Newark, Newark - a deeper message maybe than a simply a Nathan Foad UKGold funny

So, there we have it folks, Newark, Newark has drawn to a close. The court of public opinion is in session, and the jury out.

Each of us has been blessed with the power for thought and to form an opinion.

We each know and understand better than anyone the workings of our own family dynamic, what makes us happy, what makes us sad.

There are many forms of bravery; for some it is to fight on a front line, for others to serve their community, for others it is simply getting through the day grind or battling mental or physical health.

Somewhere, amongst it all, we seek a sense of purpose and of belonging.

I for instance, as a college drop-out in my teens, was at risk of becoming wayward until my mum pointed out that the only thing that I had enjoyed or embraced in my schooling was a love for the written word.

Now, I'm not bullish or complacent enough to claim to be Rudyard Kipling, but my point is that we all need to take inspiration from somewhere, and a mother's love is usually, if we have it, the greatest starting point. Having a supportive family is no less than a blessing as is the right to self-determination.

Having an opinion is one thing, sharing it in a constructive way, another.

What we learned at the beginning of the pandemic was the importance of expressing our love and support for others.

During three episodes of Newark, Newark, writer and creator Nathan Foad has sought to give us insight into what life was like for him growing up in Newark. For him as a teenager their were highs, there were lows, there was a strive for acceptance, there was effort to find himself in a world not always aligned to what he was thinking or feeling. Surely, something that each and every one of us can relate to?

What transcends everything is his relationship with his mother.

Reviewing anything is a matter of personal opinion. At the very real risk of being vilified as self-indulgent, whether we find the sitcom funny, whether we recognise our town in our own recollections, knowledge or perception, is largely, surely, in my opinion, irrelevant because, if we were to admit it, we all have a story that we'd like to tell, and the only difference is that Nathan Foad has found himself the platform to be able to tell his, and has the bravery to put it out there to be scrutinised.

Here's wishing him a successful career.

A regular commentator on our site asked us to stop reporting on each episode of this show because he doesn't like it, the same chap that said Ukraine's fate would be sealed within days of the invasion beginning. Well, the role of democracy is to advance free speech and while invoking your's, spare a thought for those who may not share it and have a right to voice theirs'.

My only thought right now, love you mum.