The A Word: Rows about Joe and trouble in paradise

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The A Word: Rows about Joe and trouble in paradise

March 29, 2016 - 21:23
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As the emotional tension spiralled on The A Word worried mum Alison’s decision to take little Joe out of school went down like a lead balloon.

Max Vento, who plays Joe and Christoper Eccleston, his grandfather Maurice

As the emotional tension spiralled on The A Word worried mum Alison’s decision to take little Joe out of school went down like a lead balloon.

As un-PC as they come, gruff granddad Maurice’s response was blunt and to the point: “I’m mot meaning to be offensive but if Joe’s damaged stock already won’t that make him even more of an oddball?” Eddie: “That’s you not meaning to be offensive?”

In the idyllic Lake District there’s trouble in paradise. After five year-old Joe was diagnosed as autistic his dysfunctional family is struggling to cope.

Painful scenes as anguished Alison watched her isolated little boy failing to interact with his classmates. She wants to educate him at home. His distraught dad Paul profoundly disagrees. And so a once happy couple began to fall apart at the seams.

Meanwhile, Joe’s uncle Eddie has his own relationship problems. His unfaithful doctor wife Nicola went to Manchester to meet the man she had an affair with. Because he’s the expert on autism who may be able to help.

When Nicola returned she admitted she still fancies the other guy. Naturally, Eddie was absolutely thrilled about that. “Why couldn’t you just lie?” he stormed.

It’s the kind of tangled situation that great drama is made of. And after a strong start this series is getting better. As is the contribution of child actor Max Vento, whose incredible performance is the hub around which this enthralling story revolves.

With his obsessive love of pop music, Joe’s habit of marching down the middle of the road with his earphones on is uncomfortable to watch. The scenery is stunning but danger is all around.

Meanwhile, there’s a whole lot of sex not going on for Joe’s 16 year-old sister Rebecca who didn’t quite do the deed with her boyfriend. Caught before the act.

And mortified Maurice is busy avoiding his singing teacher after she suggested that he could hit the right note with her by satisfying her needs.

In the end The A Word is about a lot more than just autism. It’s about people. And it’s about life. And that can be complicated.

Read my review of the first episode of The A Word.

There are 2 Comments

mansellmum's picture

Love this programme, hopefully people will start to understand even just a little bit what all our lives can be like living with Autism. May be they will be a little more tolerant with me and my son when I am publicly trying to stop him going into meltdown. Really true to life and that boy is a great little actor, looking forward to next week, something we are all watching as a family.

mansellmum's picture

Am loving this programme, would love them to do another series though maybe 5 or 6 years down the line and show when the real 'fun' begins, think that would be really interesting.