Years and Years (2019)

BBC's six parts TV series Years and Years offers a timely satirical look at the state of world politics today as seen through the eyes of a dysfunctional family as the plot takes us from the present day to the not too distant future. Looking at the real world today, the series' peep into the future may not be that far off as it continues the trend and standards that are being set today. The series starts with the aftermath of Brexit, suggests as second term for Trump and the continued rise of China. At the same time, the series takes the opportunity to offer visions of a future technology that sometimes works for you and sometimes against you. It's just like something out of an episode of Black Mirror.

One of the series' highlight is some remarkable supporting performance from Emma Thompson as a British politician that embodies the worst of US President Trump and UK's current PM Boris Johnson. Her speeches are typically unpolished but hits the nail each time as she manages to speak the minds of the people, As the series progresses, we see her subsequent rise in politics as her plays her game to achieve the ultimate position in the country. This subplot plays cleverly in the background while the main stories resolving around the family progresses like a soap opera. Subplots revolves around topics such as same sex marriages, the pledge of immigrants, fake news, beings trans human (or digital) and so on. I have to admit that it took me awhile to like any of these characters. However as the series progressed I got more emotionally involved as we get to understand and know them better. This peaked with in the unexpected death of one of the major characters that was surprisingly emotionally effective. At the same time, we enter further and further into the future as the series takes us from 2019 to 2034 offering the emergence of more innovative technology that becomes easily available to the masses enough to cause havoc under the wrong or right hands.

Years and Years may not be everyone's cup of tea and certainly unlike many of the TV series we are used to these days. It deals with politics, love and marriage, family values, honour ... in other words life. It is definitely worth a watch and particularly appropriate viewing during the Christmas and New Year period as the series uses these periods to reflect the passage of time through the years and years.