BEST INTERESTS - BBC 1 9pm - Mon 12 and Tue 13 and wed after - TV PACE NO SPOILERS

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Awww this will have me in tears

The emotional series tells the story of married couple Nicci and Andrew, whose daughter Marnie has a life-threatening condition.

The doctors believe it is in her best interests to be allowed to die, but Nicci and Andrew disagree, leading to a fight through the legal process as they struggle to contemplate the decision.

The official synopsis for Best Interests says: "This a story of a family driven apart by having to make choices no parent would ever want to make.

Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen play married couple Nicci and Andrew, they have two daughters: Katie played by Alison Oliver and Marnie played by Niamh Moriarty.

"Marnie has a life-threatening condition. The doctors believe it is in her best interests to be allowed to die, but her loving family disagree.

And so begins a fight that will take them through every stage of a legal process, as they struggle to contemplate this huge decision. Who decides? And in whose best interests will it be?"

as usual sure all will be on iPlayer but this will be tv paced

be interesting seeing sharon in a drama /serious role rather than usual comedy /sex roles she plays

I watched it.
I didn’t get the ‘selfish’ bit either as I’m sure the issues weren’t discovered until after birth.
Such an awful situation to be in though, but the parents must’ve known it would come to that conclusion one day, although probably in denial (esp the mum).

Not had time to watch yet , so have avoided reading posts [this one was in my email inbox!]

It was a hard watch. Well acted & interesting to see Horgan is a non comedy role. A lot resonated from working with people with disabilities & receiving a medical diagnosis with a poor prognosis myself. Sad as well to see husband & wife becoming further apart during that first episode.

One thing that I found less convincing is that the actor playing the older sister is in her mid 20’s in real life. I didn’t buy her as a 17 year old although I think she’s a very good actor. But perhaps that’s because I’ve seen her in Conversations with Friends.

i thought it was a good drama, and well acted by all
i am not sure i want to watch it every night.

For recent personal reasons I’m swerving this one.

I think the acting is terrific especially Sharon Horgan, but I found it a really harrowing watch. It was close to home in some ways (elements of similarity in my own family). I was in tears through most of it, I want to see what happens (although I think I can guess), but I'm going to have to think about whether I should watch any more of it.

Although very good acting , I don't think I'll be watching the rest of it , it's just too upsetting .

Sure I replied last night

I thought it was very well done and good to see sharon in a serious drama instead of her usual pissed/sex ones

Yes parents def have diff opinions

I take it mum meets to fight
And dad wants her to die with dignity /no more painful procedures

They found out around 4:6mths when baby was in a carry car seat

Very moving and well acted imo

Not for me! I loved My Sisters Keeper but I'm far too emotional these days for this!

It is really good

It’s a tough watch but the acting is top notch - the writing is good too. I can see it’s kind of based on a number of different real-life cases - there is a Christian group that backs litigation in these scenarios, for example.

I love it - very emotional as you’d expect, but I love that the characters are three dimensional and flawed. The parents aren’t saints just because their daughter is dying.

Brilliant acting but not an easy watch. I did think after first episode that there were echoes of the Archie Battersbee case and now more this episode and then Archie's mum popped up on SM saying the drama will help people understand what parents go through.

Well when things happen in real life it often gets made into a programme or a film doesn't it so I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.

I didn't get what she was on about when she talked about arbitration? She was saying how 'they lied'?

I thought the arbitration reference was about some employment dispute she’d had in the past which, by the sound of it, didn’t go her way. But I think the purpose was to show that she is already suspicious of “the system”, which perhaps explains in part why she’s taking a different stance than her husband and doesn’t trust the doctors.

Oh right I thought it was something about Marnie and the hospital when she was younger but couldn't work out what it meant

I think the father's attitude is far more realistic. Michael Sheen is a great actor, much more subtle and nuanced. To me Sharon Hogan seems more at home in comedy drama roles. There are lots of hints that this is a middle class family, wine bottles in the kitchen, she reads Kate Atkinson and litens to Radio 4 (mentioned a few times). I suppose the message is that thus dilemma could be the same for anyone. Who is the chap the father went to visit, she a step brother?

Half brother I think.
From the conversation they had the same dad but different mum I think.
It was a strange relationship with the brother though

I think it’s his brother who seems to find life difficult. He went to stay with him when he left home.
I watched the first 2 last night. It is upsetting but very well acted. I felt so sorry for the older sister who had to cope alone. Interesting to see that perspective too.
@Blondeshavemorefun I immediately looked for the next episodes on iPlayer but you will be please to hear that they are not up there!

It's very hard on the older sister. I was watching with my kids and they said "oh she's a glass child" I had never heard that expression before means the parents look right through them because they're so focused on their disabled child.

I think it is very well done and really showing how difficult it is for parents in these impossible situations. I would like to think I'd be like the Dad but could easily be the mum who has is desperate to keep her alive and it was so sad when she went to meet the other mum who looks like she regrets trusting the hospital and switching off the machines that must be torture 😭

Love the actor playing George. Lenny Rush from Daisy May Cooper’s AIBU.

I thought this was on for four nights this week, but a quick look at the Radio Times tells me that it is not on again until next Monday. I was very disappointed as the acting and writing are fab.

I loved seeing Lenny in another programme too.

Last nights gave me a tingly nose

Glass child. Perfection description. Esp when they vanished in her musical concert

I do kinda get where rhe dad is going

If this was an animal they would be put down

Pain and suffering

I thought the little Boys mum was fab. Inviting her in. Still being a friend even tho she shunned her

Wasn't he in a comedy about a cat in the drawer and dad shagging about

I couldn't imagine having to make that decision. To kill your child

You would want to do anything

But I also think I would have had the death chat and maybe got their view

Tho Marnie didn't want to die 🥲

My mum was dnr and as we knew it made it easier when she was poorly and in a coma

Please don’t use the term “to kill your child” in relation to parents having to agree to move their child to palliative care or to withdraw care.
Killing your child is something that abusing monsters do to their children!
Agreeing to move your terminally ill child , that you love , cherish and care deeply about, to palliative care should never be described as “killing your child “ !!