Only found this again because of David Tennant & the repeat on bbc three - triggered memory of seeing way back in 1994.However this is a rare gem not only from the BBC stand point giving a very true account of treatment of mental illness which sadly stands to this day in many ways but though the bbc Scotland later gave the reworking of the crow road from book to screen. This short mini series is way and beyond anything before or since and stands in its own right as an exceptional exploration of mental illness, Scotland and a great story combined at that time with unknown talents - David Tennant probably topping that list. However it's the whole package from the writing, the emotions shown and how accurate to life this is. I honestly can't say enough well worth buying it brings a tear to the eye and the amount of talent in one series is unbelievable with the younger cast members making there name since.David Tennant shows all his talents at this early stage in his career and put in an epic performance here however he's not the only one and the series deserved every award it got. Truly touching and powerful, Scottish at its heart yet a universal story which still holds today.They struck gold with the cast and the story sadly nothing has got near its level since and this does show what the BBC and Scotland can give lovely Scottish backdrop and use of music taking over the asylum is one to treasure.

I came to this program from doing an IMDb search on David Tennant. Yes, I came to this from Doctor Who, and yes, I am an unrepentant DT fanboy. But...I was totally blown away by the talent shown in this early work of Tennant's. Already we can see why he's become such a big hit on stage & TV. Most 22 year old actors just don't have his level of skill. Throughout, as Campbell Bain, he steals the show from it's intended star. At no point did I ever fail to believe him in the character. He embodied it, just as he's done with so many of his other roles.The story is good, too. A radio station located in an asylum changes the lives of the inmates and the DJ as well. Mostly though, it changes Campbell. At the start he is an uncontrolled manic. As time goes on and he finds an outlet for his mania, he develops a personality, not just a diagnosis.It's definitely worth hunting down, even if you're not totally mad for David Tennant like me. Just a really good quality Brit TV show.

Wasn't this a blinder? The program introduced me to Ken Stott in the starring role as a double-glazing salesman who moonlighted as a hospital radio DJ. He was absolutely believable as a man in early middle-age, gradually coming to terms with the fact that he was never going to get 'the big break' - either in records or windows.Harassed and resented by younger and more competitive salesmen, pestered by his ageing mother/grandmother to find himself a wife; his self-esteem was in decline, and he took to his evenings at the hospital turntables as a kind of escapism.I should mention here that it was a psychiatric hospital.Enter Tennant's character as the manic-depressive. At his euphoric heights he had moments of unrestrained genius. Unfortunately at his most extreme he actually had to be restrained - forcibly and rather cruelly, by strong nurses. One of them, almost inevitably, had issues of his own, and bordered upon the sadist. Very quickly he advanced from enthusiast, to assistant, to DJ maestro. Performing hilarious double-acts with the highly knowledgeable character of Stott, to whom he referred as 'Dr Boogie'.The chemistry between the two set the real high-points of comedy, though there were interesting touches also in his double-glazing world. The later turnaround of events wasn't entirely unexpected but it was handled deftly and with a believable and humane hand.One-line gags aren't quite as sharp as those in Hollywood's 'Crazy people' but the acting and the fractured romance is a hell of a lot more believable.I should like to personally thank the contributor 'Bayingatthemoon' for providing us with such a rare and enjoyable comedy-drama, and for advising us of its imminent release onto DVD.Anyone who has seen this series knows where the latest incarnation of 'Dr Who' developed his manic disposition. Our new time-lord once spent time in a padded cell.Another highly recommended bit of old telly.

I wrote this series a very long time ago. David Blair and I were just starting out on our careers and neither of us really believed it would ever be made. We used to meet in the Trevi, a small Italian restaurant near the old BBC Scotland building and David would give me "notes" on my drafts. When we got to the end of the last script he asked me what I wanted to do next. I said, "I don't know. Make this. Win an BAFTA. Make something else." Bizarre to think that it actually happened.Anyway, I did want you all to know that Takin' Over the Asylum is coming out on DVD later this year. There were a lot of people who lobbied for this for a very long time. Someone even started an online petition, but I guess the Powers that Be remained unconvinced. However, it appears that the democracy/anarchy of the internet succeeded where everything else failed. The BBC finally responded to the fact that the entire series had been pirated and posted on You Tube and decided that maybe it would be an idea to release it on DVD after all. Will post when I know the release date once I know it! Thanks for keeping the faith with this series. It means a lot to me.