The Cry

Babies on set are never left to cry like that continuously. It's called editing and sound cues.

Most of the time they take a few shots of them crying and will reuse them. They'll also have recordings of babies crying to use when the camera focus is not on them.

They also have their mothers there on set for any comforting that's needed. The children are in no danger and being caused no harm

DIL17 Did you watch this? I know all about how it is usually done. I don't think this was. Shots especially of baby crying on rug and of baby crying when the actress mother was holding him were obviously real. No cutting away so you just heard the voice. No use of a doll as you sometimes see. Baby was crying and was there.

Just looked it up and they claim to have been ready to film when the baby cried. Apparently the mother was very laid back because she has 6 children. They used twins. It still ruined the story for me.

I did and have the common sense to know that the child wasn't in danger! I was merely highlighting usual procedures and that the mother would have been there and would have of course stepped in if the child was truly distressed.

Good luck with the rest of the series or any other with a crying baby if you're this upset after episode 1!

As said, the mum was there and was happy with what they were doing. It's a fantastic series based on a fabulous book. Why not focus on that part in future.

I watched it and I’m sure that as DIL17 says no harm was caused to the babies.
My nieces baby twins have been in film productions and she reassured me all was very carefully managed so babies weren’t distressed unessesarily ever.
However I found the whole thing disjointed, whizzing backwards and forwards in time was disconcerting and seeing the court case before the baby had even gone was a bit odd. Not sure I’ll bother with it next week.

Watched loads of other stuff DIL17 so this was unusual. I have a working knowedge of film sets and procedures so I know what happens. This idea that I am upset at ANY scenes which involve a crying baby is pure imagination on your part.It was this particular drama when it actually distracted from the story. Which I agree you had to concentrate to follow and which probably contributed to my lack of interest in the main characters and my focus on the baby.

I couldn't watch it for very long. I'm surprised it it getting such positive reviews. I do know someone who had a baby which stopped crying for everyone else - including me - but who never stopped when being held by the mother. I don't think this is entertainment and the dotting about in time is hard for that slot on a Sunday evening.

When I read in advance (publicity, not spoiler) that the idea came from a long flight with a crying infant, it brought back memories from decades ago of sometimes being completely trapped on planes alongside drunk people, chain smokers, chukkers-up who couldn't always make the sick bag, toddlers who liked to haul themselves up from the seat behind using their sticky fingers and adult hair (mine) and - yes - babies who cried incessantly despite everyone's efforts, including that of their poor beleaguered parents.

Understanding that the baby's ears are probably hurting in a pressurised environment does help a little bit, but many of us are hardwired to be stress-motivated by that particular sound and to take action on the child's behalf if we possibly can.

I do feel desperately sorry for anyone who is unsupported as a real-life young mum, but the BBC dramatic crying was too distressing which, I suppose, was the point, no matter how much the inner self realises no babies were harmed in the making.

However, that's what the TV remote buttons are for.

It took me a while to get used to the disjointed way it was filmed. I think the constant crying is indicative of the mother being stressed to say nothing of the totally useless father.
I will see how it goes next week.

Watched this to the end and I'm glad as I was thinking of switching off as thought it must get better. Think story will all come together with a few turns and twists. Glad I'm not a young mother thinking of going to Australia though - what a nightmare for her and other passengers.

I think this may be interesting viewing, the constant crying builds up till i even found my self shouting, 'give him a dummy' Maybe this was done so that viewers experience the stress the young mum is going through in the program if so it defo worked in my case. I will wait and see how it pans out before i commit to yes its good or no its rubbish. It is different.

I liked this a lot I watched it through to the end managed to follow the jumping around ( I don’t always) and thoroughly enjoyed it I m looking forward to episode 2

I really felt for the Mum my first was a colic baby who seemed to cry non stop for the first 8 months of life It really was distressing as I was all alone thousands of miles from anyone I knew and with a husband who was either at work or out The lady doctor I saw was not very sympathetic putting it down to a young first time mum worrying too much that too s until a year or so after when I saw her for something else and she said I owe you an apology I ve had a colicky baby since I saw you and now I know what you were going through

Perhaps I'm odd but the idea of a drama based around any Mother's worse nightmare i.e. post natal depression, distressed baby and perhaps even worse - child abduction or perhaps she's done something, is not my idea of a pleasant way to spend an evening.

