The Flatmates

Yesterday I went for a stroll along the banks of the Tanshui River with The Flatmates as my traveling companion. I listened to the mp3 of The Flatmates from episode 15 to the latest one, episode 147. Though it almost took me three whole hours, thanks to the amusing radio drama created by BBC Learning English and the rainy scenes along the riverside, I really had a good time yesterday. Further, I also learned that The Flatmates seems like an organic matter or a living life instead of a play full of a bunch of lines. On the other hand, I feel a deep pang of sorrow for Helen and Michal; I think what the screen writer set up for Helen and Michal is not quite fair.

I found that as the episode of The Flatmates is published one after another, how the story develops depends on the survey of the listeners’ comments or on the readers’ votes. For instance, in the end of the episode 16, BBC Learning English posted a survey that asked, “Where will Michal and Helen go on their date?” and the result showed that readers preferred Michal and Helen should have a river boat trip on their date. Therefore, in the next episode, episode number 17, Michal did book for a river boat cruise, and it was what most loyal listeners of The Flatmates wanted. Indeed, I think BBC Learning English really does a good job to offer the opportunities for the listeners to choose their favorite directions, which the radio drama, The Flatmates, goes on; in addition, the survey seems looks like the mechanics applied on the new generation films which provide several options for the film viewers to choose whether the story develops later on the line of the main-plot or on the branches of the sub-plots. Although it is not something new for cinema, but I think it is a fresh feature for radio drama.

Yet, I feel great sorrow for Helen and Michal because in the episode 63, Michal had to go back to Poland, his hometown, and he had to say goodbye to Helen and his friends. For this sad plot, I think that the screen writer arranged it and kicked Michal out because of the minor, small, insignificant English grammar errors Michal often made. It is sure thing that English learners should watch out and keep their eyes open for any word Michal said in order to avoid learning incorrect English; however, it is inhuman and too cruel to make Helen and Michal apart from each other due to the non-essential language slips. Notwithstanding this, things could become better because the vote on the issue, “Will Michal keep in touch?” shows that most listeners preferred Michal will keep in touch with Helen. Well, I think the screen writer, now, has an internal battle and struggles to draw the outlines for the following episodes of The Flatmates and, at the same time, not to offend against the listeners’ wish. Poor screen writer, but he deserves it. Ha, Ha.