The Family

5.0

2008•1h

The Family is a British fly-on-the-wall documentary series that began airing 17 September 2008 on Channel 4. Each season follows a chosen family, consisting of parents and their children. The project aim was to gain a picture of everyday family life in the United Kingdom, as film-maker and director Jonathan Smith attempted to "condense four months of ordinary family life into eight films". The series is a revival of the original series of the same name that first aired in 1974.

Seasons

8 Episodes • Premiered 2008

Series 1 followed the lives of the Hughes family consisting of parents Simon and Jane, and their four children - Jessica (22), Emily (19), Charlotte (17), and Tom (14) who live in Harbledown, Canterbury, Kent. They had more than 20 cameras placed in their semi-detached home, capturing their every move over a period of four months and were controlled from the house next door.

1. Life Begins at 40

As Jane's 40th birthday approaches the tension is building in the Hughes household. Nineteen-year-old Emily is frequently out partying and her nocturnal lifestyle threatens to overshadow the happy family celebration.

2. Secrets

Two of the Hughes children have been keeping secrets from their mum and dad and it's only a matter of time before the cat is out of the bag and both girls are in trouble.

3. Bedtime

Simon and Jane go out for the evening and leave Emily in charge. When 14-year-old Tom won't go to bed on time, a fight breaks out between brother and sister.

4. The St. Valentine's Day Massacre

It's Valentine's Day, and feeling unsupported in his attempts to discipline the children, Simon starts to lash out at everyone - not an ideal preparation for a romantic evening.