Warming Up

6682/19602

The news that a fourth series of Relativity has been commissioned was announced today (I've known for a few months) 

Obviously it's great that Radio 4 are showing such support for this series, but at this point in the process my heart sinks at the seemingly impossible task of coming up with six more episodes.

So it's lucky I've had testicular cancer, because obviously that can be the main story for the series. Thanks again, right bollock - you gave your life so that I might have material. 

I remember thinking when I came out of the initial appointment with my doctor, when things looked positive, that it would be a good plot line for Ian to worry he had cancer, but discover it's just epididymitis (which is what my doctor was more or less convinced was the issue). But to be fair, that's just a one episode idea - and only a subplot, so maybe a third of an episode. Ian having a bollock removed provides stories for all six shows and I can make the whole series about ME! Which is lucky as my parents haven't done anything funny for ages.

Even before that I had been considering a different character getting seriously ill, so it's weird how things turn out. And how often with script writing that life seems to echo the stuff you've come up with from your imagination.

Of course I now have to solve all problems that I'd left the family with at the end of the last series. I genuinely hadn't thought ahead about what was going to happen next, because what's the point? I might not have got to do any more. And as a writer I like to be as surprised by turns of events as my audience. Will Pete and Jane manage to reconcile or is their family going to be split apart? 

Well I guess you'll have to wait and see. As will I.

And I have to decide if Covid is going to happen in the Relativity universe. If it does I think they will be on the other side of it (I hope we all will be by the time this series is broadcast). What I like about this series is that it often leaps months or years ahead. I think series 3 all took place in the span of a few days, but in the first two there was often a gap between episodes. And I like the idea of ending on a cliff hanger and then picking things up 18 months later and having to gradually work out what's changed.

So I have more thoughts now than I did at a similar point with the last series and hopefully enough things will happen in real life between now and September to give me ideas for everyone else.

If you need to catch up with the show then I can not condone the behaviour of fourble who have made the whole thing available in podcasts form. 

It's also here 

RHLSTP with Mary Lynn Rajskub from off of 24 and the Larry Sanders Show and Dude, Where's My Car? Is now up wherever you get your podcasts. Like here.

Or on YouTube 

Recorded the day before my op. I am recovering very well.