Broken. Drama starring Anna Friel as a single mum in poverty. BBC1

[HelenaDove]

Starting on the 23rd May. Written by Jimmy McGovern (Cracker Hillsborough. The Street) it also stars Sean Bean as a Catholic priest.

Trailer.

Who was the young blonde woman crying in her bed? Totally confused...

He had a past schmoo 😞

Thanks Dawnedlightly I thought that and wondered if it was one of the girls from his past who he spoke of having hurt and mistreated. I wonder if she'd had an abortion. I as half-watching so will watch again, thanks.

But did everyone think the police were necessarily wrong? I know it was a bad outcome, but it didn't seem as clear cut to me

Seemed very clear to me that they were wrong. The policeman who finally told the truth had the situation in hand and knew Vernon. I thought he was spot on when he said the policewoman had something to prove and felt she couldn't back down once she'd taken out her spray. She never expressed any remorse or questioned whether she did the right thing. I thought the firearms officer's testimony was brilliant. He explained how training takes over and what he was required to do. He didn't know the people involved or what was happening and just did what he was meant to. But he said he was so so sorry. That was reflected in the verdict in that his actions were deemed lawful but hers were not.

Well put, stonecircle.

Is there another series in the offing I wonder?

As the mother of a son who can become scared and upset like Vernon did I found this very difficult to watch but Im glad I did. The outcome at the enquiry was the correct one.

As a lapsed catholic of 40 years I was surprised I could still say the mass along with it being said on TV.

I was crying at the end.

A wonderful drama. Full of the sweet and sour of life. More please.

I cried at the end too

Excellent writing and acting

This was so good = a real treat for the last six weeks.
A bitter sweet ending, but i am glad that he was forgiven in the end and did the right thing by telling the truth. same for the policeman.
Jimmy Mcgovern is one of our finest writers.

I share SB's accent (though mine is milder) so that's not a draw

As someone who grew up in Sheffield (but has now pretty much lost the accent) it baffles me when people talk about Sean Bean's sexy accent

I enjoyed the last episode a lot. Glad he was finally honest with Helen and that she forgave him. It being Sean Bean, I was waiting for him to have a heart attack and die during the race with his brothers, or during the last communion

It was a pleasure to watch from start to finish, one of the best dramas for years, amazing acting and superb scriptwriting. I shall miss Father Michael!

I wish I'd realised they were his brothers. I thought they were just a gang of mates. It's obvious now that they did a night each with their mum.

Roomba, I'm struggling to see why people find him attractive full stop!

I don't find him attractive but I do love him! In this at least...

Sat here crying! Excellent TV bravo to Sean Bean!

I wish I'd realised they were his brothers. I thought they were just a gang of mates. It's obvious now that they did a night each with their mum

I only suspected at the end.

Im happy its been clarified.

Not that it was real or anything

I did miss the first 5 minutes of the last episode but am unclear as to his issue with his mum.

I am one of the most unsentimental people I know, and even I felt moved by that ending. I think perhaps it was the contrast with all the misery that had gone before.

Boswellox I think that when he was a child, his mum had undiagnosed mental health problems (she mentioned her 'nerves') and was also grieving after a pregnancy loss.

I am also very unsentimental but omg the last scene was so powerful, I was in bits. Though he needs more practice with a thurible.

Loved it. The last scene was very moving. If I was catholic I'd want him as my priest!!!

He said about second episode at the pub we all need to do a night each (presume Daughter did 3 nights).
Shame we didn't work out exactly his flash backs at home. Or why never reported the priest abuser at school.

I thought the actor who played Vernon's mother was wonderful.

Watched the last episode tonight. Wonderful. Perfect ending. I don't think there'll be any more though, will there?

Loved this and feel sad it's over, can't see there being another one given the ending. It was a slow burner for me, thought it would be too depressing. I generally don't enjoy things that SB is in and I find Anna Friel annoying ...but loved how complex SB's character was he was just so believable in that role and I really liked the scene with him racing his brothers down the street in the rain, so joyous.

It was all well done, wasn't it?

At the inquest, when the woman police officer said that if they weren't at Vernon's inquest she knew that they would be at his mums, I'm surprised that nothing was said.

What a stupid, insensitive thing to say-apart from the fact that she couldn't possibly know that!

Perhaps that was the turning point against her.

It is so odd though isn't it that it was lawful to fire at him, but his death was unlawful.

Of course from our POV, he was a frightened, confused kid stumbling about unable to see-he could have been disarmed easily.