A few weeks ago I attended the BBC Three Launch event for a new series called Overshadowed at the Tyneside Cinema.
Now I have attended an event like this before a few years ago, when I was at The Baltic at Gateshead for the launch of Carrie’s War. Which was a really interesting event, it was exciting to see that a classic story was being brought to children’s television.
However this launch event was a more serious one, as it was for a BBC Three Audience (young adult).
What is Overshadowed?
Overshadowed is a drama that follows a vlogger who is tackling anorexia.
Based on Eva O’Connor’s award winning play, Overshadowed tells the story of a young Irish vlogger called Imogene whose life spirals out of control.
Imogen is a bubbly and outgoing character, yet as we see in the programme she is becoming obsessed with her body, food and exercise. And why? Because of a dark figure shadowing her life.
What did you think?
So at the event I was able to watch five out of the eight episodes and I don’t want to spoil it too much because I would like you to watch the whole series. But I really enjoyed those episodes that I watched, I think that the programme is suitable for BBC Three and it engages with young people in order to highlight the issues Overshadowed surrounds.
I liked the way the programme has been styled in a way that young audiences can relate with, because Imo is a vlogger the whole programme is done so that we are watching her vlogs. As each episode is a new vlog to her channel.
Now I have written this blog the day after the launch (4th October 2017) and I am yet to watch the rest of the series but after this blog has been posted, I will have watched them. But from those that I watched, they were very light and bubbly and although I understood what Imo was experiencing it wasn’t serious, it wasn’t heavy.
But the cast and directors did assure us that it does get darker from here and the tones is lowered and it does delve into the more serious side of anorexia.
Cast and directors you say?
After the episodes, we were lucky enough to have BBC Three Presenter/ Journalist Stacey Dooley interview some of the producers,directors and cast. It was really interesting to hear that Overshadowed was based on Eva O’Connor’s award winning play. O’Connor had a personal experience with anorexia and that is what inspired her to create Overshadowed. And also great to find out that this BBC Three Drama was the first tv drama that some of these young actors had done.
I think this just shows how innovative and forward thinking the BBC Channel is, I am for one looking forward to what they will create for the future of televsion.
You can watch the full seires of Overshadowed here
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