Characters are so cleverly created

I watched this series back in 1997 and loved it, however I have loved it more watching it 17 years later and being that much older and life experienced myself.

What makes the series so clever is it avoids two dimentional characterization and allows you (as the audience) to develop sympathy or (lack of) for the characters. The only two characters we are clearly meant to feel sorry for (from the outset) are Sally and Annie who both find themselves in horrible situations and whose lives are shattered (or ended) due to their courage at trying to deal with two very different situations that collide with horrific consequences. The fall out for this event creates the foundation for the rest of the series.

Every other character behaves in specific ways that may initially seem unsympathetic but you are clearly being shown their strengths or their weaknesses when in crisis. Sean and Hilary are the two calculating professionals who end up crumbling when confronted with true crisis. Claire, is the hard faced party girl who suddenly learns huge responsibility. Florrie is the mother who won't accept her son's faults, whilst Janet is the daughter she doesn't seem too impressed by. Again, when the horror of their situation unfolds both women unit to bring justice and than public attention.

Perhaps the clear negatively drawn characters are Gary (Phil Daniels) who acts as a kind of crass narrator with barely any pleasant traits who finally confesses his true nature and purpose at the very end of the piece. Whilst Bernard (Sam Kelly) sets his character in motion during his first scene, when he witnesses Sally's attack and fails to act on it. This is a weak men, whose wife and brother don't even give him the respect to conduct their affair discreetly. Instead, sloppily carrying on in front of him. Bernard's insecurities finally cause him to snap at Chris, leading to the second fall out of the tale!