The Lakes 2 (DVD)

The Lakes series one (see previous review) received critical acclaim as a programme; it was gritty, entertaining and showed a deeper and edgier insight into a destination many regarded as being serene and community like.

Yet, with series two of the BBC1 drama, it was clear that changes needed to be made in order to keep audiences interested. With the integration of new characters and a whole host of new storylines, it would be easy ...
...straying too far away from the formula that made it so highly acclaimed in the first place.

EVOLUTION OF THE PROGRAMME FROM SERIES ONE
The end of the first series saw protagonist Danny Kavanagh, played triumphantly well by John Simm, battling against his conscious in a contest between life and death. It was a good cliff hanger ending but, as far as the viewer in me was concerned, if you'd known that there was indeed to be a ... more

The Lakes series one (see previous review) received critical acclaim as a programme; it was gritty, entertaining and showed a deeper and edgier insight into a destination many regarded as being serene and community like.

Yet, with series two of the BBC1 drama, it was clear that changes needed to be made in order to keep audiences interested. With the integration of new characters and a whole host of new storylines, it would be easy to say that the programme was kept fresh and exciting, without straying too far away from the formula that made it so highly acclaimed in the first place.

EVOLUTION OF THE PROGRAMME FROM SERIES ONE
The end of the first series saw protagonist Danny Kavanagh, played triumphantly well by John Simm, battling against his conscious in a contest between life and death. It was a good cliff hanger ending but, as far as the viewer in me was concerned, if you'd known that there was indeed to be a second series, then it was pretty obvious that the central character wasn't about to be killed off with a few seconds to go.

One of the more serious changes to the programming was indeed how dramatically darker the storylines got. Whilst the first series was very much a higher profile soap opera, with much better acting and subplots, I felt that the series really came into its own in series two, venturing to a deeper level of drama that it many ways was very psychological in its subconscious presentation.

However, whilst there was the introduction of many new plotlines, some of the existing stories from series one were carried over and concluded into series two. Due to the fact that the writers had manage to produce a high quality set of storylines and characters in the first offering, even if you were a new viewer, to me it would be very easy to get the jist of exactly what is going on as well as the personalities on screen.

CHARACTERS NEW AND OLD
The bulk of the first series had its plot cantered around the character of Danny and his struggle for acceptance in a new and unfamiliar place with an already very tight community. However, whilst Simm's character is still an integral part of the show and does hold together many of the storylines, there are some within the second series that he is very detached from.

The most memorable of these is the character of John Fisher, the local school's former headmaster. He faces many moral dilemmas in the first series, many of which are incorporated and expanded on in series two. I do find his character to be the most fascinating out of all of them; you really do get a sense of his madness on this DVD set, even more so than on the first and I think that the combination of Kevin Doyle's fantastic acting and suburb storyline do make this part of the series unpredictable and intriguing.

After a rather sick mishap with his wife, Simone, his Sister-in-Law, Beverly appears on the scene, producing some rather peculiar and interesting sub-plots and occurrences. She was played believably well by Annabelle Apsion, most notable for her role as Monica Gallagher in Shameless and, as she worked against Doyle's, I felt that the two of them made for interesting viewing as I was kept guessing right up until the last episode what was going to happen and even then, to a degree, it is kept rather open.

Another trio of characters included in series two, I felt failed to make as much impact as they probably should have done. The personalities of Dr. Sarah and Charles Kilbride, complete with an extremely cute son, came into the series as a seemingly normal, average family. But Sarah held a dark secret, one that was exposed by Jo Spiers, the new school teacher. To be fair, this one was a bit predictable and was definitely the weakest plot of the entire series although there were a few good exchanges during the course of this series.

Many of the existing characters did progress nicely throughout series two because of the use of challenging morals through the storylines. Most notably of these is Father Matthew (Robert Pugh) and Bernie Quinlan (Mary Jo Randle) who already find themselves in a rather compromising situation towards the end of series one. This is dramatically concluded by the end of the show and really does question many ethics that may seem mandatory in modern day society but arguably wouldn't be the case in such a sleepy place such as the Lake District beforehand.

