Blood Strangers

Last updated

Blood Strangers
Genre Crime drama
Written by Gwyneth Hughes
Directed byJon Jones
Starring Caroline Quentin
Paul McGann
Siobhan Finneran
Sheridan Smith
David Crellin
Ray Panthaki
Daine McCormick
Rita May
ComposerDario Marianelli
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes2 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerHugh Warren
ProducersSaurabh Kakkar
Anne Pivcevic
CinematographyIan Liggett
EditorNick Arthurs
Running time90 minutes
Production company Granada Television
Original release
Network ITV
Release3 February (2002-02-03) 
4 February 2002 (2002-02-04)

Blood Strangers is a two-part British television crime drama, written by Gwyneth Hughes and directed by Jon Jones, that broadcast across two consecutive nights in February 2002 on ITV. The series was commissioned in January 2001, as one of two new projects to star Caroline Quentin, with the other, Hot Money, broadcasting in December 2001. Nick Elliott, then controller of drama at ITV, described Quentin as being "...very good at playing very ordinary women." [1] The series was described by ITV as "an emotionally charged two-part thriller that looks at the devastating effect of teenage prostitution on two respectable British families." [2] Paul McGann, Sheridan Smith, David Crellin and Ray Panthaki are also credited as principal members of the cast.

Contents

More than nine million viewers tuned in for both episodes. [3] The Guardian described the series' success as "ITV's respite from the ratings doldrums." [4] The series was nominated for a PRIX Italia television award in 2002. [5] Quentin commented of her role as Lin Beresford; "It's a strange feeling when you wake up and know you're going to spend the whole day grieving. Every morning I'd be thinking, `Oh no, I have to grieve all over again'. But I was determined to do it and all the tears you see are real. They're all mine. I've got quite a good emotional imagination, but having a daughter of my own made it easier to tap into that sorrow. All I had to do was imagine that the child lying dead on the hospital bed was my own and you're away. I can't imagine anything more awful than losing a child, I really can't." [6]

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
1"Episode 1"Jon JonesGwyneth Hughes3 February 2002 (2002-02-03)9.43 [7]
2"Episode 2"Jon JonesGwyneth Hughes4 February 2002 (2002-02-04)9.68
Zafar is arrested on suspicion of murder, while Lin continues to undertake her own enquiries into Emma's death. She tracks down another prostitute, Jas Dyson (Sheridan Smith), who was also pimped by Zafar and believes that he loves her, even though he is violent toward her. Lin tries to help Jas, but she insists on going back to Zafar. Lin forms an emotional attachment to Paul, prompting Nick to believe that they are having an inappropriate relationship, while his superior officer warns that he will be suspended if he continues to see her. The police are eventually forced to release Zafar for lack of evidence, but Lin eventually finds out the truth about what happened to Emma when Jas reveals the truth about the night of her death.

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References

  1. Hodgson, Jessica (11 January 2001). "More ITV drama for Quentin". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  2. "ITV Studios - Blood Strangers". itvstudios.com.
  3. Plunkett, John (13 November 2002). "Quentin to star in ITV detective drama". the Guardian.
  4. Deans, Jason (5 February 2002). "TV ratings: February 4". the Guardian.
  5. "Blood Strangers". TV.com.
  6. "HOW CAROLINE COPED WITH LOSING A CHILD; Caroline Quentin talks about her role as a grieving mum in Blood Strangers which became tragically real. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com.
  7. "Weekly top 30 programmes - BARB". www.barb.co.uk.