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Ah, the burden of insignificant choices. This can be caused by the malicious universe, which chooses to cram in all sorts of troubles into one brief day. It can also be self-inflicted, often stemming from a terrible day one has already experienced. In both cases, the outcome can be remarkably negative.

The new series Coma depicts the story of Simon (Jason Watkins), a calm and ordinary man who is faced with escalating troubles. On his way home from the grocery store, he stands up to a group of bullies and returns to find his car scratched, his unfriendly neighbor Harry (David Bradley), and a notice of mortgage arrears. When he chases off a group of potential thieves outside his home, one of them, Jordan (Joe Barber), recognizes him and threatens to return every night. Unable to reach the police, Simon installs a doorbell camera. When Jordan comes back and threatens his daughter, Simon loses control and punches him, causing him to stop breathing. Simon administers CPR and the police, who are passing by, help him and call an ambulance. Simon claims to have seen someone else run off, and is presumed to be a good citizen.

The unfolding events portray a well-established, convincingly detailed account that escalates into overwhelming tension due to its authenticity. A few days after Jordan’s CPR saves his life, his criminal father Paul (played by Jonas Armstrong) comes to the house supposedly to express gratitude. However, his true motive is to gather more information about the previous night’s events. The presence of danger (emanating from Armstrong’s character) is what truly instils fear, rather than any potential mistakes Simon may make. The interactions between them reflect that of a predator stalking its prey and are almost unbearable to witness. Watkins delivers a stellar performance in his “ordinary” role, portraying genuine terror towards the man he’s facing and the rapidly deteriorating situation. There are moments, particularly when he is with his arrogantly young boss who used to be his trainee, that may remind the audience of the film “Falling Down”. Desperately, one may long for Simon to take revenge against those who wronged him, like Michael Douglas did in that film. However, “Coma” deliberately crushes these hopes to emphasize that Simon’s life has always been filled with small humiliations and setbacks.

Reworded: Coma consistently highlights the importance of humanity in the story, ensuring that it remains the focal point rather than being overshadowed by the manipulation of the plot. As Simon continues to defend himself with lies and unintentional mistakes, the evidence against him continues to grow and both the police and Paul become more suspicious, while Harry adds confusion to the situation. As Simon’s wife Beth (played by the talented Clare Skinner, who, like Watkins, has a knack for making everyday characters enthralling) becomes involved, the tensions escalate and the opportunities for escape diminish.

However, it is not solely Simon who evokes our compassion. As the past of Paul and Jordan is revealed, this is not a simple tale of good versus evil. Even the detective on the case – DS Kelly Evans, portrayed by Kayla Meikle – stands out for her tired compassion as she searches for the truth, rather than exhibiting the usual jaded cynicism or rebellious behaviors often seen in similar stories.

I admire you if you are able to watch the entire first episode without taking a break. I struggled so much that I had to pause and take deep breaths. By the second episode, I couldn’t even watch it without hiding behind my sofa. At least now I’ve learned to never purchase a Ring doorbell or irritate my grouchy neighbor by asking for a “hello” during a police investigation. It’s best for calm individuals to stay within their comfort zone. We are not built for aggressive behavior and it never leads to anything positive.

Source: theguardian.com