never that wonderful”.

What was probably most sad for Nick here was that unlike in films or a lot of other sitcoms for that matter, another nurse would come in take over from Tania and Nick would again be infatuated with her only this time she would agree and then become his girlfriend. But here Nick is given a sad (and arguably, more realistic) ending.It’s also made even more sad by the fact that when he receives his sad news he goes off to do something selfless for charity.

Nick’s depression is again brought to the surface in “The Dawn of man” after Margaret gives him the copy of a video tape featuring a famous American reporter Skip Hoberman who looks just like him. This only exacerbates Nick’s depression. This leads to one of my favourite scenes throughout the entire show’s series and it’s not even a comical one.

When Nick and Margaret are in his car and she confronts him and about his sad behaviour, he confesses to her that he feels worthless, for only doing charity work and feels embarrassed for living with his mother, Margaret tries to cheer him up by telling him what a kind and gentle man he is and that she likes him. But it still isn’t enough and eventually Nick mentions that he’s lonely. Margaret herself looks saddened by this admission, but importantly, she doesn't say anything and the scene is interrupted by Victor being assaulted, so she and Nick have to rescue him.

Margaret doesn't say anything to him because there’s nothing to say. There is nothing she can do. Nick is upset and depressed by the circumstances with his life and although Margaret is one of his closest friends, there is nothing she can do. I love this because like the ending for Nick in The Exterminating Angel it was painfully realistic and further illustrated how even kind, caring people like Nick can become saddened and depressed, not just grumpy, irascible people like Victor.

So in the end, nothing good ever happened to Nick. He had bad luck with women and his mother died and it appears he was going to die alone, something which he strongly predicted. The only comfort he has is knowing that a famous, daring reporter who looked like him died whilst on his exciting career so maybe it's better not so great embarking on a more exciting, adventurous career. But I'm sure this would be scarce comfort to him, and certainly not satisfying in the long run.

Victor, for all his misfortunes, did at least have Margaret, who loved him and stood by him. As evidenced in the episode “Endgame” when Victor thinks Margaret is going to die, you could tell from the look on his face that there is nothing worse that could ever have happened to him, all his previous bad luck and misfortune meant nothing compared to losing Margaret. Luckily for Victor, she pulled through. Despite Victor’s horrible death, he at least got to go before losing Margaret which I do think Victor may have preferred.

Whereas at the end, Nick had No one. I think in a way, you could even argue he had more bad luck than Victor.

Crop Rotation in the 14th century was considerably more widespread after John.