Takin' Over the Asylum

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Takin' Over the Asylum

Ken Stott as Eddie McKenna
Format Drama
Created by Donna Franceschild
Directed by David Blair
Starring Ken Stott
David Tennant
Composer(s) Junior Campbell
No. of episodes 6
Production
Producer(s) BBC Scotland
Editor(s) Ian Farr
Running time 50mins
Broadcast
Original channel BBC Two
Original run 27 September 1994 – 1 November 1994

Takin' Over the Asylum is a six part BBC Scotland television drama about a hospital radio station in a Glasgow psychiatric hospital. It was written by Donna Franceschild, produced by Chris Parr and directed by David Blair.

The station is developed by alcoholic double glazing salesperson Eddie McKenna (Ken Stott), who is an aspiring DJ. at St. Jude's Hospital. He meets a range of people with various mental illnesses:

  • Campbell (David Tennant) - a young, enthusiastic contributor to the station, who is a manic depressive.
  • Francine (Katy Murphy)
  • Fergus (Angus Macfadyen) - an electrical engineer, who has schizophrenia & later commits suicide by jumping off the hospital roof.
  • Rosalie (Ruth McCabe) - has OCD for cleanliness (her son died of leukemia and she blamed herself for not killing all the germs)

The show uses many Beatles songs in both its soundtrack and episode titles. The name of the hospital, for example, initiates the use of "Hey Jude".

The series will be released on DVD on 2 June 2008.

[edit] Episodes

  1. Hey Jude
  2. Fly Like an Eagle
  3. You Always Hurt the One You Love
  4. Fool on the Hill
  5. Rainy Night in Georgia
  6. Let it Be

[edit] Awards

The show won the BAFTA award for Best Serial and Best Editing, RTS Award for Best Writer, Mental Health in the Media Award and the Scottish BAFTA for Best Serial and for Best Writer.

[edit] External links