Other People's Children (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Other People's Children is a four-episode 2000 British
television drama, adapted by Leigh Jackson from Joanna Trollope
's 1998 novel of the same name. The series tells the story of how three women and two men deal with new marriages and the consequences of the new spouses or partners having to deal with their partner's children of different ages from previous marriages.
) marries Matthew (Frank Harper
), she already has a child, eight-year old Rufus (Jacob Engelberg), from her previous marriage to Tom (Denis Lawson
). But Josie's patient determination crumbles as Matthew's three children turn against both her and Rufus. Things seem at first to be a lot easier for Josie's ex-husband, Tom, an architect
who has two other children besides Rufus (Tom's first wife died when his children were small). Tom has a new partner, the calm, reasonable high-management career woman Elizabeth (Serena Gordon
), whom Rufus (who visits Tom regularly) seems to like rather well. However, it's Tom's 25-year-old daughter, Dale (Emilia Fox
), who can't bear to see her father in love, and moves in back with him in orer to disrupt the romance and their possible future marriage. Indeed, Dale had earlier managed to drive away Josie. Meanwhile, Matthew's former wife, Nadine, very bitter after the divorce and living on very little income, has moved to the countryside, taking over a half-dilapidated old house. Her children leave the relative comfort of their home in order to escape their father's new wife, Josie, only to find themselves in depraved circumstances. The story moves back and forth between Josie, Nadine and Elizabeth. The stories eventually play themselves out: Elizabeth breaks the relationship with Tom, Matthew's children come to accept Josie, and Nadine finally makes peace with her countryside existence, even being befriended by a local farmer, with implications of a possible future romance.
Awards.
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...
television drama, adapted by Leigh Jackson from Joanna Trollope
Joanna Trollope
Joanna Trollope OBE , is an English novelist.-Life:Joanna Trollope was educated at Reigate County School for Girls followed by St Hugh's College, Oxford. From 1965 to 1967, she worked at the Foreign Office...
's 1998 novel of the same name. The series tells the story of how three women and two men deal with new marriages and the consequences of the new spouses or partners having to deal with their partner's children of different ages from previous marriages.
Plot
When Josie (Emma FieldingEmma Fielding
Emma Georgina Annalies Fielding is an English actress.-Biography:The lapsed Roman Catholic daughter of a British Army soldier, Fielding spent much of her childhood in Malaysia and Nigeria, and a period in Malvern above her grandparents' betting shop...
) marries Matthew (Frank Harper
Frank Harper
Frank Harper is a British actor and film producer. He is best known for his "Hard Man" roles, such as Billy Bright in The Football Factory , Dog in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels .-Career:...
), she already has a child, eight-year old Rufus (Jacob Engelberg), from her previous marriage to Tom (Denis Lawson
Denis Lawson
Denis Stamper Lawson is a Scottish actor and director. He is known for his roles as John Jarndyce in the BBC's adaptation of Bleak House and as Gordon Urquhart in the film Local Hero, but is best known for playing the part of Wedge Antilles in the original Star Wars trilogy.-Early life:Lawson was...
). But Josie's patient determination crumbles as Matthew's three children turn against both her and Rufus. Things seem at first to be a lot easier for Josie's ex-husband, Tom, an architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who has two other children besides Rufus (Tom's first wife died when his children were small). Tom has a new partner, the calm, reasonable high-management career woman Elizabeth (Serena Gordon
Serena Gordon
Serena Gordon is an English actress. She is probably best known for playing the role of Superintendent Amanda Prosser in the long running ITV drama The Bill....
), whom Rufus (who visits Tom regularly) seems to like rather well. However, it's Tom's 25-year-old daughter, Dale (Emilia Fox
Emilia Fox
Emilia Rose Elizabeth Fox is an award-winning English actress, known for her role as Dr. Nikki Alexander on BBC crime drama Silent Witness, having joined the cast in 2004 following the departure of Amanda Burton. She also appears as Morgause in the BBC's Merlin beginning in the programme's second...
), who can't bear to see her father in love, and moves in back with him in orer to disrupt the romance and their possible future marriage. Indeed, Dale had earlier managed to drive away Josie. Meanwhile, Matthew's former wife, Nadine, very bitter after the divorce and living on very little income, has moved to the countryside, taking over a half-dilapidated old house. Her children leave the relative comfort of their home in order to escape their father's new wife, Josie, only to find themselves in depraved circumstances. The story moves back and forth between Josie, Nadine and Elizabeth. The stories eventually play themselves out: Elizabeth breaks the relationship with Tom, Matthew's children come to accept Josie, and Nadine finally makes peace with her countryside existence, even being befriended by a local farmer, with implications of a possible future romance.
Award nominations
For her role as Nadine, Lesley Manville was nominated for Best Actress in the 2001 Royal Television SocietyRoyal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
Awards.