His Queen of Hearts
Channel 4, 9pm
POWERFUL and upsetting, this pandemic-set drama starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham is must-see television.
Set in a fictional care home in Liverpool, the two-hour one-off drama follows the relationship between a young care worker and a patient during desperate times.
Sarah (Comer) is smart but feels she has never fitted in. She unexpectedly finds her calling as a carer at Bright Sky Homes, where she has a special talent for connecting with the residents.
Tony (Graham) is a 47-year-old with early-onset Alzheimer’s, whose illness causes periods of confusion and violent outbursts.
But he builds a real bond with Sarah, who proves to be brilliant at managing him.
This is heartbreaking from the off as the residents struggle with life and Tony regularly tries to escape the home to go back to his ma’s – he’s forgotten that she has died.
Among the care home’s patients are Gloria, played by Sue Johnston, and former English teacher Polly (Cathy Tyson), while Angela Griffin is care assistant Tori and Lesley Sharp makes a brief appearance as Sarah’s mum.
But then March 2020 hits and the stress and panic begins to mount as residents start to become unwell. Sarah and her colleagues fight tirelessly, even though they are ill-equipped, poorly prepared and feel abandoned by the powers that be.
There are harrowing scenes that pack a punch as Covid sweeps through the care home but a first-class cast make it absolutely captivating.
A comment on the care home crisis, this is a thought-provoking and important film that also centres on a beautiful friendship.