'Auf Wiedersehen, Pet' concerned the humorous side of unemployment whereas Alan Bleasdale's 'Boys From The Blackstuff' focused on the serious effects of unemployment.
It was all about five unemployed Liverpudlian men - Chrissie Todd ( Michael Angelis ), Loggo Logmond ( Alan Igbon ), Dixie Dean ( Tom Georgeson ), George Malone ( Peter Kerrigan ) and, arguably the most popular character, Yosser Hughes ( Bernard Hill ). They were brought to life in a TV play in 1980 entitled 'The Black Stuff', in which the five land a job in Middlesborough laying tarmac on a council estate. However, they are conned by a pair of Irish gypsies after they foolishly accept a dubious offer of work from them. Aside from losing their money, they are also sacked by their employer.
Two years later, the show became a five part series, this time with the title extended to 'The Boys From The Blackstuff'. It is here things go from bad to worse for the boys. Dixie is given a job working as a security guard at the local docks where he reluctantly turns a blind eye to a series of robberies going on from a violent gang of hustlers. George's son Snowy is killed whilst working on a building side for corrupt Irish building manager Malloy ( Shay Gorman ) whilst trying to evade D.H.S.S officers who are raiding the site.
Yosser Hughes was my favorite character. Bernard Hill wonderfully captured the psychotic energy of Hughes and his portrayal won him a well deserved BAFTA award. Yosser is a desperate man. His wife has left him for another man and has also left him with three children to bring up. With no prospects of work ( each episode sees him asking anyone anywhere ''Give us a job! I can do that!'' ). Yosser becomes more and more unstable and when his kids are taken into care, he flips completely, attempting to commit suicide by throwing himself into a canal.
The final episode ends with the funeral of George Malone, who over the course of the show became gradually sicker. The final scene had the remaining gang memebers wandering aimlessly along the Mersey, hoplessly staring into the distance.
Despite some moments of humour, this was no comedy. In fact, the realism of the whole thing was nothing short of frightening. The scene in which Chrissie's wife Angie ( Julie Walters ) attempts to halt baliffs from forcing entry into her home probably hit home ( no pun intended ) with many. Ricky Tomlinson had an appearance in one episode as a doctor and very good he was too. James Ellis also appeared as a Scottish vagrant who Yosser befriended in one episode.
With all the stuff going in Britain these days, courtesy of our so called caring government, 'The Boys From The Blackstuff' is still as relevant now as it was back in 1982. Superb stuff!
It was all about five unemployed Liverpudlian men - Chrissie Todd ( Michael Angelis ), Loggo Logmond ( Alan Igbon ), Dixie Dean ( Tom Georgeson ), George Malone ( Peter Kerrigan ) and, arguably the most popular character, Yosser Hughes ( Bernard Hill ). They were brought to life in a TV play in 1980 entitled 'The Black Stuff', in which the five land a job in Middlesborough laying tarmac on a council estate. However, they are conned by a pair of Irish gypsies after they foolishly accept a dubious offer of work from them. Aside from losing their money, they are also sacked by their employer.
Two years later, the show became a five part series, this time with the title extended to 'The Boys From The Blackstuff'. It is here things go from bad to worse for the boys. Dixie is given a job working as a security guard at the local docks where he reluctantly turns a blind eye to a series of robberies going on from a violent gang of hustlers. George's son Snowy is killed whilst working on a building side for corrupt Irish building manager Malloy ( Shay Gorman ) whilst trying to evade D.H.S.S officers who are raiding the site.
Yosser Hughes was my favorite character. Bernard Hill wonderfully captured the psychotic energy of Hughes and his portrayal won him a well deserved BAFTA award. Yosser is a desperate man. His wife has left him for another man and has also left him with three children to bring up. With no prospects of work ( each episode sees him asking anyone anywhere ''Give us a job! I can do that!'' ). Yosser becomes more and more unstable and when his kids are taken into care, he flips completely, attempting to commit suicide by throwing himself into a canal.
The final episode ends with the funeral of George Malone, who over the course of the show became gradually sicker. The final scene had the remaining gang memebers wandering aimlessly along the Mersey, hoplessly staring into the distance.
Despite some moments of humour, this was no comedy. In fact, the realism of the whole thing was nothing short of frightening. The scene in which Chrissie's wife Angie ( Julie Walters ) attempts to halt baliffs from forcing entry into her home probably hit home ( no pun intended ) with many. Ricky Tomlinson had an appearance in one episode as a doctor and very good he was too. James Ellis also appeared as a Scottish vagrant who Yosser befriended in one episode.
With all the stuff going in Britain these days, courtesy of our so called caring government, 'The Boys From The Blackstuff' is still as relevant now as it was back in 1982. Superb stuff!