Talking Heads

Tired of the phrase "talking heads" being used dismissively to describe the most monotonous segments of the schedule, Alan Bennett embarked on a mission to reinstate the monologue to its rightful place at the core of TV drama. It had, after all, become synonymous with music hall or stand-up comedy. Patricia Routledge's portrayal of a dying office gossip in "A Woman of No Importance" from 1982 served as a blueprint for two subsequent series, each consisting of six episodes. These included Maggie Smith as a bewildered vicar's wife and Thora Hird as two widows grappling with different forms of adversity. Through a rare and concise shift in perspective, the direction centered on the actors' faces and voices, highlighting the author's exceptional talent for nuances and structure in storytelling.

In "Playing Sandwiches," David Haig delivers a character as a park-keeper, the narrative initially takes a deceptive turn with a touch of Bennettian nostalgia: "I was in the paper shop this dinnertime getting some liquorice allsorts." However, it evolves into a bold attempt to delve into the mind of a pedophile. Amid an era where seasoned actresses have lamented the lack of quality roles, Bennett offered no less than 11 prime-time roles for older actresses. By 2008, when "EastEnders" presented a solo episode for Dot Cotton that was deeply influenced by "Talking Heads," it became unmistakably clear just how correct and pioneering the quiet Bennett was in his choice to overlook television's biases.