A winner of 2
BAFTA awards, Our Friends In the North, written by Peter Flannery and directed
by Stuart Urban, Pedr James and Simon Cellan-Jones, was a highly acclaimed
nine-part BBC TV series about the lives and loves of four individuals from
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne between 1963 and 1995. The series also examined sociological
and political changes in England over the thirty year period. The principal
characters were Nicky (Christopher Eccleston), Mary (Gina McKee), Tosker (Mark
Strong) and Geordie (Daniel Craig). Other notable characters were Nicky's
parents, Florrie and Felix (Freda Dowie and Peter Vaughan) and the ruthless
Benny Barratt (Malcolm McDowell).
"Our Friends" was the biggest and most ambitious contemporary serial ever
produced for BBC2. They spent all of their 1996 drama budget on the series. The
eleven hours took forty weeks to film and features a cast of thousands, with 160
speaking parts and 3000 extras.
Supplied as a 3 DVD set, taken from a VHS recording, compared to a retail DVD,
the quality is around 8/10 (Very Good!)
Episodes are as follows;
Our Friends In the North - DVD 1
1964
Nick Hutchinson returns from America, where he has been involved in civil rights
movements, to his parent's home in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. There he catches up with
his girlfriend Mary Soulsby and his best mate Geordie Peacock. Geordie is keen
that Nicky forms a band with him and his friend Tosker Cox. However, Nicky is
more interested in taking part in the run-up to the 1964 General Election,
helping one of his father's old friends, Eddie Wells. Mary tires of Nicky's lack
of attention and becomes involved with Tosker. Geordie meanwhile gets a girl
pregnant and decides to leave Newcastle for London...
1966
Nicky is now working as Austin Donohue's PR man, but is unhappy with his work
duties and Austin's ethics. Mary and Tosker are living in a hastily made tower
block development built by John Edwards, a friend of Austin. Mary is unhappy in
her marriage, whilst Tosker is trying his hand at a music career. Meanwhile in
London, Geordie is working for Benny Barratt, a nightclub manager who also runs
some sex shops. Barratt is having difficulties with the Metropolitan Police...
1967
In Newcastle, Mary and Tosker are having further difficulties with their
marriage and life in the poorly made Willow Lane flats. Whilst Nicky has become
a photographer and started dating a woman called Helen Windsor. In London,
Geordie has become Benny Barratt's right hand man as he expands his nightclub
and porn empire. Benny is involved in various deals with corrupt Met officers to
keep the police off his back. Geordie is also living dangerously as he is
sleeping with Benny's girlfriend Julia...
Our Friends In the North - DVD 2
1970
Tosker visits Geordie in London and is given a loan by Benny. On his return to
Newcastle he buys a shop. Geordie is becoming unhappy working for Benny. Nicky
is also in London where he is living with Helen and their anarchist friends.
They are busy planning some terrorist activities...
1974
Geordie is released from prison having served a four year sentence. He tries to
hunt down Benny but does not succeed in exacting his revenge. Meanwhile Nicky is
back in Newcastle living with his parents. Whilst Tosker's business is becoming
successful but his marriage to Mary is falling apart, especially now she that
she is training to be a lawyer...
1979
Nicky has put himself forward as the Labour candidate in the general election
but he faces tough opposition from Tory candidate Claudia Seabrook (Saskia
Wickham) and her team, who intend Nicky's past actions to catch up with him.
Nicky is living in the Willow Lane flats as is Geordie who has finally returned
to Newcastle. Anthony, Tosker and Mary's son, is displaying behavioural
difficulties whilst Tosker falls for a woman called Elaine...
Our Friends In the North - DVD 3
1984
The miner's strike is in full swing and Anthony (Daniel Casey), who is now a
policeman, is fully involved in the struggle. Felix has started to develop
Alzheimers, whilst Nicky is working as a photographer again. Tosker is now
married to Elaine and his business ventures are doing well. Mary, who is now a
qualified lawyer and Deputy Leader of the council, and Nicky become close
again...
1987
Nicky and Mary are now married and living in Newcastle. However, whilst on a
trip to London, Nicky has a brief affair with a young woman. Whilst there he is
amazed when he bumps into Geordie, who is now living rough on the streets of
London. Felix is admitted to a home. Meanwhile, Tosker and Elaine's lifestyle is
under serious threat when the stock market collapses...
1995
Tosker and Elaine are opening a nightclub boat on the Tyne. When Tosker is
reunited with Geordie, who has escaped from prison, he gives him a job helping
them to set up for the opening night. Nicky and Mary are now long since
separated and the latter has become an MP. When Nicky's mother, Florrie, dies,
the four friends are reunited once again...
