ITV has just revealed it's working on a new series of short dramas reflecting life in lockdown - and they already sound SO good.
Starting on Monday 4th May, Isolation Stories will be a series of four 15-minute films based on life during quarantine, where actors such as Sheridan Smith will be self-filming in their own homes.
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Written by a cast of award-winning writers and directors, ITV explain the dramas will be "assembled in conditions the production company has never faced before," where production teams will be adhering to strict rules of lockdown by getting actors to film their scenes with directors watching and giving feedback via their mobile phones.
Have you ever heard of anything more of-the-moment?
As for the actual dramas, the shorts will be based on life during lockdown and feature "moments that are funny, sad, heartwarming and poignant".
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The first episode, entitled Mel, will star Sheridan Smith as the title character, a heavily-pregnant woman isolating alone who faces having to go through birth without the married father of her child, who has chosen to stay with his wife and family.
Meanwhile, Mel's own family have given her the cold shoulder. "She might be the only person in the country who doesn't mind isolation," reads the summary. "At least everyone else will understand what it's like to be miserable..."
Sheridan Smith - who is expecting her first child IRL with partner Jamie Horn - said: "I am heavily pregnant and have been isolating at home so I jumped at the chance to make a drama about the massive drama going on all around us right now. I think it's really important to try and reflect what's happening to us whilst it is still actually happening."
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Episode two, Ron & Russell, will star Robert Glenister and his actor son, Tom Glenister, as a father and son who are quarantining together. Father Ron (Robert Glenister) is ill with COVID-19 and is confused about where he is and what is happening to him. One of his sons, Russell (Tom Glenister) is trapped isolating with him and the pair find their relationship strained.
"Old wounds are reopened as they are forced to spend all their time together," ITV says, adding: "Russell becomes increasingly frantic as he tries to help Ron through the illness."
The third episode, Mike & Rochelle, will see Darren Boyd and Angela Griffin appear as Mike, a "paranoid, self-absorbed hypochondriac", and his psychiatrist Rochelle, respectively. Mike, who has found all his worst fears come true books in an online session with his shrink, who must try and talk him down from the precipice of a breakdown.
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Finally, Eddie Marsan, his sons Blue and Bodie, and David Threlfall are set to star in the fourth episode, Karen. It will tell the story of a grandad (David Threlfall) who tried to bring his broken family back together by the limited means he has.
"Able to pass by his son-in-law's house on the way to the grocery store, he stops off outside their window to lark about and make his grandkids smile," reads the summary. "But his son-in-law (Eddie Marsan), still suffering after his wife Karen left him, doesn't welcome these daily visits."
Isolation Stories is executive produced by Oscar-nominated writer and producer Jeff Pope and Tom Dunbar (A Confession), while Paul Whittington, Paul Andrew Williams, Louise Hooper and David Blair will take on directing duties.
The four episodes are written by Jeff Pope, Gaby Chiappe, Neil McKay and William Ivory.
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In terms of what we're watching in the mean time, many of us are looking to escapism viewing, watching gritty dramas that made it past the edit just in time or old reruns of our favourite shows.
But considering the pandemic is completely changed the way we're living, affecting nearly all aspects of our lives, it was only a matter of time until someone decided to capture the zeitgeist, and it seems ITV are taking the lead on this one.
Isolation Stories begins with Mel on Monday 4th May, followed by Ron & Russell on Tuesday 5th, Mike & Rochelle on Wednesday 6th, and finally Karen on Thursday 7th.
We for one cannot wait to watch these.
Featured Image Credit: ITVTopics: Sheridan Smith, TV News, TV Entertainment, ITV