By Derren Hayes
BBC drama Fiona's story (Sunday 31 August, 9pm, BBC1) promised an unsensational exploration of the fallout from a father and husband being busted for viewing child pornography on the internet.
I can't deny that the acting was excellent - particularly from Gina McKee as mothor of three Fiona Mortimer grappling with the practical judgement calls presented by such a situation and Jeremy Northam as her devious and manipulative husband Simon - but couldn't help but feel disappointed at another opportunity missed to properly explore the issues raised by online paedophilia.
It did convey how an addiction to internet child porn can destroy a relationship (highlighted by the fact Fiona was on the verge of an affair at the start of the drama) and undermine the trust between husband and wife once such a terrible secret is out, with the inevitable devastating consequences that a seperation has for innocent children.
But for me the fatal flaw at its core was that it didn't confront head on the issues behind Simon's addiction or the wider impact of his actions. Once busted he realised the gravity of what he'd done (or the potential consequences to his liberty and reputation) but by the end was able to shrug it off after police dropped charges due to lack of evidence. He still had unsupervised contact with his children and had set up home with a new partner.
The reaction to Simon's situation by the characters on the periphery of the drama was particularly disappointing. His upper middle class parents saw it as a "midlife crisis", while his brother dismissed it by saying that all men look at internet porn "it's just that Simon looked at teenage girls". I simply can't buy that in 2008, following the high profile arrests that followed Operation Ore, such ignorance of internet child pornography still exists.
Most frustratingly, the drama ended with Fiona (belatedly) getting tough by threatening to go to social services about Simon's failure to recognise he had a problem. It would have been interesting to see him confront the underlying anger and hate that had led him to child pornogrphy and his battle to try and control this. Instead, it ended with Fiona skipping off to choir practice as if some kind of closure had been reached.
Comments (3)
"I simply can't buy that in 2008, following the high profile arrests that followed Operation Ore..."
Perhaps it's because Operation Ore turned out to be not quite as advertised...?
Posted by JuliaM | September 4, 2008 8:34 AM
Posted on September 4, 2008 08:34
Well, I can see your points on possible flaws in the programme, but I was just so impressed by it that I was riveted for 1 1/2 hours and it's been reverberating in my head ever since. I realise this is partly because I also had a husband that was controlling, selfish, manipulative and abusive (everything but paedophilic) and I also struggled just like Fiona (and hopefully most viewers haven't) but trust me, the characters were so very accurately drawn that it was a great programme.
Posted by Janet Parsons | September 4, 2008 9:28 PM
Posted on September 4, 2008 21:28
I agree that Fiona's Story was disappointing. I'm afraid I can't even agree that the acting was top-notch. I found it impossible to feel any sympathy for Fiona, thanks to another cold fish performance from Gina McKee. She didn't strike me as someone who was easily manipulated by her husband. Her inaction for most of the story seemed to be connected to a desire to keep her posh house. None of the issues were explored in any depth.
A much better drama about paedophilia was Secret Life, starring Matthew Macfadyen. It was on More 4 a few weeks ago. The story followed Macfadyen's life after his release from prison where he had served time for abusing pre-pubescent girls.
He was roundly shunned, even by those employed to help him. His probation officer barely disguised her contempt for him. When he expressed concern that he would have to travel by bus at the same time as children going to school so he could sign the Sex Offenders Register, she curtly informed him that she wasn't a travel agent and it wasn't up to her to help him make travel arrangements.
When he told her that he had been accommodated in a bed and breakfast where children lived and would need to be moved urgently, she shrugged her shoulders. Isolated - his only 'friend' was another paedophile - Macfadyen eventually tried desperately to be returned to prison, fearing he would reoffend if remained in the community.
The drama showed how little support there is for paedophiles, most of whom struggle with the daily temptation to reoffend.
Posted by sally | September 8, 2008 1:51 PM
Posted on September 8, 2008 13:51