Lucy Archer's comeuppance is not as sweet as many viewers may originally want it to be. In fact, it is really quite disturbing, probably through Kaye Wragg's effortlessly good performance. The scenes that she later played alongside John Simm were very intense and really brought out the 'friend in need' side of the situation to light. I really thought that these two characters ending the series was vastly poignant; they'd arguably been the centre of much of the controversy throughout both series one and two and I personally found it to be a very satisfying ending when it did happen.

Many of the minor characters do get more of a mention throughout the episodes on series two than they did on series one. The Chef's (Charles Dale) just deserts prove to be very sweet by the end of the show but he is the centre of much of the black comedy, a focus adopted much more heavily in this series than in the first. This is also evident from many scenes involving the Archer family, with Mum and Dad, Doreen (Elizabeth Bennett) and Cecil (Nicholas Day) who find themselves under much scrutiny from many of the residences because of their daughter's so-called fantasist games.

I would say that the use of many characters as opposed to using Danny to drive the majority of the programme was a wise move by the producers; the diversity of the new characters refreshed some of the previous personalities in the show and arguably made them more interesting. However, some of the plots, particularly with the Kilbride's were one of the most forgettable in the series.

However, I thought the evolution of the characters from the first series was very convincing and well scripted, bringing many to life who had previously been a bit dormant. Emma Quinlan, Danny's suffering wife, really came into her own as a stronger character I felt and made a lot of vital contributions to many plots, despite not having one specifically designed for her.

Some of the hotels kitchen staff - other than the Chef - do also come into their own in series two; Marshall Lancaster as Ged Hodgson portrayed a very believable bad guy and I was very impressed with his performance considering it was one of his earliest roles and I'd only ever seen him in Life on Mars before. Matt Bardock is also good in a comical way as the push over Albie who gets placed in a rather precarious situation in series two.

Over all, each of the characters are necessary in series two; because of the longer length and array of plots than it was vital to create a strong assortment of personalities to reinforce this as well as compliment them effectively.

EPISODE GUIDE (Warning: May contain a few spoilers!)
Series two boasts 10 episodes, six more than series one but because each episode lasts roughly 40 minutes long, that amount is definitely needed as the previous series had episodes running for just under an hour.

Also, due to the much shorter episodes, many of the sub-plots ran into the next few episodes. A crafty but good technique by the writers Jimmy McGovern ('Cracker', 'The Street'), Joe Ainsworth, Julie Rutterford ('Life on Mars', 'Hustle') and William Gaminara ('Ella and the Mothers') are the undeniably gritty cliff hangers which helped make 'The Lakes' an essential part of their résumé's, no doubt.

Episode 1:
Picking up where the last series left off, the viewer returns to Danny who's feeling rather sorry for himself. After another row with the missus, over his lack of 'bread winning' power and gambling habits, the division of life and death has never been more blurred for the young man from Liverpool. Elsewhere, the madness of John Fisher begins to become more apparent but where does his wife, Simone, fit into all of this?

Marks out of 10: 8 - a great way to get back into the programmes basic plots and themes. I did think that Simm's acting here held the bulk of the plot together and that the storyline with the Fishers began in a very emotional and striking way to kick start the series once again.

Episode 2:
The great thing about episode one of the second series was the Fisher plot; it really left the audience guessing, at least in my opinion, which was it was to be heading in next. Well, things certainly got a lot more interesting here as John must find a way to rid himself of his wife. But when his Sister-In-Law Beverly turns up out of the blue, things don't appear to be as black and white as they originally might be. Also, Bernie and Father Matthew's friendship sets to become overbearingly close but will it be passionate or self destructive?

Marks out of 10: 8 - again, another high energy episode with Fisher's predicament being the reason why the edge of my seat began to wear away...

