COMING UP: HALF TERM

Channel 4 · Channel 4 · 11 Aug 2010 · by: Channel 4

Malik (15) lives on a run-down London estate with his brother Jamal (18) and mother Shireen. Following the death of their father a few years previously, Shireen became increasingly reliant both on prescription pills and on the support of Jamal. Jamal's response has been to turn to religion, becoming a strict and serious Muslim, while Malik now spends his time smoking dope on the estate with best mate Adam (15).

When the boys notice Jamal arguing with an older Muslim man, Adam suggests Malik keeps a close eye on him - Jamal could be a suicide bomber, Adam's seen it on the telly... Malik laughs it off, but when he finds a list on the internet of the 'tell-tale signs' of a potential bomber, he starts to think that Jamal fits the profile. His suspicions seem to be confirmed when he discovers a video camera in Jamal's room: it must be for his suicide message. Malik and Adam start to follow Jamal and observe that he seems to be increasingly angry, but their plan falls apart when they are beaten up by a group of older boys at the mosque. Fed up with whole plan, Adam storms off and Malik retreats home.

When Jamal arrives home looking strangely calm and begins setting up the camcorder in his room, Malik panics and tells Adam to come round and help. They watch through Jamal's door as he finishes with the camera and stands up on his chair. Suddenly he jumps down, and Malik realises that Jamal is in fact trying to hang himself. The boys burst in, and Malik manages to revive Jamal. Realising this situation is too much for him to handle alone, he goes to fetch Shireen and brings her to Jamal, forcing her to be a parent to them both at last.