The Me In You

Promotional title card

The Me In You is a 2015 teen chiller, five-part mini-series by Imago Productions. It is the third non-serial drama production of the company, follwing on from the hugely successful standalone project, Miscarriage, and The You In Me - the hit prequel to this series. It was published on Saturdays throughout October 2015, with the first episode airing on 3rd October, and the fifth and final episode airing on 31st October (Hallowe'en) 2015 - thus ending on the same date as the predecessor series a year earlier.

To disappointment from fans, it was confirmed that there would be no further installments of the franchise.

Backstory

Set in the city of York in northern England, the drama focuses mainly 19-year-old teenager Alice Manvers, previously an undergraduate at the fictional York St. Michael University. In the original series, middle class Alice lived in the fictional suburb of Priestley, a leafy esate. Her effortless, graceful aura drew the attention of her poor and unloved peer, Jess Idle - a bright but deeply troubled girl from a sink estate called Iselworth. Her father pressured Jess to be more well-spoken and mix with the more affluent students at the university, in order to secure herself a better life. This is because he himself was a failed businessman who had lost everything, and developed a drinking problem. Jess resented his overbearing parenting, but for the most part went along with it anyway.

Jess and Alice became mutually embroiled in each others' worlds, until those worlds became disturbingly indistinguishable. Despite seeming very different on the surface, they were both pretending to be something they were not, and both their lives were troubled. Essentially, they complimented each other in many ways, each providing something the other did or did not have. However, their relationship ended in tragedy when a depressed and nihilistic Jess - dangling from the high rise - pleaded with Alice to literally let her go. To the shock of Alice but the pale-faced relief of Jess, that is what Alice did. Alice was last seen self-harming and staring darkly as a psychiatrist left her room in a teenage mental health unit.

Contemporary Story

This series fast forwards six months on from The You In Me, during which Alice has made no progress at the mental health unit. She is in complete denial about her anger and grief, and is - in the words of writer Chloe - 'a seething volcano of unerrupted rage'. The series follows Alice as two psychiatrists - Pippa Howard and Johnny Wakefield - try to help her unravel. In the series, Alice also forms bonds with two other patients: the sensitive and kindly Zeehan Kumar, and the lively, potty-mouthed and deeply troubled self-harmer, Demi Laythem.

Outside of the unit, Alice's brother Jake is alienated by his mother Jacqui's decision to form a new relationship with his uncle, Roger. Snobby Jacqui, although still loving Alice, is horrified by the way Alice's life has spiralled out of control, and is in denial herself. Jake tries to seek support from Alice's former boyfriend, Tom Dunford, but with little success. However, he is surprised to find an Achilles heel in the most unlikely person from the past...

The project's visual design is more edgy but less garish than its predecessor, with the faces of Alice and Zeehan divided into halves, as is a picture of a mental health unit room. This forms four quarters, giving the title card a somewhat kaleidoscopic sense of confusion and chaos.

The show repeats the unusual format of its predecessor - 5x30 minute episodes - and  continues with 'a distinctly Northern feel' - with the show being set in York, and most of the characters surnames being places in Yorkshire, such as Manvers, Leythem and Wakefield.

The fifth of five episodes aired on Saturday 31st October Hallowe'en) 2015.

Reception

The Me In You was universally praised throughout its run.

Readers described Episode 1 as 'chilling' and 'fascinating', with particular praise for the characters of Alice and Jacqui Manvers - characters who divided opinion in the first series.

Episode 2 was lauded as a 'calmer' but 'better' episode than the first, quieter but more character-driven. Particular praise was given to the character of Roger Manvers, brother-in-law of Jacqui.

Episode 3 was also praised, with readers describing the series as 'getting better and better with every episode'. The new character of Zeehan was praised, as was his backstory and his bonding relationship with Alice. Others described the episode as 'a tough read' but 'well crafted', and praise was given to the development of character Jake Manvers, who was only a minor character in the first series.

Episode 4 was described as 'building up to the finale well', 'intense' and 'emotional', with the escape of Alice, Demi and Zeehan taking readers by surprise, saying they expected something significant would happen, but did not know what until it actually happened.

Episode 5, the final episode, received perhaps the best feedback of the series. Readers described it as 'absolutely incredible' and 'a perfect ending to a fantastic series', with one reader describing it as 'one of my favourite episodes of anything I have read on Writers Express.'

Awards

Whilst its predecessor was a success, The Me In You proved to be a smash-hit, winning 9 Writers Express Awards at WRIXAS 11 on 28th February 2016, including several top awards:

• Best Drama Male (Jake Manvers)
• Best Drama Female (Alice Manvers, Annabel Kinsley - draw)
• Best Drama Scene (Alice/Spliff Rooftop Showdown)
• Best Drama Plot (Alice's Psychosis Battle)
• Best Drama Episode (Episode 1/5: Ghosts)
• Best Drama
• Best Exit (Demi Laythem)
• Best New Project
• Best Project

Cast

Character	Actor	Duration (by episodes)
Alice Manvers	Georgie Henley	1-5
Annabel Kinsley	Claire King	1-5
Demi Laythem	Eden Taylor-Draper	2-5
Helen Bailey	Patricia Jones	1-2
Jacqui Manvers	Sherrie Hewson	1-5
Jake Manvers	Dylan Sprayberry	1-5
Jess Idle	Holly Kenny	1, 5
Johnny Wakefield	Tom Lister	2-5
Pippa Howard	Sophie Okenedo	1-5
Roger Manvers	Victor Gardener	1-5
Spliff	Devon Anderson	4-5
Tom Dunford	Aaron Fontaine	2-5
Zeehan Kumar	Israr Azam	2-5

Episode 1/5: 'Ghosts' | Saturday 3rd October 2015

First published on the forum on Saturday 3rd October 2015. This episode won an award for 'Best Drama Episode' at WRIXAS 11 in February 2016.

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Episode 2/5: 'Under Your Wing' | Saturday 10th October 2015

First published on the forum on Saturday 10th October 2015

Episode 3/5: 'Try Again' | Saturday 17th October 2015

First published on the forum on Saturday 17th October 2015

Episode 4/5: 'Ready Or Not' | Saturday 24th October 2015

First published on the forum on Saturday 24th October 2015

Episode 5/5: 'Chinks Of Light' | Saturday 31st October 2015

First published on the forum on Saturday 31st October 2015