TV Pick of the Week: Falling - review by Yvette Huddleston

Hawes is Anna, a nun who has lived a secluded life in a closed order for over 20 years, while Essiedu is David, a dynamic young Catholic priest overseeing an inner-city parish in Bristol. The two initially come into contact when Essiedu visits the convent to speak to Abess Francesca (Niamh Cusack) about bringing a group of girls from his church, some of whom may be interested in entering a life of service to the lord. After his meeting with the Abess, she offers him a simple meal to be prepared by sister Anna (Hawes) who looks after the kitchen as well as tending the garden where she grows vegetables for the order and to sell to the local community.

There is an immediate connection between Anna and David as they chat in the kitchen while she prepares his meal. When she accidentally burns herself on a saucepan, he holds her hand to run it under cold water. That touch sparks an intense reaction in Anna which leads to her questioning her faith and embarking upon a course of action that will change her life forever. Meanwhile David is dealing with his own demons – we see him going to an AA meeting where he talks about his battles with alcohol and the reasons behind his drinking. He also reveals why he moved to Bristol from his previous post. Now living with his sister Susan (Sophie Stone) and her family, he feels like his life is back on track. He is committed to his flock and to improving their lives – including trying to protect a young girl who is growing up in a violent home.

Then Anna arrives to see him one night and declares that she is in love with him. She has left her convent, without informing the Abess, and is not intending to go back. Hawes plays the scene in which Anna tells David of her feelings for him beautifully. The way in which she portrays Anna’s emotional turmoil – a combination of conviction, hope and longing – is extremely affecting. And when she is rebuffed by David, quite heartbreaking. Both eloquently convey what is left unsaid and Thorne’s script gives them space to showcase their empathetic characterisations of two people caught up in a situation neither expected which has plunged them into unknown territory and shaken their hitherto unshakeable beliefs.