Family dramas have the power to evoke countless feelings in each of us. They can appeal to our joy, heartache, and even trauma, depending on the story and performances. However,the best TV dramasprovoke something genuineand enduring in all of us through stories of heartbreak, grief, joy, or challenge. Britbox’s upcoming three-part miniseriesLost Boys & Fairies, premiering on March 4, perfectly understands this.
The miniseries, created byDaf Jamesand starringSiôn Daniel YoungandFra Fee, centers on a gay couple looking to adopt a child. Through this simple yet endlessly compelling premise, the show explores themes of family, addiction, trauma, and overcoming one’s past to embrace one’s future. Although it doesn’t break new ground,Lost Boys & Fairiesremainsa solid piece of melodrama that might not always hit the right notes, but when it does, it’s quite a powerful and heartfelt ode to the importance of family.
What Is ‘Lost Boys & Fairies’ About?
Lost Boys & Fairiesfollows Gabriel (Siôn Daniel Young) and Andy (Fra Fee), a gay couple living in Wales and looking to adopt a child. Initially,they enter the process with very specific ideas about what they wantand receive great help from their caring and concerned social worker, Jackie (Elizabeth Berrington). While Andy, an accountant, is very excited over the prospect of being a father, Gabriel, a drag queen performer, is much more hesitant, as he has a past with addiction and is still haunted by his troubled childhood following the death of his mother. Things change when they meet Jake (Leo Harris), a precocious young boy with a troubled history who makes a great impact on the couple.
The cast is rounded out byWilliam Thomasas Gabriel’s distant father Emrys, who shares a complicated relationship with his son stemming from the many unspoken and lingering issues between them,Maria Doyle Kennedyas Sandra, Andy’s overly caring and lively mother who greatly supports the couple,Arwel Gruffydas Berwyn, Gabriel’s drag mother, and three-time Olivier winnerSharon D. Clarkeas Claire, Jake’s loving and concerned foster parent.
‘Lost Boys & Fairies’ Benefits From Two Great Performances
The greatest strength inLost Boys and Fairiesis undoubtedlythe powerful and tender central performances. As the show’s de-facto lead, Siôn Daniel Young has the heavy burden of bringing vulnerability, nuance, and sympathy to a tricky character. However, the actor rises to the challenge with an honest and often quite visceral performance that will resonate with countless queer audience members. Even when the narrative threatens to descend into melodrama, Young keeps things afloat with his performance. This issue is best illustrated byGabriel’s addiction storyline; the writing can be quite heavy-handed and reliant on common beats we’ve seen countless times before, yet Young’s work keeps it not only engaging but also profoundly affecting.
For his part,the underrated Fra Fee, who is also currently co-starring inApple TV’s thrillerPrime Target, is the perfect partner and contrast for Young. The Irish actor shines asthe more loving and optimistic of the two, bringing some much-needed levity to the series and acting as the perfect counterpart for Young’s more prickly and confrontational Gabriel. Together, these two gifted performers create a relationship that feels real, familiar, and easy to root for. Indeed,Lost Boys & Fairiesrelies entirely on these twoand their ability to be good parents despite their issues, and they more than hit their marks.
Similarly,the supporting cast is stellar. Berrington is a particularly welcome presence as the caring social worker, while Thomas successfully grounds a potentially challenging role with gravitas and visible hesitance and regret. You can tell that he’s afraid of saying the wrong thing every time he talks, and he often does; yet, the show wisely never vilifies him, instead opting to present him as a flawed man willing to make an effort to connect with his estranged son. Lastly, young Harris is also quite impressive, beautifully playing Jake’s whimsy, curiosity, and trauma.
Lastly,the show’s depiction of adoption is quite good. The topic might be foreign to many, andLost Boys & Fairiestreats it with refreshing honesty. It never shies away from depicting its struggles and challenges, from the process to the situations that might arise once the approval has been given and the parents actually get to engage with their child. It’s a delicate but witty and quite balanced portrayal and one of the show’s best aspects.
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‘Lost Boys & Fairies’ Ultimately Succumbs to Old Tropes
Sadly, it’s not all perfect.Lost Boys and Fairiescommonly takes detours into melodrama, which is a perfectly valid approach but does often take from the narrative’s more earnest and potent moments.Everything in the show is heightened, which sometimes works in its favor; other times, however, it can be a bit predictable. Pretty much every episode has at least one musical number; most work fabulously to provide even more color to this already vibrant world. Episode 2’s rendition ofCass Elliot’s “It’s Getting Better” isLost Boys and Fairiesat its best, finding the right blend between showmanship and genuine heart. However, a particularly heavy-handed rendition of aGary Julesclassic later in the show isn’t as impactful or as clever as it wants to be.
Without entering into spoiler territory,some dramatic choices near the end also greatly deprive the show of the goodwillit had earned throughout its first two episodes.Queer stories on televisionand movies are too often pigeonholed into certain genres, and it’s always disappointing to see another promising series devolve into common and dated tropes that should best be left in the past.
Even so,Lost Boys & Fairiesremainsa worthwhile show that will tug on the heartstrings. At its core, however, it’s a story about the importance of family and how connecting with others might be just what’s needed to truly find oneself. It might not achieve all that it sets out to, butLost Boys and Fairiesis a solid, well-meaning, and ultimately powerful miniseries that serves as both an ode to the queer community and a love letter to the ties that bind us and make us thrive as humans.
Lost Boys & Fairiespremieres March 4 on BritBox.
Lost Boys & Fairies
Lost Boys & Fairies may not hit all the right notes with its melodrama but ultimately succeeds at being a powerful ode to family.
