MovieChat Forums > Lilies (2007) Discussion > The Guardian's review of final episode

The Guardian's review of final episode

posted 18 years ago by Lola233
8 replies | jump to latest

A bag of stale air to the rescue

Nancy Banks-Smith
Saturday March 3, 2007
The Guardian

Lilies (BBC1)
As Dead Ringers put it, "And now - Lilies! Don't worry, I'll wake you in an hour." There is an uncomfy degree of truth in this, if only because, if you are at home on a Friday evening, chances are you are a pensioner or a labrador.

No one slept in the final episode. Lilies threw everything into the hotpot. May has a difficult breech birth, but is saved by the belated arrival of Dada, who has some obstetric know-how ("Go and fetch a paper bag!") from his work with rabbits. Dada, by the way, is May's father. The baby's father, who done May wrong, makes himself scarce. First, she tries to drown the baby in the river but is found by Frank, the faithful postman, who follows her around like a whipped whippet. Then she tries to give it up for adoption, but is prevented by her sisters, who ride to the rescue in the pork butcher's van.

Lilies is a little something for the ladies. The men, one feels, get pretty short shrift. Dada, who has recently gone to the dogs, takes the pledge. Father Melia, who is in love with Iris, is sent to Ireland to simmer down. May's lover leaves for New York. And the pork butcher, who has communist sympathies, is off to Petrograd. Or "flaming Petrograd", as Ruby puts it when invited to join him.

With so many loose ends, it is clear Lilies hopes for a sequel. Well, it's a pastel period piece. The men, never the women, are given some charmingly lyrical declarations of love, the supporting roles are particularly well played and the detail is diligent. For instance, the family has only one book: Household Universal. The girls use it like a cookery book when May goes into labour. ("Mother Nature is a hard task mistress. If the labour becomes intractable, it may be as well to send for a doctor.") My family had something similar called What to Do Till the Doctor Comes. You realise, sighing, that both books assume the doctor will come.

You will be keen as mustard to know how a paper bag figures in a difficult breech birth. "She's swallowing too much oxygen! She needs to breathe some stale air." If you say so, Dada. Nothing like a bag over the head in a crisis.

(With reviews like this a second series doesn't look very likely)

[–] gaby-41 18 years ago

I dislike Nancy already. Not a very romantic soul, it seems. Apparently Nancy has wild nights out on a friday (assuming labradors or pensioners don't write for The Guardian). She's very hard on Lilies.

Luckily we know better, eh!

[–] garboventures 18 years ago

OK - sod Nancy, (who is wickedly acerbic most of the time - but picked the wrong target here!)

here's David Chater from The TIMES:

LILIES

BBC One, 9pm

“Things don’t always turn out the way we imagine,” says one of the three sisters, and that is as much as can be said about tonight’s final episode without ruining the story. But what a wonderful series this has been. It is such a relief to see a priest portrayed on television who is neither a hypocrite nor a paedophile; to see a family made up of such strong individuals who fight and love each other (and fight some more) in the way that all close families do; to see a young cast inhabit their roles with such conviction, and to have a script that is so fresh and funny and unusual. This was a series in which even the music was a joy; now that it’s over, Friday nights just won’t be the same.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article1458242.ece

So, if it's about reviews, we're evens.
But seriously, I don't think this will be what makes or breaks Lilies' chances for a 2nd series. This is a real test for the BBC - if they go with top quality TV, which ticks all the boxes for the public license fee remit, then Lilies getting commissioned is a no-brainer. If they've become mere second-rate ratings-chasers rather than a public broadcaster, who want to match Celeb Big Brother and the ITV detective series, then Lilies is in trouble, because the ratings simply didn't fly with the show scheduled on the wrong evening, at the wrong time, against tough, tough competition. I mean, who predicted the Jade/Shilpa fuss, which boosted C4 ratings through the roof?? Also Lilies was a bit too gritty and 'strong' for some tastes, wanting to chill out after a week's work. The BBC has mugged its own programme here, scheduling it so poorly and then failing to put any faith in its show through minimal promotion and even zero repeats! What was all that about??

On the plus side, Lilies is not that dear to make - £700k per episode is cheap for period drama - probably too dear to get it onto a digital channel like BBC4, but fine for a Sunday evening family drama slot (where it belongs), or even BBC2.

http://screenstories.blogspot.com

[–] velcronewsletter 18 years ago

between lilies and big brother, i know i'd pick lilies. it can't as unthinkable compared to some of the stuff that goes on in the BB house ;)

------------------------
OOOOH MATRON!

[–] lllRubyRoolll 17 years ago

The promotion was really bad, I felt, seeing as how I had never heard of it until very recently...(thank God for the uploads on youtube!). Normally BBC period dramas are really well promoted, but I just can't understand why it didn't happen this time. Lilies could have bought in, not only those who watch the traditional period dramas, but so many other people, with it's more modern setting and relatable storylines!

[–] linda303 16 years ago

I must agree I did not like the final episode of lilies. Too much action thrown together, and so many loose ends. Did the writers know the series would not be re-newed?

[–] Darthette 16 years ago

There was a lot to take in in the final episode granted, but this series went out with a bang. I was hooked, I've watched it all week even on a friday night may I add, and I'm a vivacious twenty year old female, if i was to take Nancy's advice my peers should be down in the bingo hall and me with them.

I'm devastated that there is no series two.

Time rushes by
Love rushes by
Life rushes by
But the Red Shoes stay on

[–] Perrorist 15 years ago

Just finished watching this on Australian TV and thought it was one of the best dramas in a long time. I can't understand Nancy's review; it's as if she's not followed the previous episodes. A last episode in a series often has a lot of loose ends to tie up.

I hope the BBC gives Heidi Thomas the green light to write another series, or at least another series in a similar vein.

[–] rdavies23 13 years ago

In 2007 I was neither a pensioner nor a labrador, but I did have two very young children and so was usually at home on a Friday night. But...even though I'm an avid period drama fan, I didn't know that this programme existed. I found out about it in 2011 via IMDb's Upstairs Downstairs (original version) board. So, its publicity must have been rather poor when it was aired, because it was definitely the sort of show I'd have picked up on.

I agree that a Sunday night slot would have been better for it (look at the success of Call the Midwife and Lark Rise). Friday night is the night for Coronation Street, Benidorm and quiz shows in my view - good, light stuff after a week at work, that people can have on in the background as they're getting ready to go out or relaxing with a takeaway. People don't want shell-shock and stillbirth on a Friday night.