喋喋人生第一季  

Irritatedbyadismissiveuseofthephrase"talkingheads"todescribethemostboringpartsoftheschedule,AlanBennettsetouttorestorethemonologue–whichhadbecomeassociatedwithmusichallorstand-upcomedy–totheheartofTVdrama.PatriciaRoutledgeasadyingofficebusybodyinAWomanofNoImportance(1982)waseffectivelyapilotfortwolaterseriesofsix,whichincludedMaggieSmithasanincredulousvicar'swifeandThoraHirdastwodifferentlystrickenwidows.Withrareandeconomicshiftsofperspective,thedirectionfocusedattentiononthe­actor'sfaceandvoiceandtheauthor'sextraordinaryearfortheshadingandshapingofananecdote.PlayingSandwiches,inwhichDavidHaigportraysapark-keeper,beginsonadeceptivenoteofBennettiannostalgia–"Iwasinthepapershopthisdinnertimegettingsomeliquoriceallsorts"–butdevelopsintoadaringattempttoentertheheadofapaedophile.Inanerawhen­senioractresseshave­complainedabouttheshortageofdecentparts,Bennettprovided11peak-timerolesforolderwomen.By2008,when­EastEndersgaveDot­Cottonasolo­episode­indebtedto­TalkingHeads,itwasclearhowrightthequietlypioneeringBennetthadbeentoignoretelevisionprejudice.