Serie: 6 x 45min
Synopsis
Dan, a philosopher who begins teaching a class of men in prison. Each week, Dan leads discussions about dominance, freedom, luck and other topics that have troubled philosophers for thousands of years – topics that gain a new meaning when seen through the prisoners’ eyes – both igniting passions and creating tension. Through his work, Dan begins to dig deeper into his own past – growing up with a violent father (Kearns) who ended up in prison, as did his brother Lee (Stephen Wight) and uncle Frank (Daniels). Dan took a different path, but his time working in a prison begins to make him worry, obsessively, that he belongs behind bars just like his father. As Dan’s personal crisis deepens, his actions begin to threaten both his own future, and his family’s.
An original six-part series based on Andy West’s acclaimed memoir The Life Inside, from the multi-award-winning writer Dennis Kelly.
BAFTA nominated Josh Finan (The Responder) leads the cast as Dan, a philosopher who begins teaching a class of men in prison. Each week, Dan leads discussions about dominance, freedom, luck and other topics that have troubled philosophers for thousands of years – topics that gain a new meaning when seen through the prisoners’ eyes – both igniting passions and creating tension.
Through his work, Dan begins to dig deeper into his own past – growing up with a violent father (Gerard Kearns) who ended up in prison, as did his brother Lee (Stephen Wight) and uncle Frank (Phil Daniels). Dan took a different path, but his time working in a prison begins to make him worry, obsessively, that he belongs behind bars just like his father. As Dan’s personal crisis deepens, his actions begin to threaten both his own future, and his family’s.
Our take
Waiting for the Out follows a young philosophy teacher starting his journey in a high-security prison. Defying genre clichés, the series explores the humanity behind bars with heartbreaking delicacy. Led by a breakout performance from Josh Finan (Say Nothing,The Responder), this sensitive drama turns the classroom into a mirror for past traumas. A powerful story about mentorship and the weight of legacy, where raw realism is always met with hope.