“Let’s be clear from the beginning–for me, THIS 20-minute Oscar qualifying, Christmas holiday-centric short film is THE epitome of what indie film so adeptly EXCELS at in spades–the creative, unique, deftly executed exploration of elements associated with our human condition in a manner that not only makes these aspects displayed one hundred percent accessible to us as viewers, but still delivers excellently written, beautifully directed degrees of entertainment to boot. And here, it accomplishes this magnitude of success–sans ANY actual dialogue–at ALL–rather wholly allowing the visuals presented to speak VOLUMES to a narrative that WILL touch your heart, bless your soul, and lift your spirits as only an award-winning project can muster.” This was my opening statement in November of 2023 for a review I composed regarding director George Siougas‘ then Oscar-qualifying 20-minute short film masterpiece, “The One Note Man”.

To say the least, it made an impact on me, and the world, as a medium to showcase the artistry and adept skill behind the camera that 25-year film and TV veteran Siougas is capable of producing, doing so with what I somehow felt was a well-grounded, totally human approach that simply MAKES you want to watch, absorb, and be moved by what he’s created. The aforementioned work above made it to the Oscar shortlist. And while it may have not ended up nominated, it didn’t remotely take away from Siougas’ accomplishment that it still represents to this day, gaining worldwide acclaim and audience appreciation to this day. So, when it came to having the opportunity to watch some of Siougas’ TV-related directing, I wasn’t about to pass this up, fully anticipating the same degree of credible emotional intensity and relatability I have come to expect from the seasoned director. The show: “Casual+y“. The result: precisely as I thought. QUALITY.

 

While this wasn’t Siougas’ first venture into the BBC’s now 40-years running medical drama (he’s directed 9 other episodes prior to these most recent two I was witness to), for me it felt like the first time, because, well, it WAS the first time I have ever seen the series. I am already a huge fan of British procedural shows, especially in the these contemporary days of “Dept. Q”, “Shetland”, “Broadchurch”, “Slow Horses”, “Luther”, “Legends”, and a myriad of others that just carry a flare and finesse to them that one cannot help but fall in love with. Hence, even though I had seen my fair share of medical dramas here in the States, ie: “ER”, “Chicago Med”, “House”, “The Night Shift”, et al, a foray into how the British choose to tackle the genre was something I was keen to get a taste of, primarily to see how Siougas would handle the episodes at hand and bring his excellence in character-driven efforts to bear.

 

As hinted at above, I was not remotely disappointed. In spite of the show’s two episodes containing much of what I would expect in a prime time drama of this genre–people dealing with personal demons/issues/pressure, moments of trials and triumph, relationships (hidden or otherwise), impatient patients, abuse victims, mothers, faith, and of course the various emergencies the hospital deals with within and without–it felt FRESH, REAL, and VIABLE. I completely attribute this to Siougas’ directing style. Similar to the aforementioned short film, I could FEEL the characters and what they were experiencing rather than just watching something that could have been almost a little TOO “polished” and “slick” like other shows here in our country. This is supposed to be showcasing at least SOMETHING akin to reality, and I fully feel the manner in which Siougas guided these two episodes executed this deftly and realistically, with the characters being as such too.

Yes, we anticipate the drama between them and all the little quirks the show wishes to have each of them possess, but for me anyway, it is IN these elements that Siougas’ directing brings it out as a study in the human condition, the good AND bad in people, the flawed, imperfect nature we possess, and that life can flat out get messy. But again, I felt this was present in a relatable fashion that ideally makes you ROOT for these characters rather than just be enamored with them for looks or ONLY entertainment value, if that makes sense. There’s palpable tension in everything from the portrayal of hospital politics and the specter of addiction and its consequences, to situational trauma and its impacts plus “on-scene” intensity that aids these two episodes to have maximum emotional intentionality, but NOT sacrificing that believability for over-produced and/or even forced melodrama.

Character-centric storytelling is the foundational groundwork for independent filmmaking, and it has been more than evident to this critic that Siougas brings that mentality, practicality, and wholly astute mindset to these two episodes of “Casualt+y”. I honestly hope that any viewers of these will actually be willing to take the time and REALLY watch them, to take in not only the entertainment they’ve come to expect from this long-running show (even if a little beyond what’s considered its true heyday), but the production quality and degree of tangibly present directing style that Siougas brought. I personally can only hope that this kind of distinctive and noteworthy work will only open more doors for Siougas in the television realms. He’s already had a amazing career, but there’s always room to keep growing and keep pressing forward to improve, excel, and allow talent to shine forth in larger and larger ways.

Siougas made the splash with an Oscar-qualifying film. Now he’s once more displaying his skills in television. I think the only way his star should go is UP. Here’s looking forward to watching this happen.

As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!