简介：ANumber Wednesday,10thSeptember2008 9pmto10:10pm(70mins) BBC1 TomWilkinsonandRhysIfansleadinthisshatteringmeditationonhumanidentity.TheplaywrightCarylChurchilladaptsheroriginalplay,examiningtheissueofhumancloningviaathought-provoking,surprisingandhauntingfather-sondrama. Salter,amaninhisearly60s,isconfrontedbyhisadultson,Bernard(aka'B2')whohasdiscoveredthatgeneticreplicasofhimselfexist.Salterinitiallyblamesthecloningonanunscrupuloushospitalandassures'B2'thatheistheoriginaloftheclones.Later,another,angrierson,'B1',showsupon'Salter's'doorstep.'B1'confronts'Salter'andtheirinteractionrevealsthat'B1'isactuallytheoriginal:asayoungwidower,Saltertreated'B1'poorlyoutofgriefanddecidedtostartoverwithanewversionofhisson. AsmoreofSalter'sliesabouthisdarkpastareunveiled,thebrothers'illusionsarestrippedawayandtheybegintoquestiontheirindividuality,culminatinginaclimaxbothshockingandtragic. Foratelevisionadaptation,theperformancesofWilkinsonandIfansareuptherewiththeoriginalstageproductionthatIsawattheRoyalCourtTheatrewherethetwoprotagonistswereplayedbyMichaelGambonandDanielCraig.HoweverIwasleftdisappointedwiththefinalsceneherewhichIfeelhastakentheeasyoptionofapplyingthetricksoftelevisionratherthanrelyoncarefulstagingandthequalityofthescriptwhichiswhatIwasusedto,andwhatIwasexpecting.Thatsaid,that'sjustme,anddon'tletmeputyouoffdownloadingwhatisattheendofthedayIverygoodpieceofdrama.IftheBeebcouldpullthisoffonaregularbasis,thenwe'dallbemuchhappierinourlives.…