Accused - Frankie Story

 BBC iPlayer | Accused - Frankie's Story

Accused(By Jimmy McGovern on BBC1), is a very different TV drama to most on the box. Instead of looking at the positive "heroic" side of the Armed Forces it shows the bitter reality behind the media. They show the difficulty's decisions and events the veterans have to go though whilst on top of it fight for their lives. The Drama builds up the "army" stereotype very well.

"The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy." (http://www.ieee-huntsville.org/y2003/lw0305/lw0305military.html)

This drama works on this idea even more, it focuses on the men on "just" being able to fight for themselves let alone there county. The story's in this Drama always begin with the 'Accused', then onwards the story unfolds and leads on to find out what has got them into being in Custody.  In "Frankie's Story" its features two young typical lads, who manage to get themselves into a humorous fight which which ternt wrong. Both the lads said they were going to join the army to help drop the charges. However, when the pair arrive in Iraq it had sunk in that it wasn't going to be as easy as they thought. Whilst the pair served in Iraq, Peter was introduced to the "old Fashioned" Bulling of the army. Lance Corp Buckley began labeling him the camp's "bitch" by introducing this "old Fashioned" bulliing it pulls up the importance of the suffering the Veterans go though whist fighting for their county. Peter was then treated poorly not only by Lance Corp Buckley but, also by his fellow veterans and mates. The suffering when unnoticed suggesting this was the "Norm" of Army life. That it happens to everyone and he will survive. But, one night Peter took himself to a dark corner of the camp and shot himself. yet, his suffering still went unnoticed and was covered up by the bully.

When Frankie took a stand, Lance Crops... worded everything slyly and persuaded that Frankie should lie about the way his mate had died. Giving him time off for leisure not to grieve for his best mate. Frankie was now falling into a another stereotype, a more grown up army man, who gets on with what they are doing and takes it into his stride. But, when returning the camp did not like this man who could stand up for what was right. They therefore labeled him as the camp "bitch" the episode began to repeat until the twist came. instead of Frankie killing himself he killed the bully. Frankie still holding the scars of his best mate being dead stood by and continued to lie to keep Peters family happy. Took the blame and was sentence too life.