Jimmy McGovern's Moving On

The Shrine (4x1)

Air date: Jan 28, 2013

John and Carol are in their sixties, looking forward to retirement and a quiet life. Long-suffering of each other's foibles, but always leavened with fond humour, relations are nevertheless strained by their failure to sell their house, which has been on the market for months. As they bicker about reducing the price, they are unaware that two other arguments are happening simultaneously on their street; a young couple, Sarah and Ryan, argue about money, and taxi passenger Dave complains about the fare to driver Neil. These events come to a terrible head when Ryan is fatally knocked over by Neil, outside John and Carol's house. John and Carol try to be as sensitive as they can to the mourners congregating outside their house, but as the weeks turn into months, and the shrine of flowers, cards and soft toys encroaches ever further into their lives, even John and Carol's ever-present humour starts to fade. The shrine is focus not only for grief-stricken widow Sarah, but also driver Neil and passenger Dave, both guilt-ridden at their involvement in Ryan's death. With prospective buyers put off by the symbol of tragic death on their doorstep, it seems as if John and Carol will be stuck there forever. Unless they have the nerve to pull off a desperate plan to get their life back...