BAFTA winner Stephen Poliakoff calls out the troubling state of UK television drama – and how we can weaponise the past to save it

When the show unexpectedly became a success, I was given the opportunity to continue it with Perfect Strangers. In this series, Daniel, a young surveyor played by Matthew Macfadyen from the suburbs, finds himself amidst an extravagant family reunion filled with relatives he has never met before. As the event unfolds, secrets surface, shocking stories emerge, and deep-seated family resentments are revealed.








