Don't Forget The Driver

Don't Forget The Driver is a dark comedy-drama series that first aired on BBC Two in 2019. The show is a co-creation of stand-up comedian and actor Toby Jones and playwright Tim Crouch. The series is primarily set in the quaint seaside town of Bognor Regis in West Sussex, UK. Don't Forget The Driver vividly mirrors contemporary Britain while exploring how people's lives can take unexpected turns.

At the heart of the story is Peter Green, convincingly portrayed by Toby Jones. Peter is a coach driver struggling with the mundane and often humdrum routines of his life. He is stuck in a cycle of care for his elderly mother, his difficult teenage daughter, and his lackluster job as a coach driver for the local Bognor company. Juxtaposing his ordinary life, each day at work, Peter encounters an array of colorful characters that form the motley group of passengers he carts around - from school kids to elderly day-trippers.

In this mix of typically indistinguishable, quiet British town life, Peter grapples with the challenges that come his way. Complementing the narrative, Toby Jones' fantastic performance brings depth and complexity to what might seem like an ordinary man's life. His character's struggles and experiences make his life anything but commonplace. Mired within this labyrinth of everyday decisions, the series subtly unravels the unexpected hero in our ordinary man.

The show gradually unveils threads of empathy, sensitivity, fear, and resilience wrapped around the character of Peter. It deftly covers sensitive subjects like immigration, the effects of Brexit, dereliction, and abandonment very realistically without being overly dramatic, blending them seamlessly into the narrative of a small town and its inhabitants.

The drama's atmosphere is moody and atmospheric, set against the backdrop of the seaside, with its forlorn piers and tacky amusements contributing to the special aura of the series. This seemingly drab British seaside town suddenly becomes a booming canvas of wider issues about national identity, self-discovery, and the drive towards a better life. The cinematography adds to the effectively somber and contemplative tone of the series, punctuating the narrative with lingering shots of the coastal landscape.

All the other characters in Don't Forget The Driver are well sketched out with complete story arcs. This includes Peter’s unassuming teenage daughter Kayla, played by Erin Kellyman: a somewhat rebellious youth yearning for a wider horizon, played against Peter's mother Joy, portrayed by Marcia Warren: a former swimming champion, now living in the echoes of her glorious past.

Don't Forget The Driver skillfully balances moments of humor and a bleak undercurrent throughout its narrative. While it features comedic elements, the series is not a sitcom in the traditional sense - it oscillates between drama and black comedy, keeping viewers engaged. Its humor stems not from one-liners or comedic situations but in its attention to the characters' minutiae and the smaller aspects of life in Bognor Regis.

In conclusion, Don't Forget The Driver is a discerning depiction of forgotten Britain, everyday struggles, and a contemplative character study. Rather than exploring life in big cities like London or Manchester, it turns its focus on smaller, seldom-seen locations, ultimately offering a fresh, meticulously detailed perspective of British life.

The writing is thoughtful, the performance of the cast is commendable, and the direction is questing and contemplative. With just six episodes in its first season, Don't Forget The Driver is a poignant, compelling exploration of life against the backdrop of contemporary socio-cultural issues. It leaves its viewers pondering over the larger questions of life. Its power lies in its simplicity, in the ordinariness of its protagonists, and the quiet heroism that underlies their seeming mundane existence.