Interview with Jim Archer (Director)

How are you feeling about wrapping up Big Boys? Is it a mixture of sadness and relief?

It’s definitely mixed feelings. We always knew it was three [series], so it’s been coming. There’s sadness there, but I think we feel we’ve told the story. It’s not like, oh, I wish we could have done more. It’s like, no, that’s the right amount.

The series two finale is could’ve been the curtain closer. Was there a pressure to match that ending?

We always planned that there would be three. Lots of people said that about the end of two, ‘That’s a great ending.’ To me, I was like, no, there’s still so much more to tell, stories that we rested, particularly Danny’s story. He still had a story in series two, but there are a few strands that haven’t been tied up.

Because we finished both series [one and two] in quite a nice way – both series end like that could be the end. Series one ends with that drone shot of them all hugging – that was more intended to be like, ‘Well, if we don’t get another series…’ because we didn’t know. 

But there definitely was pressure. We do something quite different with the end of three. I’m not going to say what we do, but I already knew we were going to do something unique. If anything, it’s more pressure to stick the landing of the whole show. It’s not like, I want to match the series two ending. We’ve got to make sure everything we set up, all the characters, everything pays off in a satisfying way that people don’t feel short-changed or anything like that, while still trying to push boundaries. I mean, the end of series two was a risk, bringing Jack [Rooke] back like that, seeing his face. 

How much pride have you taken in bringing Jack’s story to life over the course of these three series?

A huge amount of pride. There were times when, before I even shot series one, I was thinking I wouldn’t do series two and three if it ever happened. I’d just done a film… but I was so happy with Big Boys and felt so connected to it that I kind of felt I had to finish the story. The fact I’m still doing it shows how much I love it, and how much pride I have in it. And Jack’s become a really close friend now. It’s been a lovely journey with everyone. Me and Jack were just colleagues before, and we actually live together at the moment [laughs].

How did the two of you cross paths?

I just interviewed for the job. It was in 2018. I’d made a couple of shorts and a pilot. I hadn’t done any TV, I don’t think. I just met Jack, and then the pandemic happened. It took a while to shoot the first series.

Has a specific conversation you had with Jack really stayed with you?

The one we often have is the use of the narrator, and how much we push him as a character into the show. There was a big debate about how much we see of Jack himself. That’s always been ongoing. That device as well – in series two, Danny briefly talks to the narrator and tells him to stop talking. We’re always having that dialogue about what that means, and how far we can push that, and what we want to say with that.

Which scene across all three series are you particularly proud of?

I definitely have some in series three that I probably I can’t talk about yet. There are a couple near the end that are my proudest ones. The stuff I like directing more is the emotional stuff. All those emotional scenes, like Danny on the beach in series one, or the birth/death sequence in series two. Maybe that might be my favourite scene.

How about the most challenging sequence you had to film?

The boring answer are the ones with loads of people. Those kinds of scenes become less like you’re directing sometimes, and a bit like you’re just doing admin. I’ve got 10 people in a scene, 50 extras in a room, and all I’m doing is trying to cover stuff, and make sure everyone gets their lines right. We had scenes in series three that were five pages long - you forget what everyone’s lines were, and notes you had for everyone. In the more emotional scenes, the crew is amazing at understanding that and knuckling down and being very respectful.

How would you describe this swansong outing?

I would hope it is a satisfying ending that respects everything we’ve done before but also gives you unexpected things that you haven’t thought about. It’s joyous, emotional, complicated, and people will be satisfied with what we’ve done with it.

You also got to film abroad in Malta for the opening episode…

We did, Malta for Greece. That was great, actually. It was the first thing we shot. I did a three-day shoot out there, and we were out there for a week and a bit. It was lovely, but so hot. They shot Gladiator 2 out there. I have a new respect for them shooting out there all that time. Shooting in the sun is hard.

What sort of obstacles did you have to overcome?

We shot on the beach. It was 30-something degrees. When you’re in direct sunlight, it feels like it’s 45. Everyone is just sweating and trying to get under umbrellas. It genuinely was not pleasant for a few hours. But at the end of the day, between scenes we were jumping in the sea. Great fun. 

Is there a cast member you especially enjoyed working with?

We’re so blessed with our cast. Everyone is brilliant in so many different ways. I would like to answer that though. The one I’ve enjoyed working with more and more is Izuka, just because I think her character has developed more and more as it has gone on. I remember when she first had to do an emotional scene in series two, in just the first take, she nailed it and was crying. I was like, everyone on this show is so good at acting [laughs]. It makes my job so much easier.

Did you pinch any props from set as a memento?

I keep all the clapper boards. We get them personally made with different designs on them. I get them framed. To be honest, a lot of the props are quite crap, ‘Oh, do I want Alison Hammond’s fishbowl?’ [laughs].

What do you hope the legacy of the show will be?

I know people have been really touched by it, and it’s personally helped people. I want it to be remembered as a really great show that they loved and will watch again, and think, that was one of Channel 4’s best shows. That’s realistically what I want. But the fact is, I know Jack gets a lot of messages from people, how it’s really helped them, and in some cases saved them, because they go through very specific things with their dad or their friend. If it can do that, that’s a better legacy than just making a good show.

Can you ever imagine making a film version of Big Boys?

To me, that’s it. I don’t really see Big Boys as something that lives as well in a film format. The formula of it, and the tone of it, and how it works - it works perfectly as it does as a TV show. Also, story wise, we’ve told what we want to tell. You could tell something within the world of Big Boys, with other characters, things like that. It could live on in that sense. But for me, personally, that’s done, thank you very much.