Bouquet Of Barbed Wire: Episode 1

Based on the Andrea Newman potboiler and a remake of the previous 1970s series, Bouquet Of Barbed Wire fits nicely into ITV’s archive of overwrought, melodramatic psychodramas of sexual obsession.

Trevor Eve (Waking The Dead) stars as Peter Manson, a painfully middle class architect and doting father, whose life is thrown into turmoil when his teenage daughter reveals that she is pregnant by her English teacher (Tom Riley), who quickly reveals himself to be a charismatic sociopath with a secret past bent on destroying the tasteful tranquility of the Manson family.

Throughout this first episode, the characterisations are one dimensional and bear no relationship to real humans (the father’s obsession with his daughter’s sex life borders on the creepy and yet it is accepted without question), the performances are simultaneously leaden and theatrically hammy, whilst the direction keeps the lighting low, the moodiness high and makes use cringe worthy slow motion and freeze frame not seen since cheesy 1980s American soaps.

ITV’s adeptness in churning out these jaw-droppingly ridiculous dramas is truly impressive. At best this is a guilty pleasure, at worst it is a squirm-inducing embarrassment for all concerned.



Airs at 9pm on Monday 6th September 2010 on ITV1.

> Buy the DVD on Amazon.

Reviewed by Sam Monk.