5 of the best forgotten BBC dramas

Hot on the heels of This Life, the BBC experienced a comedy-drama renaissance in the early 2000s with a host of shows, starring some of the UK’s most talented actors, that deserve to be remembered

1. Hearts and Bones

Following a group of friends who moved from Coventry to London, Hearts and Bones appeared on BBC1 for two series between 2000 and 2001. Its cast features some of our most well-known actors and personalities including Damian Lewis, Dervla Kirwan, Hugo Speer, Sarah Parish, and Amanda Holden – as well as the TV debut of Michael Fassbender. If you’re a fan of any of these performers and enjoy shows that centre somewhat unlikeable characters, then Hearts and Bones could well be worth a watch.

A character-driven slice-of-life drama focused on the relationship dynamics within a worryingly enmeshed friendship group, Hearts and Bones is built around the long-term partnership between Mark (Damian Lewis) and Emma (Dervla Kirwan) and chronicles what happens when they make choices that affect everyone. Moving cities has made these friends overly dependent on one another and struggling to separate their identities – with disastrous results.

2. Monarch of the Glen

The perfect show for anyone who has ever dreamed of running away to a Scottish castle, Monarch of the Glen was a Sunday night staple on BBC1 from 2000 to 2005. The series follows prodigal son Archie MacDonald (Alastair Mackenzie) as he returns to his family home to take over Laird duties from his ailing father, Hector, played by the legendary Richard Briers. The estate, Glenbogle, is in dire financial straits and comes with a characterful troop of staff including housekeeper Lexie (Dawn Steele), gamekeeper Golly (Alexander Morton), and the hapless Duncan (Hamish Clark), alongside Archie’s mother, Molly (Susan Hampshire).

While I’d recommend skipping the final two series, which focused on Archie’s half-brother Paul instead, the first five are an irresistibly comforting comedy/drama. I especially love series three, when Archie finally moves on from local schoolteacher Katrina and starts a relationship with Lexie (who has spent the previous two series pining for him from afar). It’s a typical romcom plot; the handsome Laird realises he’s in love with his working-class childhood friend after all, but it’s a formula that works and comes with plenty of will they/won’t they tension.

3. Cutting It

One of three exceptional series set in Manchester in the early 2000s, BAFTA-nominated Cutting It ran for four series between 2002 and 2005. Written by Poldark’s Debbie Horsfield, the show followed the rivalry between two hairdressing salons: one owned by Allie (Sarah Parish), her husband Gavin (Jason Merrells), and sisters Darcey (Angela Griffin) and Sydney (Sian Reeves) and the other owned by Allie’s ex Finn (Ben Daniels) and his new wife Mia (Amanda Holden). The commercial competition between the salons is intensified by Finn’s attempts to win Allie back.

Relationship and family drama dominates each series; revelations include the true parentage of both Darcey and junior stylist Ruby, the love quadrangle between Allie, Finn, Ruby, and Gavin, many swaps in salon staff, and an unexpected death. But despite tackling some heavier themes, the loveable cast of characters lends a sense of lightness and humour to the series, helping it overcome the more melodramatic turns that the storyline sometimes followed. It’s the ideal watch for viewers who love character-driven shows with a sprinkling of soap opera.

4. Burn It

One of the series that helped launch BBC Three, Burn It ran for two seasons in 2003 and followed a group of friends in their late 20s, living in Salford, and coming to terms with growing up and settling down. Parenthood is a running theme; Carl (Chris Coghill) is being pressured by his partner to have a child, Andy’s (Kieran O’Brien) girlfriend Emma (Lisa Faulkner) is pregnant but not sure that she wants to be, and Jon (William Ash) is trying to build a relationship with the daughter he gave up for adoption as a teenager.

Of course, none of these situations is easy to resolve and the friends (including Spice Girl Mel B as Emma’s pal Claire) find themselves dealing with depression, break-ups, and complex relationship dynamics. It’s a hyper-dramatic representation of the shifts many of us feel as we approach 30 and start growing out of friendship groups and habits that seemingly served us well in our carefree 20s. It also has an amazing soundtrack dominated by Mancunian bands like The Stone Roses and New Order.  

5. Clocking Off

One of the best examples of a series showcasing the often-extraordinary lives of ordinary people, Clocking Off ran for four series on BBC1 between 2000 and 2003. It followed a group of workers at Mackintosh textiles factory in Manchester and had an innovative format, focusing on one character and their life outside of work in each episode. The show’s roster of talent is unbelievable: Philip Glenister, Christopher Eccleston, Sophie Okonedo, David Morrissey, Lesley Sharp, and Sarah Lancashire are just a few members of the stacked cast.  

These combined talents would make Clocking Off well worth a watch even if the writing wasn’t good, but Paul Abbott’s BAFTA for Best Drama Series proves it had a script to match its star power (the dialogue is effortlessly relatable). The beauty of each episode acting as a standalone story is that the series can tackle a variety of topics from relationship breakdowns and affairs to money troubles, long-term illnesses, and criminality without ever becoming overly melodramatic. It can be bleak at times, but stunningly realistic, funny, moving and, overall, an intriguing depiction of the complex roles people play in and outside of work.