Daniel (Philip Glenister) tries to reconcile his wayward brother Robbo (Steven Mackintosh) with their dad Samuel (Bernard Hill) over a drink in a central Mancunian pub. Unfortunately for him, the truce fails and they are sitting feet away from the IRA bomb on the day it exploded in 1996. Nobody dies, of-course, but it proves a catalyst in all their lives. Before the end of the episode (one of three) Sam has had a stroke, Robbo has come up with not one but two insane plans to clear his debt and Daniel has begun an affair with the pub cleaner, whom he rescued from the wreckage.
This has nice moments but is mostly either predictable or unbelievable. The use of northern staples the Stone Roses and the Smiths on the soundtrack is lazy and responsible Daniel's sudden need to escape from his close (adoptive) family into the arms of a stranger just doesn't ring true. So far, this is largely a waste of a good cast, in-particularly Steven Mackintosh, who turns in an ill-advised imitation of the drug dealer in 'Withnail & I'. If you like Madchester, and these are typical residents, you may like it a little less after watching this.
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