Silent Witness

Sam_Alumni

Did anyone watch Silent Witness this week? 

It's still too rare to see disabled characters being played by disabled actors but the talented Liz Carr has been a featured actor on the show since 2013. And tonight she's joined by Toby Sams-Friedman and Rosie Jones.

You can read more about it on our blog this week:

The story – One Day – is told across two episodes and tells the story of Toby and Serena who are both disabled. They’re played by actor Toby Sams-Friedman and Rosie Jones, a brilliant comedian in her first acting role.

The story is gripping and emotional and while it’s billed as a story about hate crime, it also shines a light on a variety of issues that disabled people face, not to mention the seeming lack of urgency when it comes to addressing those issues. It also features an incredible performance from Liz Carr, a regular on the show.

Our helpline team were consulted on the script and on Tuesday, we were lucky enough to attend a screening of the episodes at BAFTA.

What did you think about the show? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

HeatherM

I enjoy watching Silent Witness anyway.  However the story was great and the fact that the actors were disabled is brilliant we need more drama approached like this.

Misscleo

I love the way that male nurse said disabled people have no purpose to the VERY cleaver disabled lady. Its a point iv made often. 
Disabled people often have a gift.
Ie:Steven Hawkins 

Graham_Scope

This was a landmark moment in TV history - a mainstream programme that featured a disabled character, played by a disabled actor,  over two episodes. I hope it sets a new benchmark for all future TV productions and inspires producers and commissioners to not fight shy of casting disabled actors and commissioning scripts that mainstream disability. 
Some social media commentators thought the story was too dark and unrealistic. I point them to the awful murders of 19 disabled people in a care home in Japan two years ago. It is, thankfully, a rare event - but it proves we need to be eternally vigilant about institutional abuse and keep pressing for real independent living for all disabled people. My disabled cousin Carly wrote a powerful  blog about the murders in Japan here: http://carlyfindlay.com.au/2016/07/28/the-silence-around-the-sagamihara-disability-murders/

Roland

i watched it and was quite disturbed that such behaviour in a residential care home had been allowed to go unchallenged for so long and would have remained unchallenged by the police sergeant were it not for the forensic team.

I appreciate it's fiictional but my brother is about to be moved from a neuro-rehab unit into a residential care home.  It scares me to think he may end up in a place like that.

Topkitten

I think that, as in all things, some care homes are good and some bad. It probably depends mostly on the staff employed there.

TK