A new Channel 4 drama, The Gathering, has become a hit on Netflix, exploring the lives of teenagers in Liverpool and the toxic behaviour of their parents. The series, produced by the team behind Line of Duty and Bodyguard, begins with a violent attack at an illegal rave, then jumps back six months to unravel the events leading up to it.
The show's writer, Helen Walsh, was inspired by Philip Larkin's poem This Be The Verse, which examines how parents can negatively impact their children. Walsh notes that while parents make decisions with good intentions, they often don't know how things will turn out until it's too late. The series delves into themes of surveillance parenting, social media pressure, and the strategies teens use to resist parental control.
Producer Simon Heath describes the show as an exploration of 'toxic teenagers and their even more toxic parents'. One character, a mother, tries to pay her daughter's boyfriend to stop seeing her and uses underhanded tactics to get her daughter's friend removed from a sports team. The series highlights how helicopter parenting has intensified in the smartphone era, with parents tracking their children's every move.
Actress Eva Morgan, who plays gymnast Kelly, says her character is a protector of her family but still navigating teenage life. Co-star Sonny Walker emphasises the role of social media, noting that young people can present themselves however they like online, leading to pressure and viral incidents. The Gathering features well-rounded characters grappling with contemporary issues, making it a compelling watch.
