BEHIND HER EYES BEHIND THE HYPE

 

Behind Her Eyes initially seems to be a cross between a  midweek ITV drama about middle class relationships and those old Nescafé Gold Blend adverts but turns into something else, something that aspires to Lynchian in it's dream sequences (you can tell a lot about a show by the quality of its dream sequences)

Set in my stomping ground, Islington it has all the ingredients of the love triangle drama that we have become accustomed too. Enigmatic wife, conflicted mistress and mysteriously deep husband are al there along with middle class guilt and the obligatory hidden depths. So far so Sunday supplement. But things start to get a little strange as it heads towards Black Mirror territory.

The trick is that it manages to retain an air of superficiality to go along with the mannered performances, while it asks more of the viewer.  It’s a programme that many will hate as it’s last act is, shall we say, bonkers.

I dare say it would not be broadcast on ITV on a Wednesday evening, nor would it fit into BBC1's flagship Sunday night slot. Possibly BBC 4 or Channel 4 would give it a go but Netflix suits it and often challenging fare is championed on on this platform.

Don't get me wrong; in terms of challenging it's hardly Twin Peaks but its, well, odd.

I’m still digesting it, and for me it’s on the cusp of absolute nonsense masquerading as art and art masquerading as audio visual wallpaper. it's certainly being discussed by many and the consensus on it is that there is no consensus on it.

But, in this day and age where conformity rules, that’s not a bad thing