Save Me Too
Sky Atlantic/now TV, Wednesdays, 9pm
When I previewed Save Me Too the other week, before it arrived on Sky/ NOW TV, I’d only seen the first three of six episodes. Now it’s available in full as a box set (although it’s also airing weekly), I’ve seen the whole thing and I’ve changed my verdict. Before, I thought it was an extraordinarily good sequel to writer/producer/star Lennie James’ pretty damn great first series, built round his character Nelly trying to find his missing teenage daughter. Now, I think it’s nothing short of a masterpiece. The skill with which James juggles his multiple narratives and characters is astonishing. He manages to expand upon the supporting ensemble’s stories while introducing a new complex central thread as Nelly tries to help Grace (Olive Gray – superb), the girl he rescued from a paedophile ring at the end of the first series – all while he continues to search for his daughter Jody. He also brings in the major new character of Jennifer, played by Lesley Manville. She is married to Ade Edmondson’s Gideon, who’s on trial for the sexual exploitation of Grace. The way Nelly’s interactions with Jennifer develop is beautifully modulated. In fact, pretty much every sequence in this series rings true, from the smallest incidental detail to the big, set-piece reveals. Even when key moments rely, to some extent, on coincidence, the ultra-naturalistic performances, authentic dialogue and no-nonsense direction mean we never doubt what’s going on for a second. This is a show that grapples with some of the toughest experiences humans can endure, and does so with the utmost honesty and sensitivity. It’s as powerful as TV drama gets.