I'm Sticking With 'Glue'

Who would have thought that bringing the youthful grit of Skins and submerging it into the whodunit whirlwind of Broadchurch could be the revelation of teen dramas?

Only three episodes in and I am stuck to this rollercoaster of a murder mystery. Created by Jack Thorne, also creator of The Fades and co-writer of This is England 86, this bleakly realistic 8-part drama brings you to the edge of current British country life. But what sets this apart from the likes of Emmerdale or The Archers is the exciting on-goings between a group of drug-taking, animalistic, youths that are (like most of us) slightly world-weary teenagers.

Ruth, a cop involved with the murder investigation, played by
Submarine's Yasmin Paige.

In the opener we are introduced to raucous bunch of friends playing drunken games of chicken, streaking in a field, having sex in a car, oh and stealing a car too. But as the next day follows, emotions erupt and a community is shattered when the body of one of the group, 14 year old Cal, is found inexplicably in a field.

I actually felt quite relieved when I was watching the characters dealing with Cal's death (without being sadistic of course) because it has not been overridden with cliché bereavements or the expectations of teenagers to stand around and sob. Thorne has acknowledged the different ways in which people grieve; specifically Rob, (played by Jordan Stephens – one half of Rizzle Kicks), as no changes to his exuberant character are diminished, something which I have witnessed before amongst people of a similar age.

 Jordan Stephens makes his acting début playing Rob,
 the boyfriend of Tina.

But on to the true essence of this gripping murder mystery; who killed Cal?! Each week suspicions have wavered around a few members of the teenage group. But without emotionally attaching ourselves to specific characters, Thorne has cleverly kept the mystery constantly flowing. Not even half way through the series and I am already pulling my hair out!

 This is an absolute one of a kind series, of which the energy amongst the cast is commendable. Issues ranging from the travelling society, relationships, professions and segregation have been exposed in such a manner that leave you feeling like you've been thrown off a horse and landed in the  village of Overton; an idyllic location fractured by a fortune of secrets. 

Eli, played by Callum Turner, is the older brother to Cal.

If you haven't already, get on Channel 4OD to catch up with this concoction of horses, murder investigations, drugs and a touch of nudity, to be well and truly stuck to the edge of your chair. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/glue

You can catch Glue on Mondays at 9pm on E4.