Fans looking for a hard-hitting drama based on real-life events can get their teeth stuck into Channel 4's Help. Starring acclaimed actors Stephen Graham and Jodie Comer, the 2021 Channel 4 drama brought together two of Britain's most celebrated performers in unforgettable roles.
The feature-length television film, Help, was written by celebrated screenwriter Jack Thorne, whose credits also include Adolescence and the recent TV adaptation of Lord of the Flies. Set in a fictional Liverpool care home during the early months of 2020, the story explores the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on residents and staff.
Comer stars as Sarah, a young care worker who has recently started a job at the facility, while Graham plays Tony, a resident living with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. As the coronavirus crisis unfolds across the UK, both characters find themselves facing increasingly difficult challenges as they try to protect those around them.
Intense Drama Based on Real Events
Part of the drama's synopsis reads: 'Then March 2020 hits and everything Sarah has achieved is thrown into doubt with the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic. She and her colleagues tirelessly fight tooth and nail, ill-equipped, poorly prepared, and seemingly left helpless by the powers that be.'
'A determined Sarah goes to extraordinary lengths to protect those in her care, whose conditions make their suffering and isolation all the more traumatic. But the staff's unwavering commitment, compassion and heroic efforts can only do so much, and Sarah is pushed into a dark corner and desperately looks for a way out.'
Much of the drama's emotional intensity centres on a pivotal night shift, during which Sarah is left to cope with mounting pressures and impossible circumstances on her own.
Critical Acclaim and Viewer Reaction
At the time of its release, Help was critically acclaimed and still sits with an incredible 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also left many viewers gobsmacked. As well as this, Jodie Comer's performance was widely praised, with The Post NZ saying: 'If you've only ever seen Jodie Comer as Killing Eve's villainous Villanelle, then prepare to be gobsmacked by her latest turn.'
Another review branded the actress 'exceptional', naming it 'one of her best performances yet' (via Fangirl Freakout in 2022). Meanwhile, IndieWire praised both leads, writing: 'For a fictional telling with so much emotional volatility, finding performers who can manage that heavy, delicate lifting is a key task. Fortunately, Help has twin pillars in the form of Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham.'
Help is available to stream on Channel4.com.
