Writer's Review on BBC Two's brand-new family sitcom 'Mum'

BBC Two's brand-new family sitcom 'Mum' is a promising, performance packed series with the first episode showcasing fine elements of good screenplay techniques. In the strict sense, a tight screenplay can extend itself into a well-written full-fledged novel and vice-versa. Looking at writing screenplays as a precursor to writing a novel can help in getting the mechanics of writing in place way before it is fleshed out with descriptions.

The screenplay of 'Mum' does an excellent job at hooking the viewers to the complexities and idiosyncrasies of the characters by giving just a slight peep into their lives, enough to arouse curiosity. The protagonist, the mum, is trying to live through the funeral of her husband surrounded by her family. Her son, possibly slightly autistic, invites his overenthusiastic girlfriend for the funeral; her brother comes with his partner who is shown as a nasty prick, and the older bickering parents of her husband are also there to attend the funeral.

At one point, hints on son's possible disability, tension in brother's relationship with his partner, and mum's own feelings of loneliness are revealed to make the viewers look forward to the next episode.

This first episode could well become the first three chapters of a novel, slowly building momentum by trickling down drops of information about the characters through the medium of dialogue with no description beyond what the dialogue itself implies. The characters seem to know a lot more of what is going on in the story but the same is not conveyed to the reader or the viewer in this case. However, since the viewer or the reader feels a part of the family already, because of good characterisation, the audience would look forward to the second episode or the reader would continue to read the book. Teasing with trickles of information is a sure way to grab the attention of your viewer/reader. BBC's 'Mum' has done a good job at it and I am waiting for the next episode.

Body Language that shows Loneliness

Observation is the key to writing descriptions and interpreting the signals given by the body. When a character feels lonely there is usually a pattern in his/her body signals. Of course, every character is unique, however, the pointers below can be of help to trigger writers' imagination.

Lonely people are generally disinterested in their appearance
Voice may end in monotone
May keep their schedules tight
Often sigh heavily
Feel happy about receiving mail
Rush to check phone alerts
Hug oneself
Make small talk with electrician, plumber, bus driver, etc
They think they are introverts
May call family and friends often
Daydream
Sometimes feel unworthy.

Characters can manifest any of these signs depending on what, as a writer, you wants to achieve at that point in the story.

Finally, search the web for  'loneliness' in images to help identify how lonely the character feels.