Well Hilda all the dramas are around big problems death murder, abduction, abuse You wouldn’t have a drama if it was all about happiness

I really enjoyed it too, once I got used to the flash forwards and back. The baby crying did bother me a bit, I think it's a Mum thing, we are programmed to respond.

Last time I saw Jenna Coleman she was playing Victoria. I'm looking forward to the next episode.

I enjoyed it. Such a change from murders and 'unstable, damaged' detectives!! It was a challenging watch with the time shifts but I like having to 'think' sometimes. Jenna Coleman was excellent and I thought she was actually very patient as a mother. I remember punching the bed and yelling 'Shut Up!' to one of my DSs who screamed constantly.

I was recently on a plane with a crying baby and felt only compassion for its mother. How could people be so horrible to her?!

Never for one moment did I contemplate that the baby was deliberately made to cry for the drama. I'm looking forward to the next episodes too seacliff

Well BlueBelle, think I am intelligent to know what a drama should contain....its the choice of subject matter I do not enjoy. All too real depictions of any mother's worse nightmare are not something I would seek out. Neither do I like the modern trend of using graphic portrayals of crimes against women or children....perhaps its my training in child safeguarding and family support that makes me too sensitive. Or, more worryingly, are we as a society becoming desensitized? Who knows.
My dramas need to be more escapist, historical or fantasy or domestic dramas such BBC's recent 'The Split'.

Hilda it's drama and shows tackling these stories, health elements and worst nightmares that highlights that they are real and need to be dealt with and help offered to those affected.

There maybe someone watching who thinks "oh, so and so is a bit like that" and realise they need a friend or someone to talk to.

I read a book years ago called The Little House which looks at a monther's mental breakdown (amongst other things) after the birth of her first child and the dramatised version of it made me realise that I had postnatal depression and it made me speak to my husband about it and get help.

Looking back i think i had PND but myself and no one recognised it, not husband, parents, siblings, or worse still the GP and she was a woman.
When i look back i dont know how i managed to survive and it totally ruined my life at a time that should have been one of the happiest. It still brings tears to my eyes 40 year on it was so awful to live through. So if this program makes people stop and think that they may know someone suffering i say bring it on.

I enjoyed it, and think that the almost constant crying of the baby was purposeful, to make the audience feel just a bit of the distress that the young, unsupported Mother was feeling. The contrast between her calm, controlled pre-baby professional life as a primary school teacher and her feelings that she could not even manage one small baby was very well illustrated, and her husband was really not very supportive at all!

Once again, I know its drama. I am not decrying it, or saying it should not be broadcast. Am just saying I would not choose to watch it and can't quite get my head around people 'enjoying it'. I am not judging, commenting or criticising, just stating my opinion. Phew.

Hilda we each have choices and youve made yours to not watch and of course that’s absolutely fine but you seem surprised that anyone could in your words ‘enjoy’ watching it, but no one is saying they are enjoying seeing a baby cry or a mum with post natal depression but they are enjoying the fact that some decent actors and actresses and a writer are covering difficult subjects I m sure no one ‘enjoys’ seeing a murder drama or an abduction but they enjoy a well written story about these nasty subjects Even Shakespeare wrote murders didn’t he
The other thing is the baby wasn’t crying because it was being hurt or harmed in the storyline it was just a screamer and I think it’s good that it opens up a subject that many of us may have experienced A new Mum and a constantly screaming baby

I understand what you are saying Hilda.
My life is good but busy and hectic. I talk to people, some with problems, 4 days a week.
I don’t want to watch something that’s not going to make me happy. Maybe I’m shallow but so be it.

Bluebelle, I have read through many of these threads and people say they 'enjoy' watching it, its their choice of word not mine. I do not. Why you feel the need to keep explaining to me that's its a drama and that no one is actually suffering is beyond me. I repeat, its a style of drama I do not enjoy. And yes,I do not fully understand people who 'enjoy' watching such heartbreaking story lines. The fault if there is one, lies with me. I have no wish to introduce into my life pain and suffering even if its a drama. Once again I reiterate, its my opinion, and I feel I have a right to express it and not be criticised for doing so.

I don't think we'll hear much more of the crying now that the first episode has taken us past the abduction (if that's what it was). Yes, I found the crying distressing, but that was very much the point around which the whole story seems to be pivoting. I'm up for the next episode, I want to know what happens!