RussellTDavies:34;I39;dlongwantedtowriteadeaththatfeelslikeadeath34;

IneededastiffdrinkafterthelatestCucumber–RussellTDavies’sdarkestandmostdisturbingdramatodate.IprevieweditforRTseveralweeksagoandithauntedmefordays.Episodesixbeginswiththecaption“LanceEdwardSullivan1966–2015”–soweknowwhereit’sheadingforoneofthecentralcharacters.Thefollowing45minutesthendeftlyencapsulateLance’slifeandloves,fromhisbirthinthe1960stoafinal,fatefulencounterwithDaniel.Ihadahunchitwouldn’tendwellbetweenthesetwo.Forweeks,Lance(CyrilNri)haspursuedhisobsessionwithDaniel(JamesMurray),thehighlysexed,supposedlystraightdiver–despitemanydangersignals.They’vegoneonblokey“dates”andlastweekhadasexualencounterofsorts.Now,inepisodesix(Channel4,Thursday26February),they’vegonealotfurther...Inthefinalmoments,theincreasinglyunhingedDanielflips,becomesviolentandthwacksLancewithagolfclub.Justonce.Buttheironsmashesintothesideofhisskull.Withinseconds–asfragmentsofhislifeflashbeforehiseyes–Lanceisdead.Harrowingmaterialfromtheebullient,big-heartedRussellTDavies,whoisonlytoohappytodiscusshislatestworkwithRadioTimes.com…PM:Thisisverydarkanddisturbingterritory,Russell.Whatcompelledyoutogothere?RTD:Thankyou–I’mgladyoulikedit,andifyoudon’tmindmysayingso,I’mgladit’shauntedyou.ButIwasalwaysheadinghere.Aboutayearago,AlisonGrahamwroteapowerfularticleinRadioTimes,askingwhydarknesshastoeruptintelevisionseries,andI’mstillthinkingofhowtoanswerher.Iwasinthemiddleofwritingthiswhenshepublishedthat,andshestoppedmeinmytracks!ButIkeptgoing.AndIthinkthatwritersexplorethisstuffbecausethat’sourjob;that’swhywewriteinthefirstplace,totesteverything,tofeeleverything,tobeasfunnyaspossibleandasdarkaspossible.Teenagerssaythesedays,“It’sallaboutthefeels!”Butmaybethey’reright.Simpleasthat.Soforalongtime,I’dwantedtowriteadeaththatfeelslikeadeath.I’vekilledplentyofpeopleasplotdevices.Andit’salwaysfeltlikeit’sskimmingthesurface.I’vebeenthinkingforyearsthatinordertotelladeath,I’dhavetotellthewholelife.Anddevoteawholeepisodetoit.Sothatattheend,Ihope,itdoesn’tjustfeellikesomeone’sdead,itactuallyfeelslikedying.Ittookyearstobuilduptoit.Ineededtosummonalotofnervetofindthatgolfclubanduseit–seriously,ifyoulookateverythingI’veeverwritten,Ialmostneverusephysicalviolence.Lasers,fine.Butactualphysicalviolence,never.IthinkIthrewasingle,genuinepunchinmyentirehistoryofDoctorWho.Youtryholdingdownacareerasawriterwithoutpunches,it’sveryhardtosustain.Everydramahasapunch-up.Butnotmine.I’vealwaysthoughttherearebetterwaystowrite.Sotobuilduptothis–andit’soneswing,asingleblow,wheninrealitythatcouldhavebeenatorrentofblows–neededmetogritmyteeth.Maybethat’sansweringAlison’squestion,abit.Ifawriter’sworkinghardtogofurtherthantheynormallygo,isn’tthatgood?Butthat’sonlyoneaspect.Thereareathousandreasonsfordoingit.Anotherwas,Iwasveryawarefromthestartthatthiswholeseriesamountedtobasicallyfirst-worldproblems.Sex,family,love,money.Noone’sindangerofstarving!Whenactually,toliveasagaymanintheworld,evenhereinthewest,meansskirtingroundviolenceeveryday.Likeitornot.That’safact.Itspotentialisalwaysthere.Andjust3,000milesaway–that’snextdoor,it’sjustnextdoortous–gaymeninSyriaarebeingthrownoffrooftops.WhilePutingatherspowereveryday,whatishisobsessionwithhomosexuality?Imean,seriously,whatisit?SofromthemomentIbegantothinkofCucumber,adecadeago,Iknewanactofviolencewouldinterruptacomparativelycosyworld.It’llhappenthisweekend,tosomemanorsomewoman.Anightoutwillendinharm,orHIV,oraterriblememory,andatitsworst–afewtimesayear,allyearround,everyyear–anightwillendlikeLance’s.It’simportanttoincludethatworld.Therealworld,intrudingonfiction.AndalwaysmindfulofAlison–I’mnotkidding,Ilistentoher–IdecidedtherewouldbenochanceofasecondseriesofCucumberaftershedemolishedthesheerexistenceofHomeland’ssecondseason!IthinkIwasdiligent,andpavedthewayforthisinadvance.There’salwaysbeenadarknessattheedgesofCucumber,whichallowsDanielin.Theseriesbeganwithasuicide.Andactually,Danielradiatesdanger!Thewholepointofhim,sincehisveryfirstscene,hasbeentosayhe’strouble.He’ssodisturbedandconflicted,hiseverylineunsettlesme.Iwantedtodothatspecificallybecausewhensomeviolentacterupts,inlife,it’sneveroutofnowhere.Mostofuswillneverbeviolent.Mostofus,thankGod.Butthosewhoare...Ithinkitcanbevisible.Ifwecouldonlyreadthesigns.Peoplewithacapacityforviolencehavegoneverywrong,andthatwrongnessisshiningoutofthem.Sooften,aftersometerribleact,you’llseepeoplesaying,“Heseemedsonice”or“Hewassuchaniceman.”Idon’tbelieveit.Ibettherewasalwayssomethingvisiblywrong.Justlook!Sothat’showDanielwascreated.Ifyou’rereadingtheseriesright,you’llhavebeenscreamingatthescreenforweeksnow,tellingLancetogetout.Toolate!Bytheway,ifyouwatchthisweek’sBanana–whichisalovely,brittle,hilariouslovestory,writtenbyandstarringCharlieCovell–you’lldiscoverwhatDanieldidnext.Fleetingly!Keepanearopen.PM:Lance’smurderisclearlyapivotalmomentintheseries.You’vekilledoffoneofyourcentralcharacters,niceguyLance,whowasdecent,sensible,romantic.Nowhisex-partner,theself-centredHenry,willhavetodealwiththehorrorandloss.HowearlyinthewritingprocessoftheseriesdidyoudecidethatLancewasgoingtodie?Isthisalwayswhereyouwereheadingwiththestory?RTD:It’sfunny,Icouldwrite57pagesdebatingthenotionofinnocentLanceandself-centredHenry.Ithinkit’strickierthanthat!Henryhasn’tbeentrulyself-centredsinceEpisode1–sincethen,he’srealisedhowscaredheis,thathe’sscaredof“theman”inEp3.He’sconfessedtobeingscaredofsexandyouthandlifeandeverythinginEp4,andinEp5he’sfinallysoselflessthatheletsLancego.Ironically!It’shisfaultagain!Andincontrast,everyoneseesLanceasthelong-sufferinginnocent,butI’mnotsosure–IthinkLanceplaystheinnocent,butthat’sadifferentthing.Wealldothat,butitdoesn’tmakeittrue!BecauseitwasLancewhobroughtthatmanhomeinEp1,deliberately,toprovoke.AndwemightlaughatHenryforfancyingFreddie,butLanceisequallystar-struck,withafarworseman,amanwho’sclearlybeentroublesinceEpisode1.Butyes,thiswasalwaystheplan.Thefirstsynopsiswaswritteninearly2011,whenIwaslivinginLA,andLancewasacharacterwhoworkedattheSeattleAquarium.Thecastingnoticealwayssaidhewasonlyinitforsixepisodes.Actually,seven,andthenImovedthedeathbackbyoneepisodebecauseitsconsequenceswouldbesohuge.Buttheshowneedsit–withoutremovingLance,theserieswouldhavejustbecomeawill-he-won’t-hewithHenry.BykillingLance,weleaveHenryalone.That’stherealpoint.We’veseenHenryloseeverything.Butnowhe’sreallysufferedaproperloss,andtheseriesisanexaminationofthat,ofwhoHenryis,whyhe’slikeheis,andwhetherhecanchange.Thisishisultimatechallenge.Hissafetynethasgone.Andhe’sgotalongwaytofall.PM:Thefinaltenminutesisoneuncompromisinglystrongscene–initsdepictionofsexbetweentwomen(clumsyandawkwardbutnevertoographic),asexualencountergoinghorriblywrongandendinginbrutality.Thewriting,performances,directionandeditingareallrazor-sharp.I’mwonderinghowcloselywhatyouwroteinthescripthastranslatedtothescreen.Wereyoushockedyourselfwhenyousawit?RTD:Well,blessthatteam,that’sword-for-wordwhat’sinthescript.Everypause,kissandmovement.Ithadtobewrittensocarefullyandprecisely,tobeabsolutelystrictaboutwhateachmanisdoingandthinkingateverystageofthatlong,longscene.Theepisodehasspent40minutesrattlingthroughanentirelife,sonowwespendtenminutesfocusingoneverybreath.IwassoluckythatAliceTroughtoncameintodirectthisblock.I’vealwaysbeenabitexperimentalwhenAliceisaround!WedidthatepisodeofDoctorWhotogether,Midnight[2008],theonewhereDavidTennantistrappedonboardaspacebuswithLesleySharp,andallshecandoisrepeathiswords.Thatwasbold,thatpushedusall,andthatepisode–unusuallyforapieceofsci-fi–endedupwinningawardsforsoundandediting.SoAlicealwaysmakesmepushthingsfurther!IknewshewasonboardbeforeIevenstartedwritingthis,sothatgavemethefreedomtofly.Iknewshe’dloveit!AlongthewaywegottheeditorofthefirstfourepisodesofBananainvolved,PauloPandolpho,becausewe’dlovedhiswork,andthatprovedtobeagreatcombination.He’sonlyinhis20s,he’sbrilliant.He’sthevoicethatsays“Banana!”overtheopeningtitles.Butthat’signoringthemostobviousthing.Oursecretweapons.CyrilandJames.Andthey’rejustamazing,aren’tthey?Icanrambleonaboutstoriesandambitionsandscripts,butyou’renothingwithoutthecast.Andthosetwowentintoitwhole-heartedly.TheyrehearsedwithAliceintensely.Andwescheduledtwowholedaysforthebigscene–that’salongtime,inTV.Butthewholeteamwantedtogetitright.Ithinkthey’rejustnote-perfect,thosetwoactors.Iwasn’texactlyshockedwhenIfirstsawit.Well,truthis,Icouldn’tstayawayfromthatedit!BecauseAlice,PauloandI,andMattStrevens,theproducer,wealltalkedalotaboutthatfinalsequence,theinsideofLance’smindashedies.Again,itwaswrittenindetail,everyimage,everyflashback,butthatcomesaliveintheedit,andchanges.Wehadversionsthatweretoolong,tooshort.Toonoisy,tooquiet.WealmostlostthecopyrightonthatEurovisionsong[Spain’s1968winnerLa,La,La]–wesoneededit,it’sthemostsinistertuneintheworld–untilMattwrestledthelawyerstothefloor.Soweworkedonitalot.Iwasn’tsurewhetheritworkeduntilwefirstplayeditto[executiveproducer]NicolaShindler.Andsheburstintotears!Jobdone,wethought.Althoughofcourse,shehadnotes.Butwesimplykeptrefininguntilwewerehappy.I’monlysadaboutonething–oneimageflashingthroughhisheadwasmeanttobefull-framefootageofBennyHill’sErnie.Echoingfromhischildhood,thatsinisterbitabouttheghostlygoldtops,costhatalwayschilledmeasakid.ButweonlyhadpermissiontoplaythatvideowithinaTVscreen,duringLance’schildhood,andnotfull-frame.Damn!PM:WhendidtheactorsCyrilNriandJamesMurrayknowwherethestorywasheadingfortheircharacters?Rightfromthestart?RTD:Oh,fromthemomenttheywerebooked.BythetimeCyrilwascast,andwewentforanicelittlelunchinManchestertodiscusseverything,I’dalreadygivenhimEp6.Sonoonewasunderanyillusions!Wedidaskthecastnottotweetanythingaboutit,orthescenesinEp7,whichwouldgiveawaythefutureoftheplot,justincase.ButIthinkCyrilwasjustexcited!Let’sbehonest,whatactordoesn’twantagooddeathscene?PM:Iadorethewayyou’vebroughtDeniseBlackintotheepisode.ShewassowonderfulinQueerasFolkasHazelTyler,Vince’sclued-up,veryacceptingmum.Irememberthescenewheresheheldaconferencewiththeother,lessliberal-mindedmumsandsaid,“Trynottothinkaboutthearsethingandyou’llbefine.”IreadthatwhenyouhaltedQueerasFolkaftertenepisodes,youconsideredasoloshowforHazel.HowmuchinlovewithHazelareyouandwhy?RTD:It’shardtosaywhoIlovebest,HazelorDenise!Somanypeoplehavesuchatremendousaffectionforthemboth.Whenthisserieswasfirstcommissioned,IsaidtoPiersWenger,theHeadofDramaatChannel4,“Idon’tsupposeyou’dmindHazelTylerwalkingroundthecorneratsomepoint?”andhesaid“Ohyesplease!”Whenthemanwho’spayingfortheseriessaysthat,youlisten!ButQueerAsFolkwasaveryspecialtime,forDeniseandmeandanawfullotofus.It’scarvedonmygravestone,frankly.AndDeniseassumedquitearolewithinthegaycommunitytoo–peopleloveHazel,soDeniseisoftenaskedtoattendcharityfunctions,andAidsmemorials,tohisday.Andshealwaysturnsup,she’sapropertrouper.Sothiswholethingfeltright.IknewI’dneverbecomingbacktothisworld,sothiswasonefinalhurrah.Mindyou,Iwroteherintothiswithoutevenaskingher,andthenhadanastymomentofwondering,“Whatifshesaysno?”Butsheleaptonit!ShewasoutinSpain,filmingBenidorm,soweemailedthescripttoher,andwithinfiveminutesshewasonthephone,planningherhairandcostume.Andactually,genuinelydelightedtobeback,blessher.PM:It’shugelypoignantthatHazelreappears15yearslaterinCucumberasakindofFairyGodmotherofCanalStreet.ShesidlesuptoLanceonabridgeandseemstobewarninghim.“Isitworthitintheend?Really?…You’vetakenawrongturnbutyoucouldstillturnback.Nowlistentomeandgohome.”ThenshetellsLancethatshe’sactuallydead.“GoodoldHazel.NowIwalkupanddownthisstreet.Meandtheboysandthewater.”Itworksbeautifullyandissuchatouchingpay-offforQueerasFolkfans–butit’sboldtoaddthiselementoffantasy,ofthesupernatural,toadeadseriousdrama.Howdidyoudevelopthissection?RTD:Yeah.Ineededthestorytorise,tolift,tobecomebigger,toreachintoareasandstylesofstorytellingthatyouwouldn’tnormallyuse,becausetheapproachingdeathwassohuge.Bearinmind,you’vebeentoldsinceScene1thatLanceisgoingtodie.Youseethedatesofhisbirthanddeath,30secondsin.Sothecloseritgets…thewallsneedtobreakdown,thedramaneedstostretchfurther,andsnapopen,becausethat’sthesizeofwhat’scoming,andthisistheonlychanceI’llget.Togointodetail–andyoudon’thavetopayanyattentiontothis,thinkwhatyouwant!–butonceyou’vebeentoldthatLanceisdead,inScene1,thenallrulesareoff.Andyoucouldarguethattheentireepisodeishisdeath,thatfromScene2,byseeinghisbirth,we’reactuallyexperiencingtheinsideofhisheadafterthegolfclub.Weareliterallyseeinghislifepassbeforehiseyes.SowhileIwantedtoliftthestoryup,togiveitasupernaturalterror,thepointis,didheseeHazelatall?Didhereallyseeaghost?Really?!Becauserightattheend,inthefinalimages,youseeanoldwoman,inHazel’sclothes,standingwhereHazelstood.Andshe’sraving,she’sdrunk,she’smad.WhileHazelgentlytoldLancetogohome,theoldwomanisscreaming“Gohome!”athimasracialabuse.Maybe,justmaybe,LancetookthatimagefromhislastnightonEarth,andindying,tidieditup.Hecorrectedit.Madeitprettier,anddeeper,andheevenincludedforeshadowing.EitherhismindreplacedtheoldwomanwithawomanfromoneofhisfavouriteTVshows,or,ifyouwantQAFtobeinthesamecanonasCucumber,thenhereplacedtheoldwomanwithsomeoneheusedtoseefromafaronCanalStreet,areallyfunnywomanwhohewisheshe’dknown.Maybethat’strue.Butequally,maybeitisHazel.Maybethisdeathissoawfulandsoimportantthatthebarriersbetweenworldscomedown,andthebarriersbetweenstories.Lance’sdeathissohugethatacharacterfromanotherfictioncanstepintohisstorytogivehimawarningaboutthenextpage.Ireallybelievethattoo.Honestly,Ibelievethatequally.Herappearanceisgivenhugeweightbyherinvisiblechorusoftheboysinthewater;andthey’rereal,thoseboys,theboyswhodrowneveryyear.IwrotethatlinelongbeforetherecentscandaloverexactlyhowmanyboysregularlydisappearintoManchester’scanals.It’sshocking.Iwouldn’tincludethatlightly.PartofmewishesthatsomeonelikeHazelwouldstandguardoverthem.Whileknowingthatlife,nordeath,wouldneverbethatkind.Yousee?Itgoesbacktomyfirstanswer,itgoesbacktothefeels!IthinkHazel’spresenceliftsthings,stirsyoursoul,inawaythatnormaleventscouldnot.That’swhatthesupernaturalisfor,that’swhyweinventedit.Tofeelsomethinggreaterthanourselves.Blimey.Thankyouforgivingmethechancetosaythat!PM:MaybeI’vemissedthembut,givenCucumber’ssettingontheManchestergayscene,wereyoutemptedtomakeanyotherallusionstoQueerasFolk?RTD:Idon’tthinkthere’sanythingelse!TheclubthatHenryandLancegotoinEp1iscalledBabylon,andhadtheexactneonsignfromQAFrecreatedbytheartdepartment.ButI’mnotsureyoueversawthatonscreen.Ofcourse,HenryworksforHCClements,whowereDonnaNoble’semployersinDoctorWho,butthat’snotanintentionallink–it’ssimplythatIknewthenamewasfictionalandwouldthereforebecopyright-cleared!PM:Whatdoyouhopeviewers,inparticulargaymen,willtakeawayfromthisepisode?Isitacautionarytale?RTD:OhGod,yes,Ihopeso.Ikeepwritingthatindramas,thatOneBadNight.Thenightthatgoeswrong.Ithinkit’saverygayexperience,everygaymanouttherehashadanightlikethis,inpotential,orcouldhaveanightlikethisatanytime.Ishouldn’tclaimitasgay–anyonecanwalkdownthatpath.Justasteptoofar,justadrinktoomuch,inthecity,atnight,andyou’reintrouble.ThoughIdothinkthisterritorybelongstowomenandgaymeninparticular,tobehonest.Andwhilethat’sverygeneralised,thenspecifically,menlikeDanielexistinthisexactdetail.Andonceortwiceayear,you’llseesomestory,somemanwithanotherman,andalashingout,andadeath,attheendofalong,darknight.Andsometimes,thatdeathwillbecalledGayPanic.Lookitup,that’sabouttobecomepartoftheplotofEps7and8.Whileithasnolegalstandinganymore,inthiscountry,theimplicationofgaypanic,thatastraightmanisallowedtolashoutifagaymanmakesapassathim,isasvileandperniciousasever.Thesenightshappen.Theywillhappenthisweekend.Becareful.Butit’snotjustaboutthedeath.It’saboutthelife.That’stherealpointofthewholeepisode,toseethehugenessofLance’swell-livedlife.Inthepassingoftheyears,youseefathersforgive,youseelossesovercome,andyouseelove.Intheend,Ihope,indying,Lancecanbeseenaswonderful.Likeanyone.Phew.Blimey.Thankyou!Onthatnote,goodnight.PM:OnbehalfofRadioTimesandCucumberfans,thankyou,Russell.CucumbercontinuesonThursdaysonChannel4at9pm