Full disclosure: Iโve already penned a version of this article about the Boiling Point movie. But in light of the fact the BBCโs Boiling Point TV series is scheduled to arrive later this year, I think itโs high time we revisit the compelling case to watch some Stephen Graham and Vinette Robinson-led hospitality drama.
Similar to The Bear, the feature-length adaptation of Boiling Point is a character-driven masterpiece that authentically captured the frenetic energy of working in a kitchen โ dare I say even more so than The Bear, given it didnโt offer any full-circle resolutions or financial deus ex machinas. And the follow-up promises to be no differentโฆ emotional violence and all.
The criminally underrated single-take masterpiece directed by Philip Barantini [SPOILERS] concluded in a rather open-ended fashion with drug-addicted Head Chef Andy Jones (Stephen Graham) teetering over the edge and succumbing to a heart attack.
RELATED: โThe Bearโ Season 2 Hits Australia A Full Month After It Premieres In The US
While itโs still unclear whether Stephen Grahamโs Andy Jones survived โ the show picks up eight months after the film ends with his former Sous Chef Carly (Robinson) โbattling to forge a name for new Dalston restaurant Point Northโ with Andyโs old crew โ we do know the character actor extraordinaire will be heavily involved; appearing onscreen in a starring role, potentially through flashbacks or on the sidelines while he grapples with sobriety, in addition to serving as co-creator alongside Barantini.
The official synopsis elaborates: โWe follow the team as the stresses of keeping the restaurant running bear down on them amidst a hospitality industry in crisis. With the pressure to draw in new, hungry customers and the financial squeeze to keep the business profitable, the team must find a way to manage their complicated personal lives whilst creating quality food day in, day out.โ
Speaking to Radio Times, Vinette Robinson revealed the Boiling Point TV series would โconcentrate on Carlyโs emotional journey and the psyche of the character.โ
โItโs just really exciting. How often do you get the opportunity to dive deeper into a character youโve already played? And thatโs for all of us. To develop all those relationships and to work with the team again,โ she said.
โItโs amazing to be able to flesh it out. You do all your work, your backstory and all of that for a film and you only see a little bit of it. But with this, weโre able to expand it more.โ
Robinson added: โOne of the things that people said about the film was that all the characters or the little vignettes that you had, the windows into those characters, you wanted to know more. So we get the opportunity to do that with a TV series.โ
The forthcoming affair has been written and executive produced by James Cummings, who penned the original Boiling Point. Philip Barantini will once again helm the first two episodes, while Mounia Akl (Costa Brava, Lebanon) is directing episodes three and four.
Aside from Vinette Robinson and Stephen Graham, BBCโs Boiling Point TV series hails the return of Ray Panthaki as Freeman, Gary Lamont as Dean, and รine Rose Daly as Robyn.
RELATED: Chefcore Explained โ The Style Trend That Has Bourdain & โThe Bearโ Lovers Hungry For More
Taz Skylar, Stephen McMillan, Hannah Walters, and Izuka Hoyle have also signed on to reprise their respective roles as Billy, Jamie, Emily, and Camille; with newcomers in the form of Canadian talent Steven Ogg, Ahmed Malek, Cathy Tyson, Stephen Odubola, Shaun Fagan, Joel MacCormack, and more.
BBC have confirmed the Boiling Point TV series kicked off principal photography in Manchester earlier this year (January 30th) with the four-parter expected to air/stream via BBC and BBC iPlayer sometime in 2023 โ specific release date TBA; the first trailer is yet to be dropped.
In the meantime, check out the feature-length Boiling Point on Amazon Prime Video.
