Guest blog: Matt Page on last night's episode of Rev. (8 December)

We're really pleased to welcome Matt Page as a guest blogger. Matt is Church Urban Fund's Church Relationships Manager for Central England; he is also contributes to the re:jesus website, and writes the Bible Films blog.

It's not often that a TV comedy is confident enough in what it is about to not force jokes when something more significant can be touched upon instead.  Last night's Rev. (8 December) was a good example: it was probably the most moving and poignant episode of the series so far, even if it lacked the bigger laughs of previous shows.

One of the things that has been significant about Rev. is the way it tackles the issue of homelessness. Adam Smallbone may be a vicar, but essentially he's just like many of us. He's not a community hero who has devoted his life to the poor and marginalised (despite episode 1), but an ordinary man moved with compassion at the situation of those around him. He knows he should do something, but utterly confused about quite what his own response should be. Whilst his vocation brings him into contact with the homeless than most jobs, it's only a part of his role that he has to balance with caretaking the church, managing difficult staff and, in this episode, balancing the accounts.

The programme goes to great lengths to give depth to the complex and inter-related issues of homelessness and addiction. There are two regular characters who are seemingly living at the margins of society. Firstly, there's Colin, who is perhaps even Rev. Smallbone's best friend. It's not entirely clear where Colin lives - in the past he has occasionally slept at the church or on Adam's sofa - and any work is transient at best. He also dabbles in drugs and he has a drink problem, which this week leads him to Alcoholics Anonymous. At the same time he's a very easy to like character, both faithful and loyal. Both series have really fleshed out Colin's character without demonising, patronising or romanticising him and all those who are in some way like him. Sometimes he makes bad choices, is fickle or says unpleasant things; sometimes he exhibits piercing wisdom or unbridled compassion.

The other such character is Mick, who had previously only appeared as a walk-on character, employed primarily to signify the chaos and blurred boundaries of Adam's home-life. But in last night's episode he suddenly emerged as a fully-fledged, three-dimensional character. After a long term problem with crack addiction he finally seems to have left it behind. He appeals to Adam for money and is rebuffed - Adam has been burned this way too many times before. But then Adam realises Mick's turnaround is perhaps genuine. Mick attends an AA meeting and is clearly beginning to change. Wracked with guilt over his previous reaction Adam determines to help him. He finds Mick some hostel accommodation which he'll be able to get to in two days time. Seeing the chance to atone for his previous indifference Adam offers Mick the chance to stay at the vicarage, much to the dismay of Adam's put-upon wife Alex.

But as the episode draws to a close it's tragedy, rather than comedy, which begins to set in. Mick's hostel has its funding withdrawn and is no longer able to offer him a room. And Adam, deeply conflicted by his desire to help Mick and his duty to be fair to Alex, does not allow Mick to stay on. In a heartbreaking final scene a re-intoxicated Mick appears once more at Adam's door step offering a feebly transparent excuse in an attempt to get money to buy more crack. It's perhaps no coincidence that Adam prays more in this episode than almost any other.

That final scene is all the more poignant because of the way it contrasts with the scene immediately before it. Marcus, an investment banker has also been part of the St Saviour's AA group. He is almost cartoonishly unlikeable. He's arrogant, makes disparaging remarks about Colin / Mick due to their poverty, and gets thrown out of strip clubs. Even his last act of seeming compassion reveals the ruthless streak that has driven him to the top of his profession. During the programme Marcus also has a relapse, getting horribly drunk and taking drugs and it begins to look like he will never again try to recover. But somehow Marcus does recover, and ultimately reclaims his cool, calm and charismatic demeanour.

Tragically, the contrast between Mick and Marcus is all too true to life. More often than not, those who are financially secure and have a good relational network around them manage to weather the storms that come their way. In contrast those who are struggling financially, have low self esteem, or a poverty of relationships rarely seem to come through. Rev. is brave in exposing the cruel world in which we live, particularly with the subtlety it displayed last night. Hopefully Adam's struggle to determine the best way to help will inspire those who feel similarly to continue to seek ways to help those on the margins of our society.

Rev. - BBC2 Thursday, 9 pm.