DRAMA
GENRE REPORT
highest average completion of UK scripted shows at 82.1% over the past two years, compared with BBC One at 77.6%, according to recent Enders Analysis figures. The same report made good reading for Sky,
which orders 6-8 scripted shows per year, finding that Chernobyl was the drama series that British viewers were most likely to watch to the end. Meanwhile, Channel 5 has pushed into scripted
“WE ALL NEED THE
FIREWORKS IN THE
DARKNESS,
AND A BIT OF HOPE AND JOY"
WILLOW GRYLLS, NEW PICTURES
in a meaningful way, buoyed by the success of its revival of vet saga All Creatures Great and Small which launched with 5m viewers – making it the broadcaster’s second biggest homegrown programme ever, behind Celebrity Big Brother. The BBC, meanwhile, has been home to two
of the year’s most talked about dramas, youth skewing Normal People and I May Destroy You. Younger viewers are an important focus for new director general Tim Davie, to counter streamers such as Netflix, and he has indicated that drama will benefit as the corporation seeks to have “more impact by making less.” Steve McQueen’s upcoming Small Axe trilogy will likely make a big impact, while highlighting the BBC’s efforts to improve the diversity of its output. The streamers, meanwhile, buoyed by their
success during the Covid-19 pandemic, are continuing to invest heavily in UK produced content. Netflix pledged to spend $500m (£400m) on new British content in 2020, in an attempt to build on the success of series including The Crown, Black Mirror and Sex Education. Recent UK greenlights include Harlan Coben’s Stay Close from Red Productions, following in the footsteps of Coben’s The Stranger and Safe. Amazon, meanwhile, is after “high impact
shows that can really resonate with UK viewers,” says Lewsley. Amazon Studios US is a co-producer on Small Axe, while the streamer’s upcoming slate includes The Power from Sister and Wild Mercury produced thriller The Rig, set on a Scottish oil rig. Roanna Benn says that “really bold” ideas are
getting greenlit by broadcasters and streamers in a bid to stand out, while acknowledging that global, ambitious shows that have done well are now the hardest to make because of international travel restrictions. Benn also acknowledges that cosy and retro series like All Creatures Great and Small have caught the eye of the industry following its success on Channel 5.
SOFT FOCUS Willow Grylls at New Pictures, meanwhile, worries that a turbulent 2020 has prompted the industry to become slightly more risk averse in its commissioning. Rather than championing singular voices, “it feels like we are moving back towards the need for more highly packaged content – in
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televisual.com Winter 2020
the short term, those are the shows that are gaining traction.” These kinds of shows boast high end talent in front of and behind the camera – and have become increasingly prevalent in a bid to win viewers around the world. At a time of lockdowns and hardship for
many, a need for fun and glamour is also cited. In unscripted, warm family shows like Bake Off and Goggle Box have enjoyed buoyant ratings, while Netflix series like Below Deck and Selling Sunset have proved surprise lockdown hits. “The world outside is looking pretty frightening
now – I think we all need transporting,” says Grylls. “We all need the fireworks in the darkness, and a bit of hope and joy. It doesn’t mean you can only make saccharine or wholly nostalgic material either – the best versions of that are able to harness that common humanity in all its light and shade.”
DIVERSE VOICES Grylls also notes that Covid-19 has “given everyone an opportunity to reflect on the things that are important in society – how we want to live in the world, and the kinds of stories we want to tell.” As such, one of the big focuses for drama
producers like New Pictures is diversity. “The levels of systemic racism in our society have gone on for far too long.” Grylls speaks for many when she cites the need to improve representation both in terms of authorship of stories, and of crews, talent and commissioners. “Within New Pictures, we are deeply serious about this. As a company, we spend a lot of time talking and engaging with ways in which we can contribute to real change.” New Pictures, she adds, is working with writing talent such as Candice Carty-Williams and Lauren Sequeira. Roanna Benn adds that “diversity is at the
forefront of our minds. It’s not about box ticking – it’s about really wanting to tell stories from different perspectives now.” Drama Republic, for example, is working with black writer Sara Collins on the adaptation of her book The Confessions of Frannie Langton for ITV. For many in the TV industry, the critically
acclaimed Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You was akin to a wake up call, showing a relatable world but unlike one seen on UK TV before. As the industry moves into 2021, the focus on
diversity will inform much of new drama work, backed by initiatives from broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV. Covid-19, of course, will remain the biggest single issue that producers will face during the year. Says Simon Heath: “With a vaccine potentially coming, and we move through a second wave and cases start falling, and the weather improves into Spring, there are all kinds of things to be optimistic about.”
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