Cast Offs

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  • 2009
  • 1 Season
  • 7.4  (7)

Cast Offs is a British television drama series that premiered on Channel 4 in November 2009. The show was created by Oliver Kent and was written by a team of six disabled writers. The series follows the lives of a group of six people - all with very different disabilities - who have been chosen to participate in a "reality TV" show called Cast Offs.

The premise of Cast Offs centers around the group of six disabled individuals who are stranded on a deserted island for three months. They must fend for themselves, find food, shelter, and water, and try to get along with one another. Additionally, the group is being filmed by cameras 24/7 and their actions are being broadcast on national television.

The six cast members come from very different backgrounds and have very different disabilities. Characters include Dan, who has cerebral palsy, who struggles to communicate with his fellow cast members; Sean, who is deaf, and is bullied and ignored by some of the other cast members; and Tom, a former soldier who lost both of his legs in the war and is self-conscious about his prosthetic limbs.

Other characters include the glamorous and confident Debs, who is blind, and is an experienced traveler and adventurer; Roanna, a beautiful and bubbly woman with dwarfism who is often underestimated by others; and Andy, a wheelchair user who has a dark past and emotional baggage.

The show explores themes of disability, media representation, survival, and relationships. It delves into issues such as accessibility, communication, and discrimination that are often ignored or overlooked by mainstream society.

One of the most significant aspects of Cast Offs was its use of disabled writers, actors, and crew members. The show was created to give a platform to disabled voices, both in front of and behind the camera. The use of disabled actors to play disabled characters is still a relative rarity in mainstream media, and Cast Offs was groundbreaking in this respect.

Alongside the portrayal of disabled characters, the show also aimed to examine the media's treatment of disability. The portrayal of disability in mainstream media is often stereotyped or patronizing, and Cast Offs aimed to subvert those expectations by presenting fully-rounded characters who were defined by more than just their disabilities.

The show was praised by critics for its bold and innovative approach to filming marginalized characters, and for its frank and honest depictions of characters living with disabilities. The use of humor, particularly in the character of Roanna, was also praised for breaking down barriers and making the show accessible to a wider audience.

The performances of the cast members were also widely acclaimed. In particular, Mat Fraser, who played the role of Dan, was singled out for his nuanced and complex portrayal of a character with cerebral palsy. Fraser himself has cerebral palsy, and the role gave him the opportunity to use his own experiences to inform his performance.

Despite its critical success, the show only ran for one season. It's unclear why the show was not renewed, but it may have been due to a combination of low ratings and the unconventional subject matter.

In conclusion, Cast Offs was a groundbreaking TV show that aimed to challenge stereotypes and increase the representation of disabled characters in media. Its frank and honest portrayal of disabled characters, combined with its innovative use of disabled writers and actors, made it a significant contribution to disability representation in media.

Cast Offs
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Seasons
Carrie
6. Carrie
April 18, 2011
The thing about being smaller than everyone else means you have to shout to be noticed. The group are preparing to leave the island and Carrie can't wait to get back home.
Tom
5. Tom
March 18, 2011
Sardonic, dry and very funny, Tom is so idle he has never bothered to make an effort for anything. The important factor for him has always been the avoidance of work. So what happens when…
Will
4. Will
March 14, 2011
Will, played by Mat Fraser, is campaigning to become the disabled community's answer to Barack Obama. But on the island, the only person who's happy to listen to him banging on about…
Gabriella
3. Gabriella
March 12, 2011
Wedding days should be filled with romance and hope. The trouble is Gabby is marrying a man who isn't romantic and really pretty hopeless. From the moment he proposed at the Costa Coffee…
April
2. April
March 11, 2011
April has a face that people stare at. And a private life that is kept so locked up no-one can see inside.
Dan
1. Dan
November 24, 2009
Dan is a naive young man who has been in a wheelchair for only 6 months.
Description
  • Premiere Date
    November 24, 2009
  • IMDB Rating
    7.4  (7)
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