Episode 3:
As John finds it hard to keep his cool and remain inconspicuous, Beverly begins to suspect something is the matter but doesn't seem overly distraught. Meanwhile, Danny tries desperately hard to be a good Father to his baby girl but he can't help but notice how distracted Mother-In-Law Bernie appears to be. Old flames are re-ignited by new teacher Jo and Dr. Sarah as she visits the school to help a fitting child but is their connection not mutual?

Marks out of 10: 7.5 - the storyline between Bernie and Matthew I think ruins this episode as it seems to be moving at an incredibly slow pace that shouldn't justify their supposedly intense feelings for one another.

Episode 4:
Tension has been building for a while between Lucy and many of her hotel owner parent's kitchen staff. However, has her big mouth and bitchy attitude finally got her into more trouble than she could ever handle? As Jo has a proposition for the resident Doctor, it seems as if the lucrative but mysterious Lake becomes another integral part of the storyline...

Marks out of 10: 8.5 - Lucy Archer's character here became very bitter sweet in many ways; although many viewers may still resent her treatment of protagonist Danny from series one, her dilemma becomes incontestably worse and only continues to do so in the coming episodes. The build up here was good and really changed my attitudes towards the character.

Episode 5:
As Danny and Lucy's lives once again elope in the most unpleasant of terms, both characters test their own ethics and understanding of one another. Bernie, meanwhile, is still having a tough time with her overactive conscience with her Son-In-Law looking to make things even worse for the disgruntled housewife. But how is her husband, Peter, feeling about her constant lack of affection?

Marks out of 10: 8.5 - an integral episode in the series. I'm glad that they didn't portray Lucy to be the typical damsel in distress as it really wouldn't have suited her previous actions and personality. Wragg's performance here was spot on.

Episode 6:
As the Police begin to suspect that Simone Fisher's disappearance is permanent, they focus their attentions on the Lake. But will they find anything? Elsewhere, Bernie is shocked at her own discovery, making the burden of guilt that she is already feeling almost unbearable. Danny has his own revelation for a desperate Lucy but will their previous mishap with one another shape the circumstances they are both faced with?

Marks out of 10: 8.5 - the tension is bubbling with all of the storylines during this episode. Alas, it isn't one of the most memorable instalments of the whole series.

Episode 7:
Animosity is the central theme of this chapter, with some of it resulting in near catastrophe for many of the characters. Danny's agreement with Lucy puts strain on his In-Laws, with even his wife beginning to question their love and subsequently dull marriage. The news of her discovery threatens to destroy Father Matthew, but what is Bernie's plan of action? As old feuds come to a head, John Fisher risks his life and that of another as he ventures out onto the Lake on a rather uneasy looking boat ride. But is history due to repeat itself?

Marks out of 10: 9.5 - fantastic! This one, in many ways, should have been the final episode as it was more stunning and theatrical than most editions of the show. Superb.

Episode 8:
The truth is something many characters are faced with in this episode, with some handling it better than others. Bernie and Matthew seek advice from a higher authority who recommends a very bitter pill than neither can swallow. John's case becomes even more baffling for the Police who are trying to uncover the reasons for his madness as Danny and Lucy's passion for one another bursts.

Marks out of 10: 8.5 - after such a strong chapter like episode 7, I wasn't expecting this one to be quite as good. However, it did start to wrap things up nicely, doing what needed to be done to make sure conclusions were met by the end of the second series.

Episode 9:
It's the day of the big court case as Lucy prepares to fight for her rights, without the backing of her parents who are at the end of their tether with their wayward daughter. Danny's nerve is tested in a big way with the eyes of the whole community glaring at him in light of Lucy's remarkable evidence. But will he crack? Knowledge of Bernie and Father Matthew's relationship is revealed to a dumbstruck Peter who can't help but be vengeful.

Marks out of 10: 8.5 - this episode definitely has many 'will they, won't they?' moments included, which made it even more difficult to try and fathom out an ending beforehand. Peter's reaction to his wife's affair was very well portrayed without being too over the top and was very in character.

