SISTER, SISTER

1. Impact of the telemovie? For an American audience, black audience? Universal audience? Themes of family, religion, hopes, frustrations, hypocrisies?

2. The South, the town, the home, the church? Audiences identifying with these locations? The atmosphere of the black South? Pride, prejudice? The musical score? The background of religious hymns?

3. The quality of the writing and characterisation, the feminine perspective? The title and its focus on the sisters, on black sisterhood?

4. The portrait of Caroline and Diahann Carroll's screen presence: the eldest sister, devotion to her father, memories of her father and mother, her father's illness and her looking after him? Her attitude towards Freda and her leaving home? Her attitude towards Cissy and bringing her up? Her relationship with Richard - and her having to conceal it? In church, singing? The contrast with behaviour outside, meeting him furtively, the sexual liaison? His being married? The question of the money and his embezzlement? The pressure on her?

5. Freda's return home with her son? Caroline's reaction, welcoming her home, the potential for clashing? Caroline and her holding on to the home? Freda and her easy manner? Caroline reprimanding Daniel for his manners? Caroline and her relationship with Cissy, her ambitions, wanting to be a skating star? Caroline's strictness? Her criticism of Freda's behaviour and her going to see Eddie Craven?

6. Richard, the minister, the '60s and his involvement in civil rights? His hypocrisy? Love for Caroline, using her? The money, coming to meet her, pressure on her? Her attempt to sell the silverware? His wanting her to sell the house - and her refusal? Her taking a stand? His wife leaving him? His liaison with Freda, Caroline's reaction, breaking free from him?

7. Caroline and the tensions within the house, Freda telling her the truth about their father and his selfishness, the passivity of their mother? Her having to look at the family more realistically? The preparing for the fete to raise money? Freda and her drunken dancing and the sisters trying to control her? The confrontation with Cissy, her wanting to go away and skate? The question of the house and Freda's pressure on her? The climax, the truth, her having to come to terms with reality and her future?

8. Freda, going away from home, the irony of her father asking for her on his deathbed while Caroline waited on him? The marriage, Harry and his music playing, unreliability? Daniel, his not wanting to stay in the house? His drug-dealing at school? His father's visit, the love for the son? His having to leave, giving money - and Caroline giving it back? Freda, going to see Eddie Craven, the past and the memories, the regrets? Her antagonism towards Caroline? Supporting Cissy - and going to see her at the rink? Her dancing at the social? The liaison with Richard? Her future?

9. Cissy, the youngest, love for Caroline, feeling stifled, wanting to skate? Her support of Freda? Work in the house, not having the memories of her other sisters? The crisis when Freda danced? Her going to the rink? Her decision to leave home?

10. Eddie Craven, memories of the past, love for Freda, owning the club, driving her home, the encounter, the memories? His support of Freda?

11. The picture of the town, the religious atmosphere of the church and the people attending, the services, the songs, the socials, their being scandalised by Freda's dancing? The contrast with the people at the nightclub, the drinking, the dancing? The ordinary people in the town?

12. The background of the Civil War and slavery, the blacks serving their masters and mistresses in the Civil War and receiving freedom, gifts and heirlooms? Building on that in the southern towns? Yet having to face the ordinary questions of family, identity, truth?