Sing now: 'Couldn't escape if I wanted to......' (Waterloo Road)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	Waterloo Road
Date:	27/02/09 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Engrossing drama

Disadvantages: A bit over the top at times

Waterloo Road is a hard hitting drama series shown on BBC1 about a Rochdale school and how it deals with all of the social, internal and external issues that affect its daily routines. It is considered as somewhat of a Grange Hill for adults and doesn't shy away from serious issues that are all too prevalent in today's schools.

It has been running for a few years now, and has seen a number of different characters come through the school, either as teachers or pupils. Some of the pupils are still there, and we have seen them progress through the school, going from being troublemakers to model pupils, and also vice versa. While it started out with a few well known faces such as Jill Halfpenny and Angela Griffin, the majority of the actors and actresses in the drama have made names for themselves right here. Neil Morrissey has been in it since the second series, and I guess you could say that the lead star here is Eva Pope who plays headmistress Rachel Mason.

denise Welch has been in the show since it started, and she is best known for a string of TV appearances as well as being one of the regulars on Loose Women. There are also stellar performances from some of the young adults and children who star in the drama, and perhaps one of the most talked about at the moment is Reece Noi, who plays Earl Kelly, a new pupil at the school this year who has already threatened kids, brought in a gun, and made pretty much everyone feel extremely on edge. The Kelly family seem to be everyone's worst nightmare, a family that causes trouble wherever it
goes with an alcoholic parent leading the way.

However, this is not the only plot strain, as there are constant plots woven into each other. I do feel at times that things are very exaggerated, although they do keep very up to date with current curriculum elements, such as the Every Child Matters principle that the government is keen to enforce, as well as the inclusion of an Extended Services coordinator for the school, to link in some adult education as well as extracurricular activities.

The show is enjoyable, although sometimes I feel it goes overboard. The acting is very good, and the stark way some issues such as poverty, drugs, knives and guns, as well as more precise issues such as bullying, integration, racism and pupils' conditions. I praise the show for not becoming ridiculous and sticking to what seems a good portrayal of reality, although it is important to note that not every school comes up against so many problems and issues on such a grand scale as Waterloo Road.

Summary: Highly enjoyable school drama