Help - Covid drama

What is it called and where is it on please?

It's called Help. Started at 9 on Channel 4.

I’m watching. It’s harrowing, isn’t it?

Okay got it, thanks. As I work in a care home I will find this very interesting..

Watching it now. This is why the government wants to sell of Ch4…..

off…..

The last thing I want to watch is a covid drama. I'd like to pretend we're still living in a covid free world with my TV viewing.

I liked it. The two leading actors are amazing. After the harrowing scenes in the care home, I thought it got a bit fanciful but it was a drama so I suppose to they have to make a story.

After the harrowing scenes in the care home, I thought it got a bit fanciful but it was a drama so I suppose to they have to make a story.

I agree, Kate1949. It did seem to lose its way at the end.

I liked it too. My son's girlfriend works in a care home and was absolutely terrified last March as they didn't have any PPE at all, for a very long time. I sewed them a mask each and sent them sanitiser etc, everything I could get my hands on. Remember the paracetamol shortage? They were like gold. That reminds me, the forehead thermometers are supposed to be ineffective, I need to get different ones. Many of her residents died, sadly.

I usually avoid anything about Alzheimer’s but made a point of watching it because of the people in it. We mustn’t forget how the government let people in care homes down and lied about it….

My daughter and I both worked in care last year. I fully understand why people might find programmes about Covid difficult to watch.
I was high risk health wise and left in mid March. I remember coming home after my last shift during which I had been exceptionally cautious. Stripping at the door,everything in the wash,shower etc. A week later covid was rife in the home. Over 20 residents died including many on the floor I worked on. Many staff were I'll too. I felt so guilty not being there for my residents and have heard snippets of how it was.
My daughter worked throughout the pandemic. She commented it bought back how terrifying it was.
I remember my anger and disbelief at the comments by the government about a ring of care. It was an outright lie. My daughters care home didnt get proper PPE until July. It wasnt the manager refusing to buy it- there was none to be bought.
I dont know what breaks my heart more,the fact it happened or the remarkable lack of outrage it did.
I know it wasnt just the UK either.
I also wonder if people realise that the majority of care homes in UK are owned by large off shore companies whose only concern is profit for share holders? My daughters care home owners also owned fast food chains. The most vulnerable members of our society are commodities.

I won't be watching this as it's too real. This pandemic has been harrowing and realistic enough without watching a drama about.

Now Vigil ........or maybe not.

I started watching and after a few minutes turned over. I use to work in elderly care services and if a person being interviewed had spoke to us in that manner and stormed off no way would she have been given a job. When you are dealing with those suffering with MH issues,dementia etc you need to be able to remain calm and not rise to the bait and she did!!!!! Also the guy out in the carpark with the cuppa how did he get out if the front entrance door was a secure one. Those two points put me right off, sorry, i know many Gransnetters would enjoy this program but it was just too far fetched for me.

My God, that girl can act!

Yes Grandma KT can't she just. It was a difficult watch, but brilliantly acted all through.Times gave it 5stars ,calling it a" shaming nightmare all ministers should see." Yes the plot wavered at the end but those characters were so believable,so well drawn.I was drawn into the whole piece. Not to be missed.

POSSIBLE SPOILER AT THE END OF THIS POST!

It probably was far-fetched, travelasfar, but most dramas have an element of that, which is what makes the story engaging. Many 'true-life' stories have added scenes to make them dramatically interesting, and those who don't are often a bit boring. Real life is not as interesting as drama (mine certainly isn't!).

I agree that the end was daft, but I thought it might be replicating the way that someone 'kidnapped' her mum from a care home because she (the mum) wasn't allowed to leave. not quite the same, as in the drama they broke into a caravan, and Tony didn't really have agency to consent (or did he?).

Anyway, apart from that, I thought it was excellent, and I think we need more TV that challenges the government (whoever they are - not just this useless bunch), in the manner of Boys From The Blackstuff, or Cathy Come Home.

Thank you for posting dorsetcupcake. You shouldn't feel guilty about leaving work, you had to protect yourself. My daughter has a severe learning disability and was in residential care and I brought her home to care for her myself for several months before she returned. Then there was another lockdown and she stayed but I bought her home for a couple of months over Christmas too. It was extremely hard and I know my limits. Everyone did what they had to do but you are completely right, people have been lied to and there should be outrage. The government were still saying it was only affecting people in end of life care at one point when they knew very well young people with learning disabilities and other disabilities in care were also dying. My own daughter was issued with an automatic DNR. It was absolutely disgraceful.

Sorry, I know this is off topic but did you all watch the virtues? Steven Graham was in that too.

Jodie Comer is incredible. Totally believable.

GrandmaKT

My God, that girl can act!

That’s the main reason I watched it. I,too make a point of not watching anything these days that might depress me albeit, at the same time trying to keep abreast of what’s happening in other ways. But I knew I had to watch her and I would be riveted to my seat and she didn’t let me down. Have never seen her in a drama where she’s used her own accent, either.

JaneJudge

Sorry, I know this is off topic but did you all watch the virtues? Steven Graham was in that too.

I didn’t but I will now. He’s another reason why I watched it, though.

Doodle dog. Thanks. I missed the point you made even though I was concentrating on the programme. Makes more sense now. But there won’t be programmes like this. The government want more programmes like Hi De Hi and Ch4 will be sold to people that will shy away from dramas like Help.

Yes, selling off Channel 4 (and taking more control of the BBC) is a retrograde step. I hope the next government can reverse some of the assaults on our free media, as freedom of expression is a key part of a democratic society.