Family (1994)
Encyclopedia
Family is a television
drama series that aired on RTÉ One
and BBC One
in 1994. It was written by Roddy Doyle
, the author of The Commitments
, and directed by Michael Winterbottom
.
. Charlo, played by Seán McGinley
, is the abusive and cheating husband of Paula, played by Ger Ryan
. They have four children, teenagers John Paul and Nicola, and younger children Leanne and Spencer.
There were four episodes, each focusing on a member of the family. Most of the 'on location
' filming took place in Ballymun
, on the Northside
of Dublin.
due to his 1979 visit to Ireland
, John Paul has just started secondary school
.
, the Republic of Ireland
, Sweden
and Canada
.
, writer Roddy Doyle
and producer Andrew Eaton
.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
drama series that aired on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
and BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
in 1994. It was written by Roddy Doyle
Roddy Doyle
Roddy Doyle is an Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter. Several of his books have been made into successful films, beginning with The Commitments in 1991. He won the Booker Prize in 1993....
, the author of The Commitments
The Commitments
The Commitments is a novel by Irish writer Roddy Doyle, and is the first episode in The Barrytown Trilogy. It is a tale about a group of unemployed young people in the north side of Dublin, Ireland, who start a soul band.-Plot summary:...
, and directed by Michael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom is a prolific English filmmaker who has directed seventeen feature films in the past fifteen years. He began his career working in British television before moving into features...
.
Premise
The show centres on the Spencers, a working class family living in a vast Dublin housing estateHousing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
. Charlo, played by Seán McGinley
Seán McGinley
Seán McGinley is an Irish film and television actor.-Early life:McGinley was born in Pettigo, County Donegal, Ireland where his father was a customs officer, and raised in nearby Ballyshannon...
, is the abusive and cheating husband of Paula, played by Ger Ryan
Ger Ryan
Ger Ryan is an Irish film and television actress, whose credits include Queer as Folk, Family, The War of the Buttons, The Van, Moll Flanders, Driftwood, A Love Divided and Intermission....
. They have four children, teenagers John Paul and Nicola, and younger children Leanne and Spencer.
There were four episodes, each focusing on a member of the family. Most of the 'on location
Filming location
A filming location is a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced, in addition to or instead of using sets constructed on a movie studio backlot or soundstage...
' filming took place in Ballymun
Ballymun
Ballymun is an area on Dublin's Northside close to Dublin Airport, Ireland. It is infamous for the Ballymun flats, which became a symbol of poverty, drugs, alienation from the state and social problems in Ireland from the 1970s...
, on the Northside
Northside (Dublin)
The Northside is the area in County Dublin, Ireland bounded to the south by the River Liffey to the east by Dublin Bay, to the north and west by the boundaries of County Dublin.- Introduction :...
of Dublin.
Charlo
The first episode focuses on Charlo, a small-time crook who is also an alcoholic, abusive father and husband.John Paul
The second episode focuses on the rebellious teenage son. Named after Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
due to his 1979 visit to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, John Paul has just started secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
.
Nicola
The third episode focuses on Nicola, in her late teens, who works in a clothing factory and has a strained relationship with her father, particularly in relation to her burgeoning sexuality.Paula
The final episode focuses on Paula, the emotionally and physically battered mother, who reclaims her identity by throwing Charlo out of the house and getting a job.Home and International Broadcast
The show, an R.T.É. / B.B.C. co-production, was broadcast in the U.K.United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Video release
The series was released on video for the first time ever on June 27, 2011 as a 2-disc DVD set in the UK & Ireland. Edits were made for contractual reasons. The release included a thirty minute contemporary interview with director Michael WinterbottomMichael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom is a prolific English filmmaker who has directed seventeen feature films in the past fifteen years. He began his career working in British television before moving into features...
, writer Roddy Doyle
Roddy Doyle
Roddy Doyle is an Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter. Several of his books have been made into successful films, beginning with The Commitments in 1991. He won the Booker Prize in 1993....
and producer Andrew Eaton
Andrew Eaton
Andrew Eaton is a film producer and the recipient of several awards including the British Independent Film Award Producer of the Year 2000. He was educated at Campbell College, Belfast and Churchill College, Cambridge, graduating with a BA in 1982. His film, In This World won the 2004 BAFTA Award...
.