The boys from the blackstuff

 

 For those who dont remember the program the Boys from the blackstuff was a spinoff series from the original tv program Blackstuff.

 Blackstuff was a BBC play for today and transnitted on 2nd january 1980.  The program proved such a hit that a five part series the Boys from the blackstuff was made and transmitted on the 10th October 1982 (first episode).

 The Blackstuff follows a group of  Liverpool lads who set off to do some tarmac laying, they get involved with gipsies who they try to con, the gypsies turn it around and end up conning the lad, who loose all their money.

 The boys from the blackstuff is five stories about the lads trying to manage living on the dole and working, with each story featuring one of the lads mainly.

It's best described as a black comedy.

 Now the reason I'm mentioning this is it's just been repeated on TV and I watched it again.  Wow! despite it's age it not only hold up well against modern TV but puts most of it to shame!

 The acting is superb, with the actors (fairly unknown at the time) becoming household names.  With actors like Michael Angelis, Bernerd Hill, Alan Igbon and many others.  Many will remember Yossers story (ep 4) staring Bernard Hill dealing with a cheating wife, no work and trying to keep his children while being unemployed and evicted.  The acting is worth watching.

 The saddest point is that such good acting is rare today on TV.  They cant make "gritty" hard hitting TV like this any more.  It's all rubbish pandering to the idiot 1%.  So watch the Boys from the blackstuff.  TV made for the 100%.  Good acting, good scripts and good watching!

Waynes rating 9/10