Blackpool – Nostalgia Central

2 0 0 4 (UK)
6 x 60 minute episodes

Blackpool, Lancashire, northwest England: home of the pleasure beach, nightclubs, drag shows, and amusement arcades. Loud and brash, the place drew revellers, straight and gay, from all over Britain. It also attracted businesspeople looking to make money from the leisure industry.

Told over six one-hour episodes, Blackpool followed a murder investigation in the newly opened amusement arcade owned and run by entrepreneur Ripley Holden (David Morrissey).

Holden was the chief suspect. Sexist and homophobic, he lived like a wheeling and dealing Nashville wannabe. People either instantly loved or hated him, and Scottish police detective Carlisle (David Tennant) found him repulsive.

He fell for Holden’s wife, Natalie (Sarah Parish), who at first resisted the fantasy that her life would be fine with him rather than with her husband.

The Holdens’ children – Shyanne (Georgia Taylor) and Danny (Thomas Morrison) – had their problems in love: Shyanne with a man who went to school with her dad, and Danny with a prostitute who worked in one of his dad’s apartments.

Both kids really wanted nothing more than their father’s approval,

The soundtrack was filled with pop and rock tunes that the cast of larger-than-life characters broke into dance routines to and sang along with.

Laced with dark humour, the BBC series was more drama than comedy or musical. Background characters all came to life as well, bringing a vibrancy to the tale of family love torn asunder by strangers and sex.

Ripley Holden
David Morrissey
Natalie Holden
Sarah Parish
DI Peter Carlisle
David Tennant
Shyanne Holden
Georgia Taylor
Danny Holden
Thomas Morrison
Terry Corlette
John Thomson
Adrian Marr
Steve Pemberton
DC Blythe
Bryan Dick
Hallworth
David Bradley
Steve
Kevin Doyle
DCI Jim Allbright
David Hounslow
Hailey
Lisa Millett
Ruth
Jacqueline Pilton
Chantelle
Michelle McCaw
Deaf Barry
Jim Whelan