Episode 10:
In the fourteenth and final episode of the two series drama, Bernie must come to a resolution but will husband Peter stand by her? Emma makes a life changing decision as a result of Danny's reckless behaviour. Finally, the Chef, who has been recovering all series from his previous car crash, is put in a rather precarious position, as promised by his 'faithful' wife

Marks out of 10: 8 - in some ways, it was a good ending as it tied many loose ends up. However, it failed to be completely satisfying as it wasn't made clear exactly what was to become of John Fisher. In the end, it did feel a little rushed and it needn't have been because - for the most part - the programme had gone at a rather slow pace, particularly after the first ever episode.

DVD - EASE OF USE
Like the first series box set, it's very easy to use and navigate through the two disks. There are six images once again for each episode that act as the chapter selection.

One thing that is perhaps mentioning here is that whilst you are apparently meant to just be able to play the episode from the very beginning, I have sometimes had problems with it and ended up missing the entire first chapter out. Whether there is just a fault with either my DVD or DVD player, it is definitely worth remembering; if you don't see the title credits at the very start of the episode, it's a good idea to go back to the menu and try again or, like me, you may end up missing out on some key scenes.

PACKAGING AND PRESENTATION
The front cover of the second series of the Lakes once again contains a picture of Danny with Lucy in the background. In comparison to the cover of the first series in which it is Emma in the background, it shows the character of Danny to be in a completely different place in his life. Where as in the first series Emma and her wrath plagued his thoughts, this time, Lucy is more of the influence here, undeniably because of their outcast connection within the town as well as the storyline they are thrusted together by. The purple of the cover is a vast improvement than that of the dingy turquoise of series one, in my opinion too.

The opening credits changed drastically too. Instead of it being a naked image of Danny and a swirling out camera effect, instead, series two offers as hippie, psychedelic bombardment of rainbow colours and some rather odd imagery. Grave stones seem to linger here, mainly because death is of strong importance throughout both series, whether it is physical or symbolic for something else

I would have to say that compared to season one, this set seems to make the show appear to have a really keen direction about it, as if it knows more about it's own presentation and appeal. Whilst I don't think the opening credits fit in all that well with the programme in general, mainly because of the fact that the colours are too bright and are a stark contrast to those portrayed in the actual programme, it does seem more thoughtful than the previous offering

EXTRAS
As with the first series DVD set, this is where the programme is let down by its producers quite considerably. Like the first set, I think that the disks could have benefited from some additional information from the cast and crew alike, mainly because it would have helped some viewers to understand some of the more obscure storylines, particularly that between the Doctor and the teacher as that was a bit sketchy in places

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
As I got this set as a present, along with the series one box set, I'm not too sure how much it cost or where it was from. However, the prices are as follows:

Amazon.co.uk: £6.97 (Eligible for Super Saver delivery service)
Play.com: £6.99 (free delivery)
Hmv.co.uk: £15.99 (free delivery)
CDwow.co.uk: £11.75 (free delivery)
DVD.co.uk: £7.49 (free delivery)
Zavvi.co.uk: £16.00 (free delivery)

OVERALL AND COMPARISON TO SERIES ONE
In comparison to series one, I would say that this is one is a lot harder hitting than the first, mainly for the reason that Danny's character isn't at the centre of everything. I wouldn't say that as a critique to series one but I do think everything came together and progressed well in series two, as a result of the strong build up in season one.

The storylines I think in this series are much more complexed but still maintaining a certain level of reality to them. Besides the plot between Father Matthew and Bernie, I do strongly believe that many of the situations presented in The Lakes: Series Two are of great significance to everyday life and do portray realistic and believable scenarios by the equally sensible characters.

I loved series one because of its grittiness and the stark contrast between the setting and storyline. However, its evolution is far more significant in series two in terms of both character development and darker storylines. It's ending, although perhaps could have been stronger, in many ways complimented the series well and managed to end things fairly definitely.

I would recommend watching series one before series two though because, although in their own right they are both incredible dramas, together they are fantastic and makes for one of the best drama series that emerged from the late 1990's.

Well, in my opinion at least!

QUICK STATS
Production year: 1999
Disks: One
Number of episodes: 10
Company: BBC 

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