Babies: Heartbreaking new BBC drama is almost unwatchable and that’s why it’s amazing
Babies is one of the year's best BBC dramas
Babies is a true test of stamina, more so than anything Stefan Golaszewski has ever made. It’s an onslaught of grief and awkward conversations – but it’s also remarkably tender, and one of the best BBC dramas this year.
Golaszewski may not be a household name, but he’s built a pervasive and enticingly divisive filmography. Him & Her may still be his crowning achievement, but Mum was fantastic, and Marriage (Sean Bean and Nicola Walker’s slow-burn drama from 2022) clearly hit a little too close to home for some viewers.
They’re all incredibly well-observed, linked together by a lingering, sometimes amusing, other times all-too-real level of discomfort.
Babies isn’t as bitter as Marriage (there aren’t any arguments over a baked potato), but it is draining – and therein lies its brilliance.
What is Babies about?
The new series revolves around Lisa (Siobhán Cullen) and Stephen (Paapa Essiedu), a couple in their 30s who want one thing more than anything else: to have a baby.
Pregnancy is often played for laughs in movies and TV; for example, Bridget Jones’ Baby, Knocked Up, and Catastrophe. While Babies isn’t without levity, nor does it neglect the joy or laughs of parenthood (one perfectly pitched “oh [bleep]” is worthy of a cackle), that’s not what it’s really about.
This is a show about how hard it is for some people to have a child. Specifically, Lisa and Stephen’s multiple pregnancy losses.
That’s a tough sell for anyone. And, to be clear, Babies wholeheartedly illustrates the complicated and messy trauma of losing a baby. We see Stephen and Lisa try to navigate everyday life as they’re surrounded by constant reminders of their grief, before either crumbling under the weight of their sadness (and anger) or desperately trying to rationalise what’s happened.
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Elsewhere, the series also follows Stephen’s friend, Dave (Jack Bannon). He’s an obnoxious father-of-one, separated from his partner and in a relationship with Amanda (Charlotte Riley), who’s also working through her own grief.
Babies is cringe-worthy in the best way
One of the most commendable aspects of Babies is how honest it is about everyday conversation; how recklessly oblivious we can all be, and how tempting it is to offset our true feelings with a sarky, deprecatory joke. It may even make you consider how you speak to your friends and family.
For example, Stephen and Dave’s scenes are kind of infuriating – only because we know how much they’re both hiding. These are two guys who are clearly good pals, but you’d never know that from their conversations. It’s like a feeble sparring match every time they’re together, almost unconsciously swatting one another’s attempts at proper conversation.
It’s incredibly cringe-worthy, especially one sequence in a restaurant endlessly punctuated with strained, fake laughs. There’s another scene between Stephen and his dad (played by Gary Beadle) that’s similarly hard to watch, with both characters relying on hollow platitudes rather than acknowledging what’s on their minds.
That’s not a criticism; most people are guilty of doing the same thing. Babies just isn’t afraid of showing how damaging it can actually be.
Babies isn’t all about misery, so don’t be put off
It’s also an incredibly accomplished piece of television in almost every regard. Essiedu and Cullen have extraordinary chemistry (speaking to Cee TV, Golaszewski called them “two of the greatest talents of their generation”).
Bannon’s character may be one of the most unlikeable characters ever put to screen. Yet, he still manages to make him watchable and not without redemption. Riley is also excellent, delivering a performance full of despaired, tormented micro-expressions. Even if we didn’t see her full story, we’d get the gist.
Golaszewski also provides two original songs for the series, ‘Volcano’ and ‘Tomorrow’. They have a sweet, backroom sound, packed with poignant lyrics; let’s hope they get added to Spotify!
We don’t need to warn you any further about the subject matter. However, we can also say this: Babies may make you weep, but there will be happy tears, too.
As Golaszewski told the Radio Times, “it sounds miserable… but it’s not”.
“It has at its heart hope. There’s a happy ending. It’s an attempt to speak truthfully about an experience that remains unspeakable, that is treated as an illness and not grief, and find a way for those who have been through loss to feel less alone.”
For some people, it’ll eventually feel unwatchable. But, if you’re able to adjust to its tempo, you’ll experience a rich, mature, and truly truthful story that could be a genuine force for good.
Read more: The best films you can watch on BBC iPlayer now
