Hi - I think it would have had more impact if some of us had never watched Gold Digger. As a plot device I thought it was quite good with each of them in term being interviewed. The young side kick detective didn't get many lines but lots of opportunity to show emotion and reaction in his face.
Why would Stephen Rea's character be taking diazepam. I googled it and it seemed to be for anxiety, alchohol withdrawal, and ? Was he self medicating? If so why.
I dont think Mary was doping him though she did steal his viagra out of spite. And it felt more like given the opportunity she tried to smother him because he was destroying her life, which she lived through the family next door.
I think the stories of the children's various personal disappointments was quite well done (better than Gold Digger) but would have been more of a twist if they had all been glad for their mum to have found someone.
Although she was said to have been so strong and independent, what we saw of her current life made her seem vaguer and less in control. Or maybe realising that what had been her reason for living, the house, the children etc., had gone. And she did have doubts about Mark, but each time one of the children criticised him she seemed to try harder to make him plausible.
And obviously the makers are hoping for a second series.
Maybe they could take a side step and show the whole thing from the point of view of the daughter who it turns out does exist, and she has to try and work out what went on, as Mark will be in some sort of vegitative state that means he cant tell her.
And yet again Mary will bamboozle